Grandma Li's heart skipped a beat, and her legs immediately went weak.
Could it be that his son was injured and brought back by carriage...?
Jiayin thought it was unlikely, so she quickly climbed onto her grandmother's lap and hugged her neck.
Grandma Li finally came to her senses and managed to stand up.
Fortunately, none of the people sitting on the carriage shaft were familiar to them.
As they approached, the middle-aged coachman didn't move, but a middle-aged woman who had been sitting on the right side of the carriage jumped down.
Before she could speak, a low cough came from inside the carriage.
It was as if he was trying his best to suppress it, unwilling to let anyone hear it.
The middle-aged woman looked anxious and stepped forward to bow to Old Lady Li.
"Auntie, we're passing through your area, but it's too late to go into town, so we'd like to stay here for the night. Do you know if there are any clean and spacious houses in the village?"
As she spoke, she took out a piece of silver from her purse, intending to hand it to Old Lady Li.
Grandma Li quickly waved her hand, "No, no need, young lady."
She was initially somewhat wary, but upon hearing that these people were just passing through and seeking lodging, and that there seemed to be a sick person in the car, she couldn't help but think of her son, who was also traveling far from home.
As a result, she became even more soft-hearted.
“If you’re looking for a good family in the village, then this is my family. If you don’t mind, come with me.”
The middle-aged woman hadn't expected this, and a hint of wariness flickered in her eyes.
Grandma Li smiled and said, "Don't worry, my son is away on a delivery mission, and I worry about him all the time. I just had nothing to do, so I brought my granddaughter over to visit. I didn't come here specifically to wait for you."
The middle-aged woman looked at the chubby and adorable Jiayin, and her eyes filled with shame.
"Please don't be offended, madam. Our master is not feeling well, so we servants try our best to be considerate."
"It's not easy being away from home," Grandma Li said with a smile, leading them into the village.
On the way, the coughing inside the carriage was almost constant.
Some villagers were eating in the courtyard and, out of curiosity, asked, "Auntie, do you have guests?"
Grandma Li gave a vague reply, "Yes, you're eating already? We're probably not done yet at home."
The villagers laughed and said, "Yes, it's our team's turn to watch the crops tonight, so we'll finish eating early and head out early."
"Okay, in another month, the grain will be delivered home, and everyone will be able to rest easy."
Grandma Li exchanged pleasantries, picked up her granddaughter, and led the carriage all the way home.
Tao Hongying was worried that her daughter was hungry, so she was about to go out to look for the grandmother and granddaughter.
Suddenly seeing a carriage following them back, they quickly called out to Zhao Yuru.
Li Lao Er and Li Lao San were talking in the main room when they heard the commotion and went out to greet them.
The middle-aged man and woman carefully examined the Li family's house. The courtyard was clean, the house was tidy, and the family members, young and old, were dressed well.
They were very satisfied; it was clear that this was a well-off family living a decent life.
Old Mrs. Li called to her son to open the courtyard gate wide and welcome the carriage in.
The middle-aged driver and the woman jumped down and greeted everyone.
"I'm really sorry to bother you all tonight."
"Guests are guests, don't stand on ceremony, little sister." Old Mrs. Li handed Jiayin to Tao Hongying, and then called Zhao Yuru.
"Let the boys sleep with you tonight, and make the west room available for the guests. Go and tidy it up first, don't neglect them."
Zhao Yuru was quick and efficient; she turned around and went inside.
The house is usually tidy, and occasionally Jiaren will come back to read and write in the west room.
So, apart from the east room where Grandma Li and Jiayin lived, this was the best place for the whole family.
At that moment, the carriage door opened, and the middle-aged coachman helped a man out.
He looked to be about the same age as Li Laosi, but not as robust and strong.
He wore a royal blue brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a golden crown to bind his hair. He had handsome features and an air of nobility between his brows and eyes.
But his face was deathly pale, with an unusual flush on his cheekbones.
He probably wanted to speak, but after a few muffled coughs, he could only cup his hands in greeting.
The Li family members quickly returned the greetings and invited the three of them, master and servant, into the house.
The three of them, master and servants, kept subtly observing the Li family. Seeing that they were genuinely warm and showed no sign of disdain, their expressions softened considerably.
You know, when I stayed in the prefectural city before, people would hear me coughing and fear it was either an epidemic or tuberculosis, and they would refuse to take me in no matter what.
The kang (heated brick bed) in the west room was very large, covered with a new golden-yellow kang mat, and there were two large camphor wood chests at the end of the kang.
Several quilts were placed on the box, covered with clean floral sheets.
Below the cabinet was a square kang table, on which were placed writing brushes, ink, and books.
This surprised the three, master and servants, as they were astonished that a farming family like theirs still had children attending school.
This goes beyond just being wealthy; at the very least, the head of the household has foresight and decisiveness.
It should be noted that the Tianwu Dynasty is now riddled with problems, and the path to the imperial examination system has been almost completely severed.
The examinations for the positions of Tong Sheng and Xiu Cai can still be taken, but the selection of Xuan Ren and Jin Shi has been suspended for five years.
This is a road that offers almost no reward, yet a farming family is persisting on it...
Unaware of their thoughts, Old Lady Li personally laid out bedding and invited the man to rest on the kang (heated brick bed).
"Please rest a while, esteemed guest. My daughter-in-law is quite a good cook; I'll have her prepare some food and bring it over later. If you need anything, just let me know."
The man nodded, and the middle-aged woman quickly said, "Our young master is taking medicine and has some dietary restrictions. I'll go and help him cook."
"Great, we haven't eaten yet either." Old Mrs. Li seemed unaware of her suspicion and followed her out with a smile.
Tao Hongying had originally cooked millet porridge, steamed vegetarian buns with bok choy, and stir-fried eggs with toon leaves.
They took all of the Zhao family's portion over, leaving only their own.
However, the food served to the guests was rather meager.
She scooped up a ladle of thin noodles, kneaded and rolled them out, and then cut a piece of leaner salted meat.
Fifteen minutes later, three bowls of shredded pork and vegetable noodles were ready.
Two poached eggs were placed in the bowl, sprinkled with chopped green onions, and drizzled with sesame oil. It was simply a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate!
The middle-aged woman was helping with the fire, while Old Lady Li sat on a small stool by the door with Jiayin in her arms, chatting for a few minutes.
The three of them, master and servants, were traveling in Kyoto when, unexpectedly, the master's old ailment flared up on the way.
The host's surname was Ye. The woman and the driver were husband and wife. The driver's name was Ye Shan, and the woman's name was Dong Mei.
They were all born into the household and were highly trusted by their masters, which is why they often served at their side.
Perhaps because she was worried about her master's illness, Sister Dongmei's brows never relaxed.
The Li family couldn't persuade them either, so they could only try their best to make things convenient for them.
Fortunately, Tao Hongying's cooking skills remain as popular as ever.
Dongmei and her husband ate all the noodles and even had a few vegetarian steamed buns.
Even that sickly young master Ye ate half a bowl of noodles and drank all the broth.
This made Dongmei and her husband very happy, and they took out some money to give to Old Lady Li.
Grandma Li insisted on not taking it, as her family wasn't wealthy and she didn't want to use it to make money.
It was just a small favor, a simple act of kindness.
But Jiayin was an exception; when she saw the silver ingot that had been rejected, her big eyes lit up.
Unfortunately, no one cared about the thoughts of a little girl like her.
Everyone soon went to sleep, but in the middle of the night, the west room suddenly became noisy.
Dongmei took the medicine packet and pot and brewed the medicine under the eaves.
Inside the room, coughs came one after another, making everyone feel a tightness in their chest.
Grandma Li went down to the field to take a look, and Jiayin, curious, insisted on going with her.
The old lady carried her to the west room, where, sure enough, Young Master Ye was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) coughing incessantly.
Upon seeing them enter, Young Master Ye seemed about to say something, but before he could finish speaking, he spat blood all over Old Lady Li and Jiayin's faces!
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