"I heard that Miss Shen is passionate about farming and even bought land to grow vegetables herself?"
Bai Weiwei looked at her curiously, her eyebrows raised and her pupils dilated, clearly showing great interest.
Bai Weiwei smiled innocently, and Lili looked back at her with a light laugh, her eyes wide open.
The two seemed to be staging a silent farce, both wearing smiling masks, but each harboring their own thoughts.
You know what, it really gave Lili a taste of palace intrigue.
It's a pity that Lili has no interest in palace intrigue.
Yu Siting looked at Lili in shock, scanning her up and down: "Really? Farming?"
Yu Siting slightly raised her chin, crossed her arms, and looked surprised. However, the surprise was only momentary and was quickly replaced by disdain.
Yu Siting curled her lips into a mocking smile, a smile tinged with contempt and arrogance. She glanced at the ground and scoffed, "Ha, farming?"
Lili could almost guess what this spoiled young lady was going to say.
"Although she is only the daughter of a county magistrate, she is still a daughter of an official. How can she do such vulgar and despicable things?"
Bai Weiwei glanced at Lili with some embarrassment, leaned slightly towards her, and said, "Cousin, don't say that. Liucheng is different from the capital. Noble ladies in the capital are fond of playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but this kind of place... perhaps this is the unique feature of Liucheng."
“This is nothing special. In Liucheng, I’m the only daughter of an official who spends all her time in the fields like I do,” Lili said calmly, without changing her expression.
Yu Siting looked at her with her nose in her mouth: "Look, even Miss Shen herself said so. Cousin, you've never been to a place like this before. I knew it. People from small places like this are just vulgar. Magistrate Shen used to be a farmer, right? She's so used to being a farmer that even as a young lady, she can't shake off that lowliness and can't be presentable."
Qin Fu got angry and slammed her hand on the table: "Yu Siting, what are you saying? I think you're the one who's not presentable, you can't even speak properly! What's wrong with farming? If it weren't for the land we farm, you wouldn't have anything to eat!"
Bai Weiwei frantically gestured between the two, seemingly trying to stop them from arguing. Qin Fu, showing no favoritism, also poured cold water on her: "Stop gesturing like that. You don't know what you're saying, whether it's openly or secretly."
Bai Weiwei pursed her lips in grievance and said dejectedly, "I, I didn't."
Qin Fu rolled her eyes.
Lili sat upright on the futon, coldly watching Bai Weiwei.
She has never hidden what she has done over the years; Bai Weiwei only needs to investigate a little to find out.
She just didn't understand what was shameful or despicable about farming.
Yes, throughout history, women who worked in the fields were all ordinary people, but daughters of officials had never worked in the fields.
But so what? Nobody said it's not allowed.
What she did was clearly something to be proud of, and Lili wouldn't be upset by those few words. Instead, she would laugh at their short-sightedness.
Food is so important to a country!
Lili, having lost all interest in maneuvering, stood up and said coldly, "I don't think farming is something shameful. Since ancient times, people have always considered food as their heaven, and only when granaries are full can people know etiquette; only when people are well-fed and clothed can they know honor and shame. Grain is the foundation of a nation. Every bowl of rice and every meal should remind us of the hard work involved in its production. Those who discard grain like dirt do not understand the essence of people's livelihood. If farming grain is what you two consider something shameful..."
Lili paused for a moment, looked down at Bai Weiwei and Yu Siting, gave them a light look, and then chuckled: "What Lili means is that you two are distinguished guests from the capital, and you are still young, so it is normal that you do not understand these principles."
"You!" Yu Siting jumped up from her seat in anger. Pointing at her through gritted teeth, she said, "What nonsense are you spouting? We didn't think that!"
Bai Weiwei was somewhat surprised; she had underestimated Shen Lili, not expecting her to be so knowledgeable in poetry and literature.
Those who discard grain like dirt do not understand the fundamental principles of people's livelihood.
This is clearly an insult, criticizing her for carelessly discarding grain like dirt and weeds, for not understanding that grain is the foundation of people's lives, and for not knowing the hardships involved!
The people around were completely silent, sweating profusely. Was this some kind of veiled mockery of Bai Weiwei? Did they have a death wish?
She's a cousin of the Duke of Zhenguo's family!
Yang's palms were sweaty, and she tried to go forward several times, but Cui Liu stopped her each time.
"Madam, please don't worry. Didn't Miss say that we should trust her?"
Yang calmed down and wiped the sweat from her palms.
That's right, her daughter is no pushover.
Before Bai Weiwei could say anything, Yu Siting couldn't hold back any longer: "Shen Lili, don't go too far! Be careful, we'll teach you a lesson when we get back to the capital!"
Lili looked down at her, revealing a sharp edge for the first time.
Lili has always been smiling, even when she's subtly or overtly retorting, she's always chuckling. This is the first time Lili has truly shown a cold face.
"Oh, thank you. Then I'll use these colors to open a dye shop."
Yu Siting was furious: "I'm not joking, you really are going to get what's coming to you!"
"Oh, so you want me to open a fruit shop?"
Lili spoke these words with a serious and indifferent expression on her gentle face, which made Qin Fu laugh.
Yu Siting glared at Qin Fu and said, "What are you laughing at? Let me tell you, anyone who associates with such vulgar people is no good either!"
Qin Fu: "You!"
“Miss Yu,” Lili couldn’t help but say, deciding to abandon her composure, “your father has always wanted to be promoted, hasn’t he? Unfortunately, he’s been unlucky, and after years of hard work, he’s only been a minor official of the sixth rank. Miss Yu, can you guess why?”
Yu Siting's expression changed: "What, what are you saying?"
Lili smiled, moved closer to her, and whispered in her ear, "Because your father's direct superior first liked one of your father's concubines, and later took a fancy to another one, so naturally he doesn't like your father."
Yu Siting's face turned pale, and Lili added, "Oh, is this concubine not quite to your mother's liking?"
Lili looked at Yu Siting's pale face with great interest, then remained silent and stepped back slightly.
Bai Weiwei stared at the two of them suspiciously, wanting to know what they had said.
A flash of embarrassment and shame crossed Yu Siting's eyes. She took a big step back and glared at Lili: "You, how did you know?"
The man above her father was the Sima of the Upper Protectorate.
It's true that the concubine was favored by the Sima of the Upper Protectorate, but that's not the point.
The key point is why her mother disliked this concubine. It was because the Protector-General of the Capital once secretly came to see the concubine and accidentally encountered her mother, and the two...!
Yu Siting had witnessed the two of them having an affair!
How absurd! Her mother was having an affair with her father's leader!
If this gets out, wouldn't she be laughed at for her respect?
How will people view her then? My cousin won't want to hang out with her anymore!
Yu Siting gritted her teeth, took another step forward, and squeezed out the words from between her teeth: "No matter how you found out, if you dare to say it, I won't let you off!"
"Oh," Lili shrugged. "It depends on my mood."
Yu Siting's face turned even paler. She sat down angrily and unwillingly, without saying a word.
Even when Bai Weiwei asked, Yu Siting pretended to be mute and remained silent.
Bai Weiwei frowned.
“Miss Shen, my cousin is just a bit impatient. Please don’t blame her.”
Lili smiled happily, showing no trace of her previous coldness: "How could I? Sister Yu is beautiful inside and out, lively and kind. How could Lili blame her?"
Bai Weiwei: "..."
Yu Siting: "..."
Reverse Yin and Yang?
The fierce battle ended just like that. Yu Siting remained silent, while Bai Weiwei seemed lost in thought.
Qin Fu was still angry and couldn't put on a pleasant expression.
In contrast, Lili was the most natural one, smiling warmly as she poured out the tea and brewed it again, showing great interest.
This strange atmosphere lasted only for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea before a servant from the prefectural government rushed to the courtyard gate and shouted at the top of his lungs, "The young master's wife has arrived—"
After a long wait, the young master's wife finally appeared. The ladies and young misses all straightened their clothes and composed themselves.
When the Crown Prince's wife arrived, everyone's eyes lit up.
She was dressed in a magnificent brocade gown, the hem of which swayed gracefully, and her hair ornaments swayed gently, making a clear and melodious sound.
Every gesture he made exuded the elegance and nobility of royalty.
Madam Qin followed closely beside the young master's wife, trailing slightly behind by half a step, neither too much nor too little, with a respectful attitude.
Behind her was Xia Ning, dressed in a dark blue dress, and a little boy being led by Xia Ning.
"Greetings, Lady Heir."
The ladies bowed slightly, their faces respectful, their eyes filled with awe and joy, their heads lowered, but their gazes were fixed on the man.
They knew that the young master's wife was of noble status, far more so than any other young lady, so no one dared to be negligent in the slightest.
The young ladies, their faces flushed with shyness and curiosity, curtsied slightly, their eyes occasionally glancing at the young master's wife's elegant attire and poise, secretly admiring her nobility and beauty, which they could not match.
When they first met the cousin of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion today, they thought she was the most elegant person they had ever met. But now that the young master's wife has appeared, that Miss Bai is simply not even half as elegant as the young master's wife.
Madam Qin followed the young master's wife to the seat of honor in the pavilion, where she heard the young master's wife say in a gentle yet solemn manner, "No need for formalities. Today's Hollyhock Feast is a celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival. This is the first time I have celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival with everyone. I hope everyone enjoys themselves."
The crowd removed their gifts and echoed the sentiments.
Xia Ning, holding the hand of the handsome little boy, secretly winked at Lili.
Lili chuckled and gave her a look, immediately recognizing that the child Xia Ning was holding was Madam Bai's son.
The little boy was also very curious about Lili. He grabbed Xia Ning's hand and stared at her. When Lili looked over, he shyly hid behind Xia Ning, but then peeked out again to continue "secretly" observing her.
Her big, round eyes blinked, revealing a clever and quick-witted nature.
Perhaps because she had "seen" this little embryo five years ago, Lili quite liked it and smiled at it.
The little embryo was startled, and quickly covered its face with its hands, shyly revealing only its eyes. Pear could clearly see the upturned corners of its eyes; the little embryo was clearly smiling.
The young master's wife looked around and finally settled her gaze on Lili.
That familiar round face and big almond-shaped eyes made the young prince's wife feel very close to him.
Lili noticed her gaze and smiled.
The young prince's wife smiled as well, and neither of them spoke.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the other ladies, the young master's wife announced the start of the banquet.
Lili returned to Yang's side and focused on enjoying the delicious food.
With a zither player nearby, the gentle breeze and warm sunshine, along with the melodious music, created a unique and charming atmosphere.
The young prince's wife is easygoing and doesn't have any particularly high demands when it comes to food.
However, people in the capital are very particular about their food, and being in the Chongbo Marquis's mansion, the food they eat is naturally quite exquisite.
However, the food at this hollyhock banquet didn't seem to have been presented with much care in terms of presentation.
The young master's wife was somewhat curious. She had come to Nanlin County on a mission, so she naturally knew more about the current situation in Nanlin County than others.
In recent years, the harvest in Nanlin County has even surpassed that of the Jiangnan region. His Highness the Crown Prince said that Lili deserves much credit for this.
The young prince's wife glanced with a smile at Lili, who was enjoying her meal. She was eating eggplant and meat, her cheeks bulging, one bite after another, making her look very appetizing.
This made her curious about what this food, which pears had contributed so much to, tasted like.
The young prince's wife picked up a piece of potato, put it in her mouth, and chewed it slowly.
"ah."
The young master's wife was visibly startled, and Madam Qin immediately noticed, asking her somewhat nervously, "Young master's wife, is the food not to your liking?"
“How could that be?” The young master’s wife shook her head with a smile. “It’s just that these potatoes… are different from the potatoes I’ve ever eaten. They are more delicate and sweet. This is the first time I’ve ever thought of using the phrase ‘melts in your mouth’ to describe potatoes.”
Madam Qin breathed a sigh of relief and put on a proud smile: "Your Highness, you may not know this, but these potatoes are a specialty of Xinghua Village in Liucheng. They are big, sweet, and delicious. They are currently in high demand in Nanlin County and are almost impossible to find! Do you know Magistrate Shen of Liucheng? Magistrate Shen happens to be from Xinghua Village. If it weren't for my husband's connection with the Shen family, I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to enjoy this delicacy every day!"
The young prince's wife suddenly realized.
No wonder she had heard about Xinghua Village's potato production years ago, but had never seen any Xinghua Village potatoes sold in the capital.
The people of Nanlin County don't even have enough to eat for their own population, so where would they get the extra to sell elsewhere?
The young master's wife thought for a moment and casually asked, "I visited Xinghua Village five years ago, but I never heard of any potatoes there. How come it's suddenly like this?"
The young master's wife is of noble status, and Madam Qin naturally wanted to answer truthfully. However, the Qin family and the Shen family have a very good relationship, and she is well aware of how much the Shen family protects Lili. Moreover, Lili is also considered a benefactor of the Qin family, so Madam Qin did not want to answer too clearly to avoid causing trouble for Lili.
Although Lili is not afraid of trouble.
Madam Qin smiled and said, "It's all thanks to God. Do you remember when Miss Xia was abducted here? Lili, that child, was lucky in a way, but unlucky in a way, she accidentally saved Miss Xia. Later, Madam Xia personally thanked the Shen family and sent them a lot of vegetables and fruits. The Shen family found that the potato seeds among them were of the highest quality, so they started to cultivate potatoes throughout the village, which led to the scene we see today."
"Is that so?"
The young master's wife could not hide her surprise. She was not surprised by the potato, but by what Madam Qin had said about Lili being abducted.
Xia Ning's affair caused quite a stir back then. Later, Zhou Wukui was beheaded and his family was exterminated. It was a very serious matter, and it would be difficult for the young master's wife not to know about it.
Few people know that there was such a side story in between.
The young master's wife looked at Lili. Counting the time, it had only been a few months since she met Lili. At that time, Lili was just a tiny little dumpling. How could she have encountered such a thing?
Despite knowing that Lili was intelligent, the young master's wife still found it hard to imagine how that tiny little creature could escape from the wolf's den and even save someone.
No wonder Xia Ning was the Shen family's business informant in the capital; she had thought it was arranged by His Highness the Crown Prince.
Now it seems that this is why the two girls are so close.
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