Qin Yifan chuckled and punched Ding Youtian on the shoulder. He already knew what he was up to, but Mei Niang didn't. Only when she saw her husband smile did she realize it. She also smiled and put her arm around Jian Ning's shoulders, whispering in her ear, "Your husband is really interesting."
In the flower hall, Mother Li and Aunt Feng had already prepared breakfast. After they entered the flower hall and sat down, Qin Yifan had a bowl of porridge with a plate of pickles in front of him.
Although illness can come and go like a thread, he was in good health and felt refreshed when he woke up this morning. But he had diarrhea all day yesterday, so Mother Li only prepared porridge and pickles for him.
"There's still some medicine simmering on the stove. Madam prepared it early in the morning. It should be almost done after breakfast." Mama Li is the elderly woman who has been with Mei Niang since she was a child. She is very methodical and capable.
Mei Niang was a virtuous and good housekeeper. During the first three years of her marriage to Qin Yifan, Qin Yifan was still just a small county magistrate in Ji County. Ji County had a population of less than 10,000, and according to the laws of the Great Yan Kingdom, small counties with less than 10,000 people did not have a county magistrate, only a county magistrate of the ninth rank.
The county magistrate's annual salary was only 31 taels, 5 qian, and 2 fen, and his allowance of 15 dan, 7 dou, and 5 liters of rice. Qin Yifan, who had always disdained to bribe his way into the government, was sent to a remote county town. To save money, Mei Niang married off or released her four maids, depending on their wishes.
Later, after Yi Fan was promoted to the seventh rank and transferred to Zhuling County, her salary increased to 45 taels and 22.5 dan of rice. She then bought a maid to help with sewing and washing. Today was the day to entertain the Jian Ning family, and since it was New Year's Eve, the breakfast was extra substantial.
Aunt Feng wanted to feed Erniu and Sanniu, but Jian Ning smiled and said, "No need, they eat well on their own. They eat by themselves at home."
"Thank you, grandma. My sister and I can eat by ourselves." Erniu smiled. She was more obedient than Sanniu, but not as brave as Sanniu.
Sanniu only expresses her extroverted personality when she is very familiar with someone.
The eldest girl’s personality is most similar to her original self Duan Xinning. She is quiet most of the time and looks like a little rabbit in the forest, well-behaved and docile.
But if you make her angry, she will be fearless, just like Sanniu.
None of the three girls in the family resembled Jian Ning's temperament, but Qiaofeng did resemble her. Since entering the Qin residence, Qiaofeng had been quite quiet. Old Qin and Aunt Feng were both used to being frugal. This breakfast, which they considered quite sumptuous, would have been inadequate before Qiaofeng turned seven. Her father and Qin Yifan were both seventh-rank county magistrates, but their food, clothing, and expenses were vastly different.
She watched with a cold eye. Qin Yifan and Mei Niang were both dressed very plainly, Mei Niang's attire even less extravagantly than her master's. Especially Old Qin and Aunt Feng. The servants serving her grandparents were better dressed than them. She couldn't help but secretly admire this family.
If her grandparents had not been greedy, she would not have become a beggar. But if she had not encountered misfortune, she would not have met her master and Lord Qin's family.
Thinking about it this way, she felt that there was nothing wrong with it. Several years of begging had tempered her character and made her experience the ups and downs of life. Although she still missed her parents and her family from time to time, the dead could not be resurrected. Since she was lucky enough to survive, she had to live well.
"Feng'er, this egg roll is good, try it." Seeing that she was silent, unlike her usual behavior, Jian Ning knew that she was probably thinking of her father because of Qin Yifan's identity.
She loves Qiaofeng from the bottom of her heart.
Qiaofeng is very similar to her past self in one respect. Even though her fate is miserable, she never complains about herself.
She appreciated this.
"Okay, Master." Qiao Feng smiled at her, and her mood gradually improved.
Halfway through breakfast, Old Qin and Blind Liu arrived, chatting and laughing all the way. After they sat down, Blind Liu glanced at the table. Before he could speak, Old Qin spoke first. He glared at Qin Yifan and asked, "What's wrong? No wine?"
"Oh, yes, yes. My sister brought two jars of good wine. I'll ask Mother Li to get them." Mei Niang wanted to get up, but Qin Yifan held her back. "I'll go."
The Qin family did not need servants to serve them when they ate. Mama Li and the others were having breakfast in the kitchen. Qin Yifan went to ask Jian Ning where the wine they brought was. Mama Li wanted to get it, but he said no and went to get a jar instead.
Old Qin and Blind Liu both loved wine. Old Qin had long heard of the reputation of "Yunshan Cui." As soon as the wine was poured into the bowl, he saw its clear color and knew it was a top-quality wine. He couldn't wait to pick up the bowl, close his eyes, and take a deep breath. After taking a sip, he gave Jian Ning a thumbs-up: "It's indeed a fine wine, well-deserved!"
"As long as you like it." Jane Ning said with a smile.
"Old man, life and death..." Aunt Feng didn't finish her words, but remembered that today was New Year's Eve, so she stopped talking and glanced at Old Qin guiltily, but met his angry eyes.
"You deserve to be spanked for your stinky mouth! You're so used to talking that you just keep saying whatever comes out of your mouth." Aunt Feng slapped her mouth lightly a few times.
Old Qin snorted angrily and didn't get angry.
What a damn old man, he only loves this wine, no matter how he lives or dies, Aunt Feng cursed herself in her heart.
"Old blind man, you're the same." Old Qin drank the first few sips of wine and gave Liu the blind man a thumbs up. "I've heard you talk about books a few times when I had some free time in the past, but I didn't know you were such a hidden master. I underestimated you. I'll drink a glass as a punishment."
"Drink less when you get up early. This wine is not good. Drinking too much will harm your body." Aunt Feng couldn't stand his craving for wine and his attempts to find excuses to drink one more glass, so she couldn't help but scold him.
As she finished speaking, she remembered that Jian Ning had sent the wine from afar, and she quickly smiled and said, "Dabao's mother, please don't be offended. I didn't mean to say that your wine was not good. Well, it's no wonder that my old man always scolds me. When I get anxious, I can't control my mouth and say things that are not welcome."
"Auntie, I know you don't mean that. Don't worry, I won't be offended." Jane Ning didn't think much about it. Since she went back to the day when Old Qintou sold his house to buy food to help the victims, she had changed her mind about him.
Old Qin was drunk and didn't care about Aunt Feng's words. Yesterday, he had been pestering Liu Xiazi to find out whether there really were mountain spirits, tree monsters, and immortals in the world. Liu Xiazi would not tell the truth. The last move he used to clean up the mess yesterday was the same Cloud Piercing Palm he used to defeat Feng Qingzi after the three of him and his fellow apprentices had fought for several days and nights.
The Cloud Piercing Palm was created by Blind Liu. Looking back to the time when he faced Feng Qingzi, his hair was still as black as ink, but now his temples are already gray. He is the only one in the world who knows the Cloud Piercing Palm, and Feng Qingzi has not been able to learn it in his entire life.
Unfortunately, Ding Youtian lacked spiritual roots, and his Cloud Piercing Palm was likely to be lost. His master had accepted three disciples, but Hua Xinzi passed away before he could pass on his skills. Feng Qingzi's branch, though there was still one remaining, was probably no good, and would likely not have a happy ending.
Their "Yunzhong School" wants to pass on, and Ding Youtian cannot be relied upon, but Dabao may be a promising talent. Blind Liu couldn't help but look at Dabao.
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