Chapter 89 On a spring afternoon, Shen Miao suddenly realized that it turned out that Ninth Brother's...
After noon, the shop became noticeably deserted.
Apart from her, who never sleeps, and Ji-ge'er, who is going to the academy to report for duty, the Song Dynasty natives in the house, who are all drunk and dizzy, all go inside to rest for the afternoon.
At this moment, a gentle breeze stirred the shadows of the sunlight, illuminating patches of the courtyard. The osmanthus tree, its branches bare from the snow, sprouted new leaves, and scattered wildflowers bloomed in the cracks between the bricks. In the sunniest southeast corner, Chen Miao had pushed two old low tables together to make a small bed, covered it with a reed mat, and the cats and dogs all lay there sunbathing.
Bathed in the warm, abundant sunshine, the Qilin's belly was exposed, stretching out like a long, thin cat. Even its once grayish fur, worn smooth by the wind, was now fluffy and soft, each hair clearly visible in the sunlight.
Shen Miao went inside to help Ji Ge'er pack his luggage for the academy. Passing through the courtyard, she glanced at the cats and dogs lazily basking in the sun. It was too cold; she hadn't bathed the dogs all winter. Lei Ting was alright, being a black dog, so he didn't look dirty. But Zhui Feng was a different story. She was used to seeing Zhui Feng's gray fur every day, but today she suddenly remembered—wait a minute, isn't mine a cream-colored dog?
When the puppy first came to our home, it was like a plump, juicy steamed bun, the kind with a molten filling. It would wag its little tail and follow us around, and it loved to nibble on our pants. It was so lovable.
It's unrecognizable now; it's become a giant, dirty bun.
She felt an urge to wash the dog. She squinted and quickly washed it.
Zhui Feng was lying on his side, snoring and drooling, when he suddenly shuddered and moved himself further into the sunlight.
Shen Miao entered Ji Ge'er's room, where he had already packed his bundle. Shen Miao placed three large loaves of toast wrapped in oil paper on top of his bundle, instructing him, "Pack a few extra sets of clothes? And two pairs of shoes too. By the way, did you pack the purple gromwell soap that Aunt Gu gave you? As the weather gets warmer, there will be more mosquitoes. Using the purple gromwell soap to wash your body and face will prevent insect bites."
"I brought them, I brought them all." Shen Ji stuffed his personal belongings into the chain, draped it over his shoulder, tied it with a strap, and looked up with a smile, "Sister, don't worry about me, I can take care of myself."
Shen Miao smiled and tied a tight knot in his bundle, then picked it up and weighed it in her hand: "I don't care about you at all. You're the one in the family who needs the least worry."
Shen Ji smiled and looked down. After hesitating for a moment, he looked up at Shen Miao and said, "Sister, I'd like to buy some instant soup noodles and cured sausages from home. If Brother Tang has time later, could you please have him bring them to the academy for me?"
Shen Miao asked curiously, "Why would we need to buy these things for our own family? I've already packed some for you."
“I didn’t eat them… There’s something I need to tell you, but please don’t be angry.” Shen Ji glanced cautiously at Shen Miao, rubbed his nose, and said somewhat embarrassedly, “Last year you gave me extra soup noodles to give to my classmates, but I didn’t share them; I sold them all. With the two stoves you gave me, I often cook instant soup noodles to sell. Those soup noodles, cooked in a small pot and on a small stove, are much more fragrant than instant ones. Without sausage and cabbage, they cost eighteen coins; with them, they cost twenty. I never expected my little business to be so popular…”
Shen Miao stared wide-eyed at Ji Ge'er. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a well-behaved, sensible appearance; she never imagined he'd be running a instant noodle business at the academy. However, she still asked, "Twenty coins? Isn't that too expensive?"
Seeing that his elder sister didn't scold him, Shen Ji breathed a sigh of relief and quickly explained in detail: "Most of the classmates in the academy come from well-off families. Twenty coins wouldn't even buy them a good calligraphy brush. Besides, it's inconvenient for us to go out, and it's rare to get a good meal at the academy. Elder sister, you probably wouldn't believe it, but although many people in the academy aren't rich enough to have servants or page boys, many of them don't know how to boil water, put on blankets, or hang curtains. So when I cook a bowl of soup noodles for them, I only charge twenty coins, and they all feel it's a great deal. I don't need to worry about whether business is good or not. When they want to eat soup noodles, they will naturally come to me. I sell one bowl at a time. I only make these in my spare time from studying."
Shen Ji quickly clarified that he had not neglected his studies.
Shen Miao finally understood. No wonder Ji Ge'er had so much money to buy mutton pancakes before the New Year, and even bought one for himself, the cat, and the dog. It turned out that this child was so quick-witted.
They truly are worthy children of the Shen family.
Suppressing a laugh, Shen Miao beckoned with her finger and asked softly, "How much capital have you accumulated by now?"
“My little business can’t compare to yours, sister,” Shen Ji said with a smile, holding up two fingers: “Two strings of cash.”
Wow, there are quite a few.
“Okay, then give me the money, and I’ll buy you some soup dumplings.” Shen Miao didn’t stand on ceremony and held out her palm. Shen Ji immediately took out a string of coins from his inner pocket. “Here you go, sister.”
Shen Miao weighed the copper coins in her hand, never expecting that Ji Ge'er could earn money by cooking instant noodles for his classmates in the dormitory. Wasn't it just a matter of getting some hot water or using a stove to cook it?
“Sister, someone as diligent as you wouldn’t understand. Our schoolwork is very demanding. Many students are so overwhelmed by the workload that they don’t want to do anything after school. They often ask their classmates to bring them food, and sometimes they even eat on their beds. So they would rather spend money to buy cooked soup dumplings.”
Shen Ji noticed Shen Miao's confusion and explained with a smile.
As he spoke, he turned around and rummaged around for something, finally pulling a silver bracelet with a floral pattern from under his pillow. He stuffed it into Chen Miao's hand, then suddenly looked up at her and said, "Sister, I originally intended to give this to you as a New Year's gift, but I only bought it for you. I was afraid that Xiang'er wouldn't be happy, so I haven't found an opportunity to take it out. When you first came back from Jinling, you only had an old, worn-out silver hairpin left in your hair. I thought then that I would save money to buy you more and better jewelry. In the future, my sister will be able to strut around in the streets adorned with pearls and jade, just like everyone else. Now I've finally saved up one."
The money he used to buy the bracelet came from his earnings copying books for others at the school, selling instant soup noodles, and saving money from his daily food and drink expenses.
He had been saving it up for a very long time.
He looked at Shen Miao, who was staring in surprise, and slowly smiled: "Although my sister is more capable than me and has already built such a large fortune, and our family is no longer as strapped for cash as before, this is my heartfelt wish and a promise I made to myself. This is the first one, and in the future... I will buy my sister new ones."
Buy lots and lots.
He had always wanted to save up a set of jewelry for his older sister, and that desire remains unchanged.
He glanced at the white jade hairpin in his sister's hair; he knew it was a gift from Ninth Brother. But Ninth Brother was Ninth Brother, and he was him. Even after his sister married Ninth Brother and had nothing to worry about, he would still buy her jewelry.
Shen Miao looked down at the gleaming silver bracelet in her hand, somewhat stunned.
She only came to her senses when she heard someone calling for Shen Erlang at the courtyard gate.
She felt a pang of sadness in her heart and gently punched Ji Ge'er's arm: "Why did you buy all this? How old are you? Don't worry about your older sister. Do you think your older sister is someone who wouldn't spend money on jewelry? Your older sister just doesn't like this kind of thing, otherwise she would have bought a whole box of them long ago. She would be adorned with pearls and jade and parade around in the market. I wouldn't dare to do that. Even if a thief steals it, I'll probably twist my neck."
Shen Ji grabbed the heavy bundle, grinned, and said, "I don't care, I'm just buying it for my sister. I'm leaving now, sister, don't see me off, go back to your room and rest in the middle of the day."
With that, he turned and ran.
He ran several steps out the door, then suddenly turned back, opened his arms and hugged Chen Miao tightly. He didn't say anything, then dashed out of the courtyard. He bowed to Meng's father, who was driving the cart, and climbed onto the mule cart parked at the gate.
"Where are your practice problems? Let me take a look. I still have one problem I can't solve." Meng Honghe was already sitting on the mule cart, wearing a round and heavy crystal hat. He begged Shen Ji to lend him his practice book. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shen Ji's gentle and beautiful older sister seeing him off at the door. He quickly sat up straight, adjusted his glasses which had slipped off his nose, revealing his reddened nose, and politely and considerately gave her a clasped-hands salute from the cart: "Hello, Sister Shen. We're leaving now."
Meng's father, who was driving the carriage, also nodded to her.
Clutching the bracelet, Shen Miao only managed to say one last thing: "Thank you for your help, please drive carefully."
As the mule cart passed by, sunlight streamed down through the narrow, low eaves. Ji-ge squinted in the sun, turned back and waved to her. The mule cart then drove out of the alley and around the bridge.
Shen Miao lowered her head and slipped the bracelet onto her wrist. Her wrist was slender, and even with the clasp at the back of the bracelet pressed down to its smallest setting, it still wobbled a bit. But she held her hand up to the sunlight for a while to admire it before smiling and pulling the bracelet down her arm, securing it to her forearm and covering it with her sleeve.
Once back in the yard, she didn't hesitate to start washing the dog.
Washing Thunder was relatively easy. It sat there looking utterly resigned, as Shen Miao scrubbed it all over with bubbles and then gave it a thorough combing with a dog comb. Soon, dirty water and loose fur were washed away. Shen Miao hadn't expected Thunder to be so dirty; she just hadn't noticed.
After washing, the black fur was so shiny it looked like it was glowing.
As soon as Zhuifeng started barking, it stood up and leaned against the wall. Every time a ladle of water was poured on it, it would howl loudly, filling the quiet courtyard with its barking. Chenmiao was afraid of disturbing the neighbors, so she quickly pinched its muzzle: "Stop barking! You're just making a racket!"
It still whimpered softly when released.
After finally rinsing it clean and brushing its fur, it still dared to turn around and bark and growl at her. Shen Miao raised her hand and slapped it on the muzzle, threatening, "If you keep making a fuss, you won't get any food tonight."
Now his eyes were clear, and he smacked his lips timidly, no longer daring to cause trouble.
After washing the two dogs clean, Chen Miao mopped the floor with the dirty water still on it. Only after finishing this task did she hug Qilin in her arms and sit down in the shop.
Occasionally a few customers would come in to buy braised meat, and then leave.
Shen Miao was so bored that she started counting how many people passed by on the street when she suddenly saw Yan Shu carrying a small cloth bag and running hurriedly out of the alley.
"Yanshu, where are you going?" Chen Miao asked loudly, stroking the drowsy cat.
Yan Shu turned around upon hearing the voice and saw that it was Chen Miao. She quickly turned around and walked over, bowed to her, and then obediently replied, "Go buy some eye drops for Ninth Brother. His eyelids suddenly became very itchy. I just saw that the corners of his eyes were red. If we delay any longer, they might swell up."
"How could this be? She was perfectly fine when she woke up this morning." Shen Miao frowned.
Yan Shu remained calm, gripping the bag strap with both hands: "Don't worry, Madam Chen, it's nothing serious. It must be caused by too much pollen in the spring. Last year, something similar happened. After getting pollen, I became itchy, but after buying eye drops from Madam Zhao's ophthalmology clinic and using them for a couple of days, it was fine."
“Then you should go quickly.” Shen Miao said, standing up as well. She put down the Qilin and patted the cat fur off her body. “Wouldn’t Ninth Brother be alone at home? I’ll go check on him.”
"He's still taking a nap." Yan Shu said, but still handed the house key to Shen Miao and winked, "Hehe, that's great. If Madam Shen has time, please look after Ninth Brother for a while. I'll be back in less than a quarter of an hour."
Shen Miao looked at the bunch of keys in her hand, both amused and exasperated: "You didn't lock Ninth Brother in the house, did you?"
"What else can we do? What if a thief comes to the door after I leave? Madam Chen, you don't know, Ninth Brother is a real magnet for thieves. When we stayed at inns before, out of all the rooms, ours was the only one that got robbed." Yan Shu scratched his head. He really had locked Ninth Brother in the room.
"Why didn't you come to me for help earlier?" Shen Miao couldn't help but chuckle and quickly waved her hand, "Go ahead, I'll go over there now and keep an eye on things for you."
Yan Shu stuck out her tongue: "The students of the academy will be starting school in a few days, so Ninth Brother often tells me that if I encounter any small problems after he goes to the academy, I shouldn't bother Madam Chen all the time."
Shen Miao sighed and waved his hand: "Go, go."
Yan Shu then laughed and ran away.
Shen Miao glanced down at the key in her hand, squeezed it, and then walked towards the west alley.
Passing through the dappled light and shadows cast by the clotheslines of various houses, Chen Miao opened the gate to Xie Qi's courtyard. Unlike her own bustling home, Xie Qi's courtyard was empty, with two thin hemp ropes tied to bamboo poles on either side for drying clothes, and only a cherry tree behind them.
Shen Miao turned around, closed the door, and walked into the quiet room.
Ninth Brother's room was also very simple. She gently pushed the door open and entered. There was a screen, a chess table and a cushion on the left, with an unfinished game of chess on it. On the right was a desk with books piled up like a mountain, several brushes of different sizes hanging on a brush holder, and a brush holder with many paintbrushes in it.
The painting tube and wastepaper basket were placed on the table.
Beyond the screen was the bed. It was an unadorned bed made of ebony, with a plain-colored bed curtain half-drawn. The wide-sleeved outer garment he had worn that day hung on a wooden rack to the side.
The windows were covered with green gauze and reed curtains were drawn, so the room was like the bottom of a body of water, somewhat dim, yet light leaked through the gaps in the woven curtains, rippling gently in the afternoon breeze like water.
Xie Qi was fast asleep, wrapped in a satin quilt in the dim light of the spring day.
Beside the bed was a small round stool, which must have been where Yanshu sat. On the footstool was a plate of half-eaten cricket cakes and a sketchbook full of drawings.
Shen Miao noticed the sketchbook looked familiar. He sat down on the stool, picked it up, and saw that it was a folded silk book filled with illustrations. Judging from the style of the paintings, it was probably drawn by Ninth Brother. He had drawn several fables for Yan Shu, one illustration for each story, including "The Parable of the Sun," "The Child Who Was Not Afraid of the Tiger," "The Oil Vendor," and "The Myna's Imitation of the Parable," among others. They were quite interesting. Each painting had an inscription on the right or left side that roughly explained the content, but you could guess what the painting was about without even looking at the words.
It has a bit of the feel of later comic books.
A child who can't read would definitely love Yan Shu. This silk-bound book is carefully wrapped in a book cover. You can tell that the paper is fuzzy from being handled every day, but it's not damaged at all.
Shen Miao smiled and carefully flipped through the pages before putting them back in their original place.
Dust motes floated in the slanting rays of light. With nothing else to do, Shenmiao could only prop his chin on his hand and quietly watch Xie Qi sleep.
He was asleep with his head slightly turned to the side, his undergarments wrinkled and rolled up, revealing a clearly defined jawline and neck line at the open collar, with a hint of collarbone below his Adam's apple.
Shen Miao suddenly noticed that there was a faint mole on Ninth Brother's Adam's apple. It was so small that it was inconspicuous.
She stared at the small mole for a long time, seemingly lost in thought.
The gradually setting sun, along with the shadows cast by the crackled window lattice, fell entirely on his closed eyes and brows. The light illuminated his cheeks and ears, while casting dense shadows beneath his eyelashes and on the bridge of his nose.
Next, continue.
It was Ninth Brother's moist, slightly red, blunt, rounded lips, which gave off a soft and gentle feeling.
Her gaze shifted somewhat hastily from his lips, and Shen Miao unconsciously curled her fingers, which were supporting her chin. She subconsciously softened her breathing in the dim light.
Her gaze kept drifting upwards, and she couldn't stop herself from counting his eyelashes over and over again.
Fortunately, Yanshu tiptoed in a short while later.
Shen Miao realized she had been engrossed in watching, so she quickly stood up, exchanged a glance with Yan Shu, rubbed her legs which were a little numb from sitting, and then hurriedly and quietly slipped out.
Just pretend she was never here!
As Shen Miao left, she patted her chest in relief.
Yan Shu watched as Madam Chen left before turning around, tiptoeing to hang the small cloth bag he was carrying high. Then, he casually pulled a small gourd-shaped glass bottle from his bosom, muttering to himself, "That Physician Zhao said to drip it twice a day, two drops each time..."
He memorized the dosage carefully, afraid of forgetting or confusing it. Just as he was silently reciting it, he suddenly turned around. "Oh my goodness!" he cried, jumping three feet high in fright. He grabbed the clothes rack beside him and cried out, "Ninth Brother, you're awake? When did you wake up? Why didn't you say anything? You almost scared me to death!"
Yan Shu was still clutching the glass bottle tightly in his hand. Just now, when he turned his head and saw that Ninth Brother had opened his eyes, his heart tightened and he almost dropped the eye drops he had just bought.
Xie Qi stared blankly at the bed curtains, like a lost soul, not hearing Yan Shu's words.
"Ninth Brother, are you still half asleep?" Yan Shu slowly released Huang Mei Jia, peeked out and muttered, "Your eyelids were red when you left..." How come now, not only is your face red to the roots of your neck, but even your arms are red?
That's strange, I've never had this much trouble with pollen before.
***
Shen Miao quickly slipped back to her home, where A Tao and the others had already gotten up.
Xiangjie and Liu Douhua were jumping rope in the alley, their braids swaying as they jumped.
Chen Chuan held a book in the courtyard, pacing back and forth while reciting it to himself.
Yu squatted down next to his donkey, holding half a carrot, and made noises to entice the donkey to eat.
Niu Sanshi was cleaning the shed and spreading freshly cut hay inside.
Everyone was busy at work. Shen Miao coughed lightly and casually stepped into the kitchen. She saw several baskets piled high inside; the farmers who delivered the vegetables and fruits had brought them for the day. She had asked Bai Laosan to act as an intermediary and sign contracts with several farmers in Baijia Village. They would deliver fresh fruits and vegetables to her daily, at a much lower price than buying them from the market vendors.
This allowed her to keep the cost of group meals just right.
Tang Er and Fu Xing were chopping vegetables at the table, making a clattering sound as they cut. When Tang Er saw Shen Miao come in, he paused, then gestured towards the vegetable basket with his chin: "Wife, the vegetable vendor gave us an extra basket of toon leaves today, saying they were freshly picked from the tree. He brought them over especially for you to try. I thought they looked very tender, so I gave him a few extra coins."
“Good, that’s right. The farmers who deliver vegetables earn their money through hard work, and we shouldn’t take their things for nothing.” Shen Miao shook her head, which was still dazed from being intoxicated by the beauty, and after shaking off Jiu Ge’er, she squatted down and picked up the basket full of toon leaves to take a look.
Inside were fresh toon buds that had just sprouted from the branches, with slightly wavy edges and tender, reddish leaves.
This is the perfect time to eat toon sprouts.
“Then let’s eat toon today.” Shen Miao was also tempted by the rich aroma and instructed, “When the farmers deliver vegetables again tomorrow, tell them to collect more toon, as much as they can. Our shop can sell toon-flavored noodles for a while.”
"I've got it." Tang Er replied, placing the chopped vegetables into large bowls.
Besides the usual noodle dishes and signature dishes, seasonal dishes are also a major feature of Chenmiao Shop. In spring, you can enjoy noodles with toon sprouts, and after a while, you can also taste bamboo shoots, asparagus, and pea shoots; in summer, there are spicy crayfish, grilled fish, and shrimp noodles; in autumn, you can eat mutton, lotus root, radish, and chestnuts; and in winter, you can enjoy various hot pot dishes.
The two helped prepare the ingredients, and Shen Miao rolled up her sleeves and began making today's fast food.
Just as they finished cooking the food and were loading it onto the cart with Tang Er and Fu Xing, they saw the idler and Aunt Nian already drinking tea in the shop, waiting for the delivery. Aunt Nian also brought a bag of peanuts, which she handed to Shen Miao, saying, "These are peanuts that I cooked and dried myself. They won't cause internal heat or sore throats."
"It looks delicious, thank you so much, Auntie." Shen Miao smiled and thanked her, then turned around to call Youyu out to talk to Aunt Nian.
Aunt Nian waved her hands repeatedly, propped herself up on the oxcart, and said, "Don't call her anymore, let her do her work. I'm leaving now, so as not to delay my wife's business and keep her waiting."
Shen Miao patted Twelfth Sister's big bull head, telling Aunt Nian to slow down.
Not long after returning, the shop gradually became busier. After finishing with a wave of customers, Shen Miao finally had time to grab three steamed buns and pour a bowl of mutton soup. She planned to go to her half of the shop on Imperial Street to check on the progress of the stove construction and deliver food to the bricklayers.
The craftsman who helped build the stove was introduced by He Daizhao. He Daizhao was currently working at Shen Miao's duck farm every day and was too busy to handle the job, so he assigned it to other bricklayers who were good friends with him.
The tiler Cai that He Daizhao hired was very efficient, but he didn't like to talk. If you didn't ask him, he wouldn't say a word. Shen Miao always had to ask him how the work was going, and if he needed more money or anything else, he could just ask. After Shen Miao asked several times, he finally stammered, "Could you give me an extra steamed bun for each meal?"
The steamed buns Shen Miao made were all the size of two hands put together. She always brought two buns and a bowl of soup, thinking that would be enough, but Cai the bricklayer had a big appetite and wasn't satisfied. He was too embarrassed to say so, and ended up going hungry for several days. Today, Shen Miao remembered to bring one more.
Just as she was about to leave, she saw Liu Doukou hesitating at the shop entrance. Shen Miao, with a basket slung over her arm, greeted her, "Doukou, it's been a long time."
The eldest sister recognized Liu Doukou. Doukou was a few years younger than her, and they had played together when they were young. However, she was not in Bianjing most of the time, so their relationship was not very deep.
Liu Doukou quickly put on a smile and stepped forward to ask, "Sister Shen, are you looking to hire someone? My mother said you're looking for a cook."
"Yes, but I need someone strong and robust, and their cooking skills can't be too bad. Do you have any suitable candidates?" Upon hearing this, Shen Miao felt a glimmer of hope. She was also extremely worried about finding a cook. There was still no word from Dwarf Toothbo.
Liu Doukou blushed and nodded: "It's...it's mine..."
Shen Miao blinked, looking puzzled.
Liu Doukou gritted her teeth and decided to go all out, saying everything in one go: "My family can't afford my dowry. Ding Dalang and I have agreed that since both of our families are dirt poor, we won't ask for a bride price or dowry. He will come to Bianjing City to find work, and we will live on our own from now on."
At that time, getting married without a dowry was a very shameful thing. Liu Doukou said, her eyes reddening with embarrassment, but she still continued, "Ding Dalang, do you remember Sister Shen? Her father used to sell wontons on Jinliang Bridge, and now their family sells them at the outer city gate. He has been tall since he was a child, and now he is five feet four inches tall. He helps sell wontons every day, and he is very strong."
Shen Miao searched the corners of her eldest daughter's memory, finding a recognizable figure, but still couldn't quite place it. So she shook her head and said, "I don't quite remember. Why don't you have him come over tomorrow and see?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Doukou was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I will definitely make sure he comes as soon as possible."
Shen Miao smiled, then suddenly remembered the gossip Xiang Jie'er and Li Gou'er had been telling that morning, and asked in a low voice, "Would your grandmother be willing to let you come back?"
Liu Doukou nodded with a complex expression, a hint of sadness and self-mockery in her eyes: "Yes, she's old, she doesn't have much time left, and finally her conscience got the better of her and she let me come back. I'm finally no longer going to be the knife that Grandma used to torment Grandma..."
Shen Miao patted her shoulder and comforted her, "It's alright, your father and mother are worried about you. Even if there's no dowry, it doesn't matter. After you get married, life will definitely get better and better."
Liu Doukou's eyes finally lit up with a smile. She looked at Shen Miao, covered her mouth and laughed, "Is it true that Sister Shen is getting engaged? I've heard about it! That young man from the Xie family is so handsome, he's a perfect match for you, Sister."
Suddenly, a glimpse of a neck in the light and shadow flashed before Shen Miao's eyes. A small mole stood on the prominent Adam's apple, and the Adam's apple trembled with each breath...
She blushed suddenly and coughed lightly, "Don't talk about me."
Liu Doukou smiled to herself, thanked Shen Miao again, and then politely took her leave, still feeling guilty for taking up Shen Miao's time. Shen Miao also exchanged a few polite words with her.
Watching Liu Doukou's departing figure, Shen Miao thought to herself, "Isn't Doukou a pretty good person?"
But just as this thought crossed his mind, a roar that could lift a roof came from the alley: "Liu Douhua! Whose short jacket are you wearing? You little rascal, are you rummaging through my trunk again?! Come here! Let go of Xiang Jie'er, don't hide behind her, or I'll beat you to death!"
"Mother! Mother! Come quick! My sister's about to hit someone again!"
Shen Miao: "..." Well, I drew that conclusion too early.
She silently carried her basket across the bridge, and on the way, she encountered Instructor Lin, who was crossing the Jinliang Bridge with his men. Shen Miao smiled and greeted him from afar.
To everyone's surprise, Instructor Lin frowned and stepped forward, whispering to her, "Miss Shen, please be careful. It seems the yamen is reopening the case of the horse-riding incident from three years ago. I'm currently on orders to find the witnesses from the old case files. I don't know what the higher-ups are thinking. But... I just happened to see your shop address on those files, as well as the names of your parents and your three siblings..."
Shen Miao was puzzled. Wasn't this matter initially classified as an accident? It was settled hastily with a compensation of a dozen taels of silver. Why is it being brought up again now?
"Thank you for informing me, Instructor Lin. I will keep it in mind." Shen Miao curtsied.
Instructor Lin nodded, pressed his hand on the sword at his waist, and strode away.
She stood at the bridgehead, lost in thought—why was this old case being brought up again? Had the authorities finally regained their sight and discovered it was a miscarriage of justice?
Oh well, whatever.
Shen Miao sighed and walked towards the Imperial Street.
They're just ordinary people, and there's nothing they can do about it. Sometimes, realizing this is quite sad. Ordinary people like her are like a wave in a turbulent sea; no matter what storms they encounter, they can only drift with the tide. If people say it's a miscarriage of justice, then it's a miscarriage of justice; if people say it needs a retrial, then it needs a retrial. As a family member of the accused, she feels utterly powerless.
Fairness and justice are worthless in the face of those who abuse power.
Shen Miao went out, but a distinguished guest arrived at the Shen family shop. A Tao, Tang Er, Fu Xing, Xiang Jie'er, and Chen Chuan stood in a row, their mouths slightly agape, staring blankly at the person in front of them.
"Madam Ning, didn't you come here today for mutton soup?"
Ning Niangzi, the most sought-after matchmaker in Bianjing, was holding a live goose with its feet bound, trying to hold down its wings that kept flapping. She managed to answer in a moment:
"I won't drink soup today. I've come here on behalf of the Xie family to perform the betrothal ceremony!"
Where is your wife?
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