Chapter 109 (Lotus Root (Part 1)...)

Yan Qiushu came out of Xiao's house, feeling relieved.

From what Xiao Wai-chi revealed, the fight for the throne will probably officially begin after Xiao Wai-ting leaves Kyoto. It doesn't look like the old emperor will be able to hold on for much longer. It is estimated that the dynasty will truly change by next spring at the latest.

Yan Qiushu was looking forward to it so much that she felt her body, which had been nearly broken apart by the shaking of the carriage, had recovered a lot.

Maybe it was because of the heavy rain a few days ago, the path leading to the manor from the pipeline was a bit muddy and full of potholes. The carriage didn't have much shockproof function, so she was shaken all over the place when she sat in it.

Shui Yu followed her and was in the same pain.

When they were almost at the village, they quickly stopped the car, jumped out and started vomiting.

After coming to her senses, Yan Qiushu and Shui Yan weakly supported each other and looked at the driver: "Uncle, can you find two people to help fill this piece of land? The extra work will be 50 cents per person."

"Chengcheng, I'll take the carriage back to the manor and go there soon. Don't worry, we will get it done as soon as possible." The driver smiled immediately, and seeing that they were going to walk slowly here, he didn't wait any longer and drove the carriage back to find people first.

Once you find something and finish it, you will get the money as soon as possible.

Fifty cents per person is enough to offset two days of hard work at the dock!

Yan Qiushu stood there for a while, and in the fresh air of the suburbs, the discomfort in her heart finally disappeared. She and Shui Yan chatted as they walked.

The newly planted peppers have grown a lot. I estimate that in another month, we will have a steady supply of peppers to pick.

It is also time to start preparing the greenhouse, otherwise when the weather gets cold, potatoes and peppers will be out of production, and it will be difficult to eat fresh vegetables.

Suddenly Shui Xuan looked at the wheel tracks on the ground and wondered, "Why are there so many wheel tracks? Are there guests coming to our manor again?"

Yan Qiushu also looked over with a look of surprise, this road was the only one that passed by their manor, and after the rain in the past few days, no one else went out of the manor, and including the two of them coming and going, there were only two traces, but these messy traces definitely came more than twice.

Another guest?

Yan Qiushu was slightly happy. Although she didn't have to worry about the income, it would be a good thing if there were more customers. She lifted the hem of her skirt a little and said cheerfully, "Let's go back first. From the traces of the carriage, it is estimated that there are quite a lot of people coming. I'm afraid Sister Zhao and the others will be too busy to handle it."

Shui Yu also nodded quickly.

The two of them quickened their pace and when they reached the door of the manor, they heard a commotion inside. Most of the voices were women's, mixed with men's voices, and Zhao Shuhong's helpless but forcing voice.

Yan Qiushu's expression changed slightly and she walked in completely.

I saw several familiar-looking people standing in the yard. Manager Gu and Zhao Shuhong were smiling at a woman with a bad look on her face: "Everything here is clean. We always wash it with hot water. You can use it without worry."

"You expect me to use such a low-quality thing without any worries? What's the big deal about washing it with hot water? Can't you just give me a new one?!" The woman who spoke happened to be someone Yan Qiushu knew. She was Zhou Zejing's sister Zhou Lanyi. After she said this, she threw a teapot on the stone table in the yard to the ground in disgust.

Most of the ground in the yard was paved with stone slabs. When the stone was hit, the ceramic teapot broke into pieces with a "bang" and scattered all over the ground, and the hot tea spilled out.

Yan Qiuyuan, who was standing next to her, screamed in surprise and took two steps back. She looked at the hem of her skirt stained with light brown tea and glared at Zhou Lanyi angrily. She seemed very unhappy as well, but she endured it and turned away.

This time, she happened to see Yan Qiushu, and she smiled subconsciously: "The country gentleman is back. I thought I wouldn't be able to see him this time, but I didn't expect to see him now."

Yan Qiushu glanced at everyone one by one. Zhou Lanyi sneered at her. The frail young man who looked like a scholar next to her also looked over and smiled slightly. Next to her were Zhou Zejing and Yan Qiuyuan.

There were two men and two women. No wonder there were so many traces of carriages.

She looked at Zhao Shuhong again. Her face looked very bad and her smile was forced. She had been trying hard to cheer herself up and say nice things to Zhou Lanyi, but when she saw Yan Qiushu, she smiled a little aggrievedly.

"Greetings to the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess, and the County Lord." Yan Qiushu saluted expressionlessly.

Zhou Zejing, Yan Qiuyuan, and another scholar also urged her to nod, but Zhou Lanyi, alone, crossed her arms across her chest, and did not move.

Yan Qiushu didn't say much, but took two steps forward and said to Zhao Shuhong, "Sister Zhao, what happened? I just went out for a while and it turned out like this?"

She frowned slightly, as if she was displeased with the mess in the yard and was blaming him. Zhao Shuhong lowered her eyes with some guilt.

Zhou Lanyi smiled with satisfaction, and before Zhao Shuhong could say anything, she said in a sinister tone, "What else can it be? You are such an unreasonable servant, using such a cheap product to fool this county lord. Do you think you should be punished?"

Yan Qiushu ignored her and continued looking at Zhao Shuhong.

Zhao Shuhong's face showed a hint of comfort, and her tone was helpless: "Several guests came and said they heard that we can entertain guests here, so I welcomed them and asked someone to serve tea first. I was about to introduce the situation here to them, but this female guest thought our tea set was too inferior and didn't want to use the ones that others had used. I have already replaced it with a new one, but she still disliked it. How about we ask someone to buy a better one?"

Yan Qiushu understood, pursed her lips and smiled, patted her comfortingly, and said: "It's okay, no need to buy it, our manor is like this."

Zhou Lanyi's face fell and she looked at her with a frown.

Yan Qiushu turned to face her and said calmly, "County Lord, I am not feeling well today, so I will not entertain guests. A few of you may sit here. Other than that, everyone else will have a day off today."

Zhao Shuhong was stunned, then anxiously pulled her sleeve and shook her head: "Ah Shu!"

Isn't this a public offense?

Yan Qiushu also shook her head at her and pressed her hand down. Her voice was clear and decisive, showing her determination: "Manager Gu, the manor is closed today, you should go and rest too. No need to entertain us."

Zhou Lanyi's face was dark: "What do you mean? We are guests. We came from far away, and you don't entertain us like this?!"

After she finished speaking, a young scholar beside her said unhappily, "You just casually said you won't entertain us, then our visit here is in vain, isn't it?"

After he finished speaking, Zhou Lanyi's expression immediately softened, with a hint of girlish shyness.

Yan Qiushu smiled and asked, "We need to make a reservation here, do you have one?"

Zhou Lanyi hesitated and said nothing.

Yan Qiushu said in a sharp voice: "Since the guests have not made a reservation, they are not guests. Moreover, we will inform every guest who comes here in advance of the situation on the manor. If you want utensils worthy of your status, please go to another place. Our temple is too small to accommodate a large Buddha!"

Zhou Lanyi and the scholar were completely choked up, unable to find any words to refute, and they subconsciously looked at the other two.

Yan Qiuyuan rolled her eyes covertly, then turned to look at her husband pretending to be at a loss, not intending to speak.

She had seen Yan Qiushu's cunningness last time and didn't want to be blocked when she spoke. Moreover, this time they came here on purpose without making an appointment in advance. They just heard that there were no guests at the manor recently, so they came directly.

Zhou Zejing smiled calmly, saying, "I took it for granted. Please don't be offended, my lord. I came here because I admired you. I didn't expect to upset you. But it's getting late. If I go back, it will take some time. I like the scenery of this manor very much. Can you stay?"

As he spoke, he handed over a silver note.

The minimum denomination of the banknote was fifty taels. Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "Do you think I'm short of money?"

Zhou Lanyi scolded, "Don't push your luck! I'm just a little lady, why are you so proud?"

"Lan Yi!" Zhou Zejing shouted in displeasure. The latter pouted angrily, but honestly did not say anything. He added another one and said with a smile: "It's my sister's fault. Please don't blame me, my wife is pregnant. The carriage has made her uncomfortable all the way here. Now if we go back, I'm afraid she will be even more uncomfortable. Please take her in for one night."

Yan Qiushu glanced at him warily, he was smiling and she couldn't tell anything. She then looked at Yan Qiuyuan, who smiled at her. Upon closer inspection, she saw that he was really holding his stomach with his hand.

She was not so resolute and instead felt a little worried. However, if she really had to rush out, if anything happened to Yan Qiuyuan, she would be blamed. If she stayed here... she was actually afraid of something happening.

At this moment, Xiao Huaiya's voice suddenly appeared: "Ah Shu, since they want to stay so much, let them stay for one night. I just saw someone filling the road, and they should be able to leave tomorrow."

She came over, wearing a light yellow dress, looking cute and tender, but still wearing a veil. The pair of eyes on the veil blinked twice, reassuring her.

Seeing this, Yan Qiushu also took the banknote and said, "Okay, Manager Gu, please go and arrange for a few guests."

Steward Gu immediately nodded with a smile: "Okay, please come this way, sir."

Zhou Lanyi pointed at Zhao Shuhong and said in a coquettish voice: "I want her to entertain me."

Zhou Zejing smiled and said, "My Lord, do you think..."

Zhao Shuhong pursed her lips tightly, with some resistance in her eyes but she still planned to move forward.

Yan Qiushu reached out and pulled her: "No, Sister Zhao has other things to do. We are all self-service here. You can do whatever you want. If you damage anything, you can pay for it according to the price. Please do as you like."

As she said this she just stood there and looked at them.

Zhou Zejing's smile faded slightly. Seeing that Zhou Lanyi was still trying to make trouble, he said in a deep voice, "Okay, let's go."

Han Ronglun saw this and said, "Yes, let's go."

Zhou Lanyi's complexion improved, but Zhou Zejing frowned and walked in front with big strides, as if he didn't want to walk with him.

The three of them arrived at Yan Qiushu's yard. Yan Qiushu thought of the faces of those people when they were greeted by Gu Guanshi. She felt that this group of people did not seem to be here just for vacation. None of them were happy, so she asked, "Can you tell what they are going to do?"

Xiao Huaiya looked at her and guessed, "I guess it's coming for you."

"Me?" Yan Qiushu frowned. What value could she still have?

Xiao Huaiya nodded and spread his hands helplessly: "Although I don't know why, but they can suddenly come here without saying hello and take advantage of the fact that I'm pregnant. They must have made up their minds to stay. Why not let them do what they want to do? Besides, if something really happens, we don't have to be afraid."

Yan Qiushu was also planning to nod at that time, so she didn't say anything else and looked at Zhao Shuhong: "Sister Zhao, you don't have to be so wronged in the future. If the customer is not satisfied, then ask her to leave. This is the treatment we have here. Anyway, we don't rely on this to make a living. The money earned from the vegetables and fruits sold on the farm is enough."

Zhao Shuhong smiled bitterly, she knew of course that this manor still made money, and most of all the products were directly supplied to the food street. The food street had huge consumption, so naturally it gave a lot of money, so there was no need to worry about making ends meet.

But she felt that she lived here to entertain guests, so she couldn't really do what she wanted.

"Sister Zhao?" Yan Qiushu shook her and said with a smile, "I won't dare ask you to greet people in the future if you are like this. Otherwise, I will feel bad if I wrong you."

Zhao Shuhong was amused, and her heart was warm. She smiled and said, "It's just that the guests are special today. It won't be like this in the future."

The more noble a family is, the more they care about their reputation and will not deliberately make things difficult for someone like her.

Yan Qiushu thought she was saying that Zhou Zejing and his group were special, so she didn't take it seriously. But Xiao Huaiya said, "Do you know the scholar just now? I saw that scholar was secretly looking at you just now."

Yan Qiushu looked over quickly, as if she remembered something, but she was not sure: "Really?"

Zhao Shuhong sighed, "Well, that man is my ex-husband's younger brother. He was probably surprised that I was here, so he looked at me a few more times. Maybe that's why the county magistrate misunderstood him? I think that's probably why she deliberately made things difficult for me."

Yan Qiushu frowned and wanted to chase them away again, but she had already received the money and they hadn't done anything yet, so she couldn't find an excuse to chase them away, so she said, "Then don't go out next time. Let's ignore them and send them away tomorrow."

Zhao Shuhong smiled and said, "No need to be like that. I have already divorced his brother, so I naturally have nothing to do with him."

Yan Qiushu wondered, "He came here with these two people today, so Zhou Lanyi might be attracted to him, right? Why is her taste so poor?"

Zhao Shuhong laughed: "What's wrong with him? I heard that he ranked high in the imperial examination. He's good-looking and not too old. If he were to be a son-in-law, he would be a good choice."

Xiao Huaiya also nodded: "Yes, it's not bad. Although he can't compare with my brothers, it's a great honor for an ordinary family to have such a child. You can't compare with my brother!"

"He watched you being misunderstood without saying a word. Your family has supported him for many years. Even if you two divorced, he really benefited from it and he should say good things to you. He just stood by and watched coldly. He must have a bad character. What's good about him?" Yan Qiushu said with disdain. Seeing that Xiao Huaiya seemed to have just realized this, she found it a little funny.

That's right. Although this girl has killed enemies on the battlefield, she is the youngest girl in the Xiao family and is spoiled to be a little innocent. Before, no one could mess with her in the Xiao family. Now that she has come out...

Yan Qiushu felt alert for a moment and reminded him, "You too, can't just look at the appearance of a person, but also look at what he says and does. Don't be naive and believe everything others say. If nothing unexpected happens, he may have hooked up with Zhou Lanyi. I see that the Prince of Jin looks down on him and probably doesn't want him to be his sister-in-law. Be careful that he hooks up with you..."

Zhao Shuhong added, "By the way, Manager Yao from the neighboring farm sent over a lot of fresh lotus roots, saying they are very tender and crispy. Shall we cook them for later?"

"A lot?" Yan Qiushu's eyes lit up. Seeing her nod, she looked at Xiao Huaiya: "Didn't you ask me to teach you a simple dish? There happens to be a particularly simple dish here called lotus root dumplings. Do you want to make it?"

"Okay!" Xiao Huaiya nodded decisively: "Hurry up, let's go and learn. When I get back on Dongdong's birthday, I'll cook it for my mother!"

Yan Qiushu smiled and did not take them to the kitchen outside. Instead, she asked someone to bring the lotus roots to them from the small courtyard.

The lotus root was still covered in mud, but after being washed, it was already pink and tender. When she was washing it, her fingernail accidentally touched it and she could clearly feel the crispness and abundant juice of the lotus root.

This lotus root is really fresh!

Yan Qiushu sighed and finished cleaning. When she cut the lotus root, she removed the nodes. She cut a slice and broke it into several pieces for them to taste. Xiao Huaiya took it hesitantly and asked, "Can it be eaten raw?"

"Of course, it's delicious." Zhao Shuhong was the first to put it in her mouth: "I tasted it right after it was delivered. It's sweet and delicious!"

Hsiao Hwai-ya took a bite and it was indeed sweet. It was like biting into a fruit. Although it was not that sweet, it was very juicy: "Wow, it's really good!"

"But don't eat too much, it's hard to digest, just taste it." Yan Qiushu said with a smile, picked up the knife and said to Xiao Huaiya: "When you cut it, cut it twice, but don't cut it all the way through the first time, leave a little space."

Xiao Huaiya stared at her hands closely, watching those slender hands, one holding the lotus root and the other holding the knife, stopping when there was only one-third of the lotus root left, and the second time cutting straight to the bottom.

After a few times, a slice of lotus root about one centimeter wide fell on the chopping board. After two sections of lotus root were cut, Yan Qiushu did not continue, but took another piece of lotus root and opened it a little in the middle: "This place will be stuffed with meat later."

Xiao Huaiya nodded, not quite understanding, until Yan Qiushu stuffed the meat stuffing with chopsticks. Then she suddenly realized it, her eyes widened: "How can it be like this? It keeps on?"

"Don't use force, it won't break." Yan Qiushu said with a smile, letting her hold the knife: "You try it."

Hsiao Wai-ya had held a knife and a sword before, but she had only used them to kill people. She had never processed food. Before that, she mostly helped with things like lighting fires or fetching water. She was never needed to cut vegetables because her knife skills were not that good.

But this time, Yan Qiushu directly put the knife into her hand and used such an encouraging look. Xiao Huaiya suddenly felt a lot of pressure. She seriously got into the right position and slowly cut with the knife.

Sometimes shallow, sometimes deep.

After a "dong" sound, the lotus root slices fell smoothly. She asked in surprise, "Did I cut it correctly?"

Yan Qiushu picked it up and took a look. After confirming it, she stuffed the meat in with chopsticks. After stuffing it in, she closed the lotus root slices. The tender meat inside was squeezed into the lotus root hole. She smiled and said, "What do you think?"

Hsiao Wai-ya smiled with satisfaction: "It feels very simple!"

Her interest grew as she continued to cut, and her movements became more and more skillful.

Yan Qiushu was stuffing the meat on the side, and when the action became faster and faster, she changed her job and started mixing the flour batter, leaving the task of stuffing the meat to Xiao Huaiya.

Cooking is not difficult, but it is a little difficult to make it delicious. However, for most people, practice makes perfect, so making it delicious is enough.

Xiao Huaiya was the same. After being assigned a new task by Yan Qiushu, he was extremely serious and stuffed them one by one into the flour paste and stirred them.

Zhao Shuhong lit the fire. She cleaned the pot and put some oil in it. When the oil was slightly hot, Yan Qiushu put the lotus root rolled in the flour paste into the pot.

With the sound of "sizzle, sizzle...", the lotus root cakes fell into the lower part of the oil pan and quickly floated up. Pieces of lotus root cakes were thrown down, and the flour paste was also brought down and was also fried until golden brown.