Chapter 647: Teased by the Waiter
Unlike other maids, Xue Huan was the only maid who could eat in the main room. She placed her meal on a small table next to the main table and enjoyed it slowly by herself.
From time to time, Jiang Fubao would give her a chicken leg or something and treated her like a younger sister.
This caused many maids in the mansion to be jealous.
After dinner, Meng Bujiu chatted with the Jiang family for a while, then got up and left.
It was winter and it got dark early. He had not finished his work at the county government office yet, so he did not even go home and went straight back to Chang'an Town.
Before leaving, Jiang Fubao forgot to pack some pastries for him. It was only when Meng Bujiu reminded her that she remembered.
Meng Bujiu was sitting in the carriage, holding a bag of pastries, and was reluctant to put it down. His bony right hand gently stroked the oil paper wrapping the pastries, and no one knew what he was thinking.
The sky outside had already turned dark, and no one knew where the moon and stars had disappeared to.
There was a lantern hanging on each side of the carriage, illuminating the road ahead with a dim light.
So as not to rush in the dark.
There was no oil lamp in the carriage.
Meng Bujiu leaned back and slept for a while.
The carriage stopped and he woke up.
"Are we there yet?" He asked softly, his thin lips slightly parted.
"Yes, sir, we have arrived." replied the officer driving the car.
Meng Bujiu then took the cakes and got off the carriage.
As a result, before he even entered the county government office, he saw a figure rushing towards him.
"What are you doing!" The officer also saw it, he drew his sword and put it directly on the neck of the man.
The latter was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground and almost wet his pants.
"I, I, beg the Lord of Qiuzhi County, please release my son. He is so young, he cannot bear the punishment. It is all framed by others. My son cannot steal other people's things. Lord, you have caught the wrong person. My son cannot be a thief. Impossible!"
Jiang Sanhe looked at Meng Bujiu with pleading eyes.
Yesterday she learned from her fellow villagers that her son was taken away by officials, so she went to Chang'an Town overnight to follow them.
She arrived at the county government office just as the city gate opened.
But I can't get in at all.
Meng Bujiu was wearing official uniform and was surrounded by officials. When he was leaving, he was seen by Jiang Sanhe and was therefore harassed.
Jiang Sanhe also remembered his face, so now he is entangled with it again.
But no matter how Jiang Sanhe complained or pretended to be pitiful, Meng Bujiu kept a cold face, for he was afraid that she would get too excited and accidentally damage the cake in her hand.
Even put his right hand behind his back.
The cake was held tightly in his right hand.
"Giving birth to a child but not teaching him is as good as giving birth to him in vain! Since your family doesn't care, I will help you. Sun Guangzong stole money and property and seized all the loot. Someone saw it with his own eyes. How could it be false? I will judge the case tomorrow morning. As for you, curfew has come, why are you still staying outside? Do you want to be arrested?"
Meng Bujiu scolded loudly.
Jiang Sanhe was so frightened that her heart trembled. When she looked up again, Meng Bujiu had already gone in.
The knife was still at her neck.
"Are you going back out of town, or are you staying in an inn in the town? You have a quarter of an hour left. If you stay here, you and your son will meet in the prison."
After saying this, the officer put away his sword and went in with them.
Jiang Sanhe, who was lying limp on the ground, crawled up.
She only had five coins on her, so how could she afford to live in an inn? Ever since her father-in-law and husband passed away one after another, life at home had been getting worse and worse.
My mother-in-law is not in good health and always complains of being tired. She has to do all the work inside and outside the house.
Although she felt bitter in her heart and in pain, she felt happy when she saw her son growing up.
Unexpectedly, God wanted to torture her.
Her son was so well-behaved. Even though he didn't like to work and was a little lazy, boys were precious, so it was reasonable for him not to work.
Anyway, she is here to do it.
How could such a good son steal money?
Jiang Sanhe didn't believe it at all. She turned around to look at the city gate that was about to close and the brightly lit county government office, then quickened her pace towards the inn.
She couldn't go back, she had to wait until tomorrow. She couldn't let the county magistrate judge the case. Her son couldn't be a thief!
"Sir, would you like to stay at our hotel?" The waiter was leaning against the doorpost. When he saw Jiang Sanhe coming, he greeted her with a smile. However, his expression changed immediately after he saw what Jiang Sanhe was wearing.
"Does your inn have a big shop?" Jiang Sanhe hadn't eaten for a day and was starving. But if she didn't stay in the inn, she had nowhere to go. Who knew if there were thieves at night? She wouldn't die of hunger for a day, but if she lived outside, she would really go to jail and might even be raped.
How will I survive then?
"Yes, but we are all men. Do you want to stay? Five copper coins." The waiter had a playful smile on his face. He stretched out his hand and motioned Jiang Sanhe to pay quickly.
"It's so expensive? Can you give me a discount of one cent?" Jiang Sanhe felt a little distressed.
These five copper coins were the last money she had. There were only two hundred dollars left in the family, all with her mother-in-law.
When she came to visit her son, her mother-in-law didn't give her any money, otherwise she would have rented a bullock cart to come to Chang'an Town instead of running here on foot.
It would take a long time for a carriage to travel, not to mention her legs.
By the time she arrived at Chang'an, she had already run out of strength and had been hungry for a day. Her voice was very weak, as if she was about to collapse.
My mother-in-law said Guangzong was fine, but he didn't look like he was fine.
She had inquired before and knew that if someone was caught stealing money, they would be beaten with a stick.
Her son is so rich, how could he bear to be beaten?
"Get out if you don't want to stay." Unexpectedly, the waiter was not only not cheap, but also spat at her feet.
The tone was very disgusted.
"I live here. I live here." Jiang Sanhe took out five copper coins, counted them several times, and then handed them over timidly, his heart bleeding.
"Why didn't you give it to me earlier? I'm telling you, you can use the water from the well in the backyard as you like. If you want to use it, you can draw it yourself. It can only be cold. If you want hot water, you can add another copper plate."
Fearing that she would steal the hot water, the waiter first told her the rules and then stepped aside to let her in.
After dark, all the inns in Chang'an Town only opened half of their doors.
"Okay, okay." Jiang Sanhe responded twice and walked in.
The big shop is in the backyard. In a room, what comes into view is a huge bed built with wood and earth.
It's more like a kang than a bed, the only difference is that there's no fire in it in winter.
This kang is cold.
Before I even entered the room, as soon as I opened the door, I heard deafening snoring.
Except for one person's space in the corner, the kang was full of people.
Without exception, all of them were men.
"Go in, or leave." The waiter raised the corner of his mouth and looked at her with a smile.
"Stop, I'll stay. I'll go in right now."
Jiang Sanhe swallowed her saliva, and her dry throat finally moistened. Even though it was winter, she could still smell a foul stench, like a mouse that had been dead for half a month.
Seeing the rows of shoes on the ground, she knew what was going on.
These men are all engaged in the business of selling legs and feet. They walk all day without washing their feet, so their feet are smelly.