Bai Guo was still unwilling. Clutching the cloth bag, she said to Xu Zhi, "My dear girl, I've searched every shop on the main street of Miaozhou. There are many things I want to buy but can't find anywhere. These are things you're used to eating. How can you just give them up? You should eat them sparingly."
Seeing that Bai Guo insisted, Xu Zhi stopped talking. Bai Guo quickly brought out a box from the backyard, which contained some dried kelp and scallops, dried scallops, dried shrimp, dried shrimp skin, and seaweed.
Although the cook was a local, she had learned from the master chef at a large restaurant. Seeing the dried goods, she was itching to get her hands on them. After looking at each item, she smiled and carried the things to the kitchen. Shiliu, worried, followed behind her expectantly.
When Zheng Boyuan came home for dinner, he ate fresh meat wontons. The soup contained seaweed and dried scallops, and he added a pinch of dried shrimp at the end. After adding sesame oil, it was fresh, fragrant and delicious. Zheng Boyuan ate two big bowls and was so full that he took a walk in the yard.
Xu Zhi, wearing a thin cloak, stood under the eaves with a smile, watching Zheng Boyuan walk around the yard. Suddenly, she heard a clear voice from the next yard say, "I helped my mother plant this. I'm going to pick it tomorrow and give it to the fairy sister."
Another steady voice advised, "Then you can come back to pick them tomorrow. What are you doing coming here in the middle of the night? Listen to me, Sister Miao, go back to sleep."
Xu Zhi's backyard was separated from the Feng family's backyard by a wall, which was about one and a half people high. Zheng Boyuan naturally heard it and figured that this must be the Feng family's daughter.
Hearing the two girls' conversation, Xu Zhi smiled and waved to Zheng Boyuan. The two of them quietly walked to the wall and listened to the two girls talking in the neighboring courtyard.
Miao Jie snorted and said, "I heard it a long time ago. Cuihong told her mother that she wants to pick them and stew them tomorrow. I don't want to go back to sleep. I want to stay here and guard them. Let's see who dares to pick them for me."
He Jie'er's tone was already showing disdain and impatience, but she still suppressed her temper and patiently persuaded, "I'll go and tell Cuihong to go to the market to buy vegetables tomorrow. Let's not pick the vegetables that are growing well in the garden, okay? Miao Jie'er, we're going to visit Madam Zheng's house next door tomorrow. If you don't sleep well tonight, you won't be in good spirits tomorrow. You won't eat or have fun at Madam Zheng's house. Why make things like this?"
Miao Jie'er's delicate voice rose slightly, "I knew it! You were waiting for me to fall asleep before you came to pick them. I overheard Cuihong talking about it in Mother's room just now. Cuihong said she would wait until I fell asleep before you came to pick them."
He Jie'er was losing her temper. It was already past midnight, and not only were the servants at home resting, but there was also no sound from the neighboring houses. After hearing a series of footsteps, Xu Zhi heard Miao Jie'er's tearful voice: "You're always like this. When you can't argue with me, you try to keep me here. Aren't you the older sister? Why are you so domineering? You're just older than me. Just wait and see if you can still be so domineering when I grow up."
The sound faded into the distance, and it seemed that Miao Jie'er had been dragged back to her room to sleep by her older sister, He Jie'er.
Xu Zhi covered her mouth and chuckled secretly. Seeing Xu Zhi laughing happily, Zheng Boyuan whispered, "Are these the two girls from the Feng family? They're quite interesting."
Xu Zhi put down her hand, nodded, and said, "Their Miao girl is the prettiest and most lively. You'll see when you meet her tomorrow."
Xu Zhi suddenly felt a sense of anticipation for tomorrow's banquet.
On the night of the Dragon Boat Festival, the sky was filled with countless stars. Under the glittering starlight, Zheng Boyuan felt that the light in Xu Zhi's eyes was even more dazzling than the stars in the sky.
Zheng Boyuan got up early in the morning, and after finishing his boxing practice, he took Xi Jing'an to the Miao River in the west of the city.
At this time of year, the Miao River flows gently, and the banks are lined with golden crops. When a breeze comes, the heavy ears of wheat sway gently in the wind, looking like waves of gold from afar.
Several small boats were moored along the riverbank, belonging to fishermen. Zheng Boyuan had heard from people in the government office that many restaurants in the city came here to buy river delicacies, indicating that the fishery resources in the Miao River were quite abundant.
Some restaurants in Miaozhou City specialize in river delicacies. Zheng Boyuan found a fishing boat that had just returned from casting nets in the river, and the cabin was filled with fish of all sizes.
Zheng Boyuan bought a few fish, which Xi Jing'an carried home on horseback. He reasoned that once the sun came out, the fish would develop an unpleasant odor and wouldn't taste as fresh when cooked.
Zheng Boyuan rode slowly along the riverbank, his horse moving slowly. It had been a long time since he had relaxed like this and looked around. Taking this opportunity, Zheng Boyuan walked along the embankment of the Miao River, looking around as he went.
The Miao River frequently floods, and the dikes along the river are being built higher and higher. Zheng Boyuan walks on the dike and sees that the riverbank is already slightly higher than the ground on the other side of the dike, where there are large areas of fertile farmland. If the dike is destroyed by the water, the fields on both sides will then become a vast expanse of water.
Zheng Boyuan grew increasingly alarmed as he walked. It was said that the waters of the He Miao River were like an uncontrollable dragon, and whenever it lost its temper, one could only watch helplessly.
As Zheng Boyuan walked to the city gate, his heart grew heavier and heavier. Instead of going home, he went directly to the government office. He wanted to see when the floods recorded in the office's archives occurred and how severe they were.
At the entrance of the yamen, they happened to meet Feng Shaoli, who was coming over. The two colleagues greeted each other, and Zheng Boyuan asked him, "Lord Feng, you have been in Miaozhou for many years. In all these years, how many floods have there been in the Miao River? And to what extent?"
Feng Shaoli thought for a moment and said, "I have been here for more than eight years. In these eight years, there have been four large-scale floods in the Miao River, as well as two smaller disasters. Two of the four large-scale floods directly flooded Miaozhou City, causing many people to lose their fields and houses. It was only after the imperial court provided disaster relief funds that we were able to breathe a little easier."
Zheng Boyuan was very alarmed to hear this, as floods had occurred in four out of the eight years.
Zheng Boyuan then asked, "Lord Feng, during these eight years, has the rainfall been very heavy every year during the flood season?"
Feng Shaoli frowned and thought seriously for a moment, then said, "The rainfall is naturally not as great as in the south, but the Miao River has a special terrain. The drop from west to east is quite large, and the rain from the surrounding mountains can quickly converge into the Miao River. The Miao River often experiences floods. Sometimes, it only destroys a small section of the dike, and sometimes it destroys a long section of the dike. In recent years, when we were dealing with river floods, we only built some dikes to make them more solid."
Zheng Boyuan thought of the section of river embankment near the city, which was indeed very sturdy. But the Miao River runs through Miaozhou from east to west, all the way to the sea in the east. How could it be possible to make all the sections of the river as sturdy as the embankment near Miaozhou City?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
