Xu Zhi and Zheng Yuanyuan were placed in a room. It was getting late, and candles were lit in the room. Xu Zhi looked closely and found that it was a small suite. The outside was the reception area, and the inside was the resting room. A kang (a heated brick bed) was built next to the window in the inner room.
Winters in Wuzhou are very cold. Ordinary people sleep on kangs (heated brick beds), and the barracks also have kangs. In the dormitories, there are even large communal beds. At this time of year, the kangs are already heated.
Xi Jing'an was very familiar with the room. He quickly stuffed two pieces of firewood into the kang (heated brick bed) and then went outside to bring in a tea set, placing it on the kang table. The water in the copper kettle on the small clay stove outside had already boiled. Xi Jing'an picked up the copper kettle and said to Xu Zhi, "Madam, this is water that I boiled a while ago. However, there isn't any good tea here. If you have a habit of carrying your own tea with you, I'll brew it for you."
Zheng Yuanyuan took out the herbal and fruit tea that Chen Zhaoci had prepared for her from a bag she was carrying with her and said, "Make this for me."
After the tea bag was placed in the teapot, boiling water was poured in. As the steam rose, a pleasant aroma of flowers and fruits quickly filled the room.
Xi Jing'an brewed the tea and then brought in a red lacquered and carved food box from outside, saying, "These are some snacks I bought in Wuzhou City this morning. Madam and Miss, please have some first. Our meal here will be a little later."
Xu Zhi thought that Xi Jing'an, despite his young age, was a very quick-witted person. After thanking him with a smile, she picked up a piece of pastry, tasted it, and said, "It tastes good. Was it made by that family in Wuzhou who specializes in making Jiangnan pastries? You're very thoughtful."
Xi Jing'an smiled and said, "This was ordered by the general early this morning. After I went out with the general this morning, I bought some pastries and came back to prepare them. I thought that Madam might arrive later, but I didn't expect her to come so soon."
Zheng Yuanyuan said with a smile, "The weather is getting colder and colder. I see that you haven't put on your cotton-padded clothes yet. These cotton-padded clothes arrived a while ago, so the soldiers can avoid a day of freezing, right?"
Xi Jing'an bowed to Zheng Yuanyuan and said, "I heard that Wuzhou has not distributed cotton-padded clothes for two years. Who would have thought that you, young lady, would be so kind as to make cotton-padded clothes for us and send them over? We should thank you and your wife properly."
Zheng Yuanyuan smiled and said, "Xi Jing'an, I think you're quite the smooth talker."
Xi Jing'an blushed slightly and said, "Miss, you flatter me. After I was kicked out of my home, I worked as a waiter in a restaurant. But later I got sick and used all my wages to pay for medical treatment. I never got better, so the manager kicked me out."
Children like Xi Jing'an are not uncommon; Xu Zhi has seen many. The more she sees them, the stronger her desire to open an orphanage becomes. Although Chen Shifang has already begun to demonstrate this in some places, Xu Zhi feels that relying too much on the government is not a good thing. Just as Xu Di said, only with the involvement of private capital can some officials be supervised. Otherwise, if local officials collude with each other, it will be too late if something really goes wrong.
Zheng Yuanyuan asked Xi Jing'an with some curiosity, "Then how did my older brother meet you?"
Xi Jing'an said, "I lay in that dilapidated temple outside the city for two days. The general happened to pass by there and saw me. He took me to the clinic in the city and asked the doctor there to treat me. I stayed in the clinic for many days and slowly recovered. After I recovered, I inquired and found this place. The general said that I was too young to join the army. Seeing that I was helpless, he kept me as a servant and helped the general run errands. I have already thought it through. When I reach the age, I will join the army and become a soldier under the general, marching and fighting with the general to protect the country."
Zheng Yuanyuan said admiringly, "Then you will definitely become a great general in the future."
Xi Jing'an touched his head shyly, but before he could say anything, Zheng Boyuan strode in from outside. Seeing Xi Jing'an standing in front of the kang (a heated brick bed), he asked him, "Dinner's about to start over there, Xiao Anzi, hurry up and prepare the meal."
Xi Jing'an responded and asked Zheng Boyuan, "What will Madam, Miss, and these sisters and aunts eat?"
Zheng Boyuan ruffled his hair and said, "Someone will bring your food over later, so go and eat."
After Xi Jing'an left, Zheng Boyuan said to Xu Zhi and Zheng Yuanyuan, "Women are generally not allowed to enter the barracks. You two are in a special situation, so you will sleep in this room tonight. You two can squeeze in. As for Shiliu, Honggu, and the nanny, go to the room next door."
When they passed through Wuzhou, Bai Ying and the other maids, along with Zheng Yuanyuan's personal maids, all stayed behind. Only Shi Liu Hong Gu and Granny Wang came with them, because women were not allowed to enter the military camp on weekdays.
Wang Mama and the other two agreed and quickly opened the luggage they had brought to prepare to lay it out. Xu Zhi said, "Mama, don't do this yet. Take a rest first. We can do it after the food is brought over."
Granny Wang put Xu Zhi and Zheng Yuanyuan in this room, and the three of them moved to the room next door. Zheng Boyuan said to Xu Zhi, "The conditions are a bit simple. Make do for the night. Tomorrow, come with me for a walk around the neighborhood, and then hurry back to Wuzhou City."
Zheng Yuanyuan said somewhat reluctantly, "I was thinking of staying here a few more days."
Zheng Boyuan smiled helplessly and said, "These are the conditions here. How can we let you stay longer?"
Xu Zhi asked Zheng Boyuan, "On our way here, I looked around this area, but why don't we see any villages?"
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