Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Returning to the Camp Contains 2.5W Nutrient Solution and Extra Update ^^…
After Mrs. Qin finished speaking, several people present showed interest in their eyes.
Mrs. Lu, who asked the question, was stunned. Her mother passed away a few years ago, and Qin's daughter also passed away early, so she had been very close to the Anyang Marquis' Mansion for many years. This was her aunt, she was sweet-mouthed and good at talking, and Qin also took care of her.
Mrs. Lu didn't expect Qin to say that. After all, they were relatives. She asked this to show that she had a good relationship with the Marquis' Mansion. Her husband had no ability and had to rely on the Marquis' Mansion, but Qin said this without any intimacy.
Mrs. Lu is in her thirties and she is embarrassed and uncomfortable at the moment. However, others quickly realized that there is something behind Mrs. Qin's words.
The woman who made these dishes is a lady named Lin. She likes them, so you can't force her to eat with your power. You have to cater to her preferences. You can't invite her with empty words.
Small favors were unacceptable. Furthermore, this was someone invited by Madam Qin, not a servant of the Marquis's residence, so he had to be treated with care. It was a bit of a hassle, but if anyone could be invited, who would be able to tell the difference between his own residence and other mansions?
This is consistent with the ladies' understanding of this kind of craftsmen. There is a jewelry shop in the capital. The things it makes are excellent, but if you want to go in and buy something made by the master craftsman, you not only have to buy some messy and useless things first, but also have to wait for at least half a month and at most half a year. If the master is not happy, he will not sell it to you.
You can't ask someone to customize it, because people have their own opinions and will buy whatever they want. You can't copy it either, because if it gets out, it will be embarrassing.
But fortunately, it is a great value for money, so many ladies from wealthy families are attracted by it and are proud to be able to buy things from this company.
Of course, there are also some people who are ignorant of the immensity of the world. They open a small shop and do nothing but work without any good skills. They even hint in words that they should bring gifts when they go there, but the things they make are just so-so. Who can stand this?
Mrs. Qin's words were not a refusal, but a way of telling everyone what to do. No one pressed the issue, only saying, "That's as it should be. If someone likes these things and doesn't care about money, you have to cater to their interests before you can hire them to do things."
After a compliment or two, they stopped talking about it and planned to ask Mrs. Qin privately after the banquet.
If you use this thing to entertain guests, it will be really face-saving, so you must not miss it. Someone looked at the snack in her hand. Mrs. Lin's hands are really skillful. She can make it look real.
It looks nice, and some of the petals and leaves are shiny and lustrous. They can even be eaten, but it's a pity that they can't be stored for long.
Soon, the maidservant of the Marquis' Mansion brought something else. This time, the plate was filled with carved roses, which looked just like real flowers. However, after what happened just now, no one said they were real flowers anymore.
Someone scrutinized it closely and realized it was made of radish. The petals were thin and translucent, with distinct color transitions, a play on the radish's natural red and white. Even the radish skin was cleverly crafted into a curved, curled edge. After being cut, the radish oozed water droplets, resembling morning dew on petals. What a clever idea!
This is much better than what my own chef makes. The radish flowers I make at home are also flowers, but they are definitely not as exquisite as these.
Looking at the Marquis' Mansion again now, I feel that it is full of heritage. Of course, heritage cannot be separated from money.
Flowers that are not common in winter, and these things made by the invited chefs, are rare and expensive, and they all cost money. A guest also tried dim sum, first eating steamed snacks and then desserts.
Full of praise.
The shrimp dumplings were delicious, with springy skin and tender meat. I finished one in two bites, and there were only two on the plate. I also had double skin milk with ginger milk, which I had never had before, and it tasted good.
It is served on a small plate, which makes it convenient and delicate to eat.
Mrs. Qin was smiling, and her daughter-in-law Yun was serving her on both sides. She didn't know who prepared today's banquet, it was all her mother-in-law's idea.
Dekong Yun was talking to the guest for a few words when the guest asked secretly, "Where did you invite this person from?"
Yun smiled and said, "She's my mother-in-law's friend, she came to help."
In fact, Yun didn't know where she got the invitation from, but this was her mother-in-law's idea, so she just did it.
The flower viewing banquet was a complete success. Before the guests left, Mrs. Qin gave each of them a pot of roses. Although every household had a greenhouse, whether they could grow roses and what the flowers would look like... every household was different.
Some only grow leaves but no flowers, and some flowers are not pretty when they bloom. Even the flowers displayed in the Anyang Marquis Mansion need to be carefully cared for.
It is still very precious and novel to get such a thing.
I had originally planned to ask Mrs. Qin after the banquet, but I won’t ask this time.
Madam Qin is hosting a banquet today, and inviting Madam Lin is also a favor from Madam Qin. If I ask about it now, it would be too abrupt. I will just ask her later.
To be honest, if Madam Qin invited Madam Lin out when everyone was most interested, it would not be a bad idea. When meeting this person, one has to look at her appearance and clothes. If she looks ordinary, people will probably think the snacks she makes are just average.
It’s better to have a sense of mystery. Whoever can invite him in the future will depend on his ability.
After everyone left, Madam Qin asked the maid, "Where is Madam Lin?"
Jinxiu said, "After the snacks are ready, I will invite you to Songhe Hall."
Songhe Hall is the courtyard where Qin lives. After Lin Qiuran finished cooking, Jinxiu brought him here.
It was almost noon, and the banquet was probably over, but Madam Qin hadn't called her yet. Lin Qiuran felt a little uneasy, but not just because she hadn't been called, which was only a small part of the reason. She was more worried that the guests at the Marquis' Mansion would not like the food she cooked, and that Madam Qin would lose face.
Although she came for her own reasons, it was Madam Qin who hosted the banquet after all. Lin Qiuran was afraid that this was because Madam Qin wanted to repay a favor and held a flower viewing banquet specifically for her, but in the end her performance was not satisfactory, which would be bad.
Lin Qiuran wanted to have the best of both worlds, and didn't want the Marquis' Mansion to waste their favor without being able to catch it.
Lin Qiuran felt a little uneasy, but she couldn't ask the maid in the yard directly. After waiting for a while, she finally heard some movement outside.
Lin Qiuran took a deep breath, followed Madam Qin's entrance with his gaze, and then bowed, "Greetings, Madam."
Qin Shi smiled as she said, "Thank you for your hard work today, Jinxiu. Go to the storeroom and get that cat-eye headpiece."
Lin Qiuran was stunned for a moment, not sure whether Mrs. Qin wanted to give it to her, so she didn't say anything.
Madam Qin took off her cloak and sat down on the Luohan bed. She looked at Lin Qiuran with a smile. Lin Qiuran looked to be in his early twenties, very young, but his clothes were simple and elegant. "Please sit down first."
Lin Qiuran nodded and sat down opposite Madam Qin as she said. Madam Qin said, "Why don't you ask me why I didn't ask you to go to the front yard?"
Lin Qiuran said, "The old lady must have her own reasons for doing this. Besides, one banquet might not be enough. We should not only focus on the immediate petty gains, but also take a long-term view."
If what Lin Qiuran made was useful, it would be useful sooner or later, whether you asked or not. If you just ignored it because it didn't work this time, it would be a waste of effort.
Seeing Madam Qin smiling when she came in, she thought the banquet was going well. As for her own affairs, Lin Qiuran was not so anxious that she asked about them without waiting for them to sit down and have a sip of tea.
Mrs. Qin nodded. She had never gotten along with Tangyuan, but she had met Lin Qiuran twice, and the more she saw of the child, the more she liked him.
She is in her sixties, and Lin Qiuran looks to be in his early twenties. To her, Lin Qiuran is not a child.
While he was saying these words, Jinxiu also came with the box.
Madam Qin gestured to Lin Qiuran to take a look, "See if you like it."
Lin Qiuran immediately said, "Madam, this is absolutely not allowed..."
Madam Qin said, "You've been busy for half a day today, so accept it. Someone just asked me, and I told you that you share my interests and that I invited you here because I catered to your tastes. However, I don't know what you like, so I chose a set of jewelry for you. A gift from an elder should not be refused, so accept it."
Lin Qiuran hadn't expected Madam Qin to go to such lengths for her. They weren't even related, and had only met twice. If it were her, she would treat someone she'd only met twice like Lu Zheng... Even now, Lin Qiuran still hadn't completely let go of her worries, and was still worried that he had ulterior motives.
Lin Qiuran looked at Madam Qin. Madam Qin's eyes were filled with a kind smile. She said, "Thank you, Madam."
Madam Qin said, "Your cooking skills are excellent, and the guests all like it very much."
Lin Qiuran: "As long as the guests like it."
Madam Qin just said that she told the guest that she and I were friends, and that she invited me to the Marquis' mansion to cook for us because she catered to his preferences. If anyone wants to invite me again in the future, I must not invite her lightly.
Lin Qiuran couldn't agree to everything.
Even these were taken into consideration for her. She only supported a child as old as Tangyuan. There was no need to do this.
Madam Qin seemed to see Lin Qiuran's worry. She said, "At first, the old marquis was always concerned about this matter, so I just went along with it and offered a small favor. But today, you've really helped me. Other families don't have these things."
This was the truth. If Lin Qiuran hadn't done a good job, no one would have asked. Even those with higher status than the Anyang Marquisate who wanted to host a banquet with these things had to go through the Qin family. With this, they could establish connections. If Lin Qiuran hadn't done a truly good job, the Qin family would have felt bad for her coming twice and wouldn't have helped her with the trip and gifts.
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "As long as the old lady likes it."
Madam Qin liked flowers and plants, and also liked what Lin Qiuran made. She said, "Your craftsmanship is good, and more and more people will like you... I heard you said you came from Xuzhou. Since you're new to the capital, you should be careful with your words and actions. If you want to do something, take your time and don't rush into anything..."
Qin gave Lin Qiuran many instructions, and she took them all to heart. Thinking that Madam Qin had been tired from hosting the banquet today and was now talking to her, she felt a bit down, so she offered to leave.
Madam Qin said, "Don't worry. I haven't met someone so compatible with me in a long time. Just chat with me."
Lin Qiuran said, "I feel like we get along really well when we talk. Sometimes I even forget that you are my elder."
Madam Qin smiled and said, "I heard from the Marquis that you have a child. How old is he?"
When Lin Qiuran heard Qin's question, she couldn't help but be alert. She said, "He's four years old this year."
Qin asked again, "Where is the child's father? Why haven't you ever mentioned him?"
Lin Qiuran's mind flashed with something, but she couldn't grasp it. Seeing that Madam Qin's expression hadn't changed and that she seemed to be asking simply, she said, "The child's father went to the army to fight and never came back."
Qin's heart tightened. Marching to war? Wouldn't this be the same old Shen family path? The war in the northwest was intense, and she wondered if the person was still alive... She had finally found someone who looked like her. If she knew he was gone, how would Qin face her daughter in the future?
She immediately asked, "It's been a few years since I left. Is there any news?"
Lin Qiuran felt that Madam Qin was too concerned about her family background, but it also seemed like the concern of an elder for a younger person. She said, "It's been over a year. I sent a letter once, and then there was no news."
Even though she knew that Mrs. Qin was a good person, Lin Qiuran didn't dare to mention that her husband was Xiao Xun, let alone ask more questions.
Qin's face turned pale, and she murmured with dull eyes, "It's good to defend the country."
Lin Qiuran: "Even though the child's father is not at home, Tangyuan always asks about him. However, there must be people in this world who can protect the country, otherwise our lives will not be safe. If the old lady knows when the army will return to the capital, please let me know."
Qin grabbed the armrest of the Luohan bed and said, "Okay, okay... I'm a little tired. You go back first."
Lin Qiuran said goodbye and asked Lin Chun to take the things.
The jewelry box was simple and elegant, but Lin Qiuran was lost in thought and didn't take a closer look.
On the way back, she couldn't help but think that Mrs. Qin was very nice to her, but she always felt something was weird. It was strange that she was so nice to her.
She had met the old marquis twice, both times for the glutinous rice dumplings. At his age, he must have many children and grandchildren. At first, she had thought it was strange that he would repay someone just for helping him. And then she met him again... Could he be here for the glutinous rice dumplings?
It was just because they got along, but there were so many kids on the street, and they didn't all get along just because they got along. Of course, Lin Qiuran thought his own child was good, but not so good that outsiders would think the child was cute.
Lin Qiuran was glad that she didn't ask the Marquis' Mansion to help Tangyuan find a school to study. She did it herself and felt at ease taking things from the Marquis' Mansion.
When they returned to the Xiao family, Sun and Tangyuan were still waiting.
Lin Qiuran came home late today, and Tangyuan kept asking, "Grandma, why hasn't my mother come back yet?"
Sun was also worried, "Wait a moment, he should be back soon."
After a while, Tang Yuan asked again: "Grandma, why hasn't Mom come back yet?"
Sun dealt with it and waited for a while before the child asked again, as if he was determined to get to the bottom of the matter and would not give up until he got the answer. She finally understood why Qiu Ran sometimes found this child annoying.
You talk too much.
Sun was already anxious, and Tangyuan kept asking, "Grandma doesn't know either. Your mother told you to wait at home, so you can't go out. Wait a little longer, she'll be back soon."
Tangyuan let out a cry, and just when he couldn't wait to ask again, the sound of car wheels rolling on the ground was heard outside the door.
Sun held Tangyuan back and wouldn't let him out. Soon, Lin Ying got out of the car and pushed the door, and the carriage came in.
Lin Qiuran opened the curtain, and Sun said, "Why are you here so late today?"
Lin Qiuran said, "There are so many customers, so I'll be busy for a while."
Judging from the amount of food, with more than a dozen guests, it will definitely take a long time to eat and talk.
Lin Chun got out of the car first, holding the things, and then Lin Qiuran also helped Lin Ying get out. Tang Yuan rushed over and said, "Mom, you were out for a long time today. I missed you so much."
He couldn't help but complain secretly, "Grandma gets impatient every time I ask her when she'll be back."
Lin Qiuran said, "It must be because you ask too many times and annoy your grandmother."
Sun sighed. It was enough for Lin Qiuran to know that Tangyuan was small and there was no point in reasoning with him.
Sun: "Is it going well?"
Lin Qiuran said, "It went quite smoothly. I just had a conversation with the old lady of Anyang Marquis Mansion, so that delayed it."
Those words sounded like everyday talk.
Sun said, "You haven't eaten yet? Go back to your room and eat first."
Lin Qiuran nodded. When they were at the Marquis' Mansion, Jinxiu asked her to eat some, but this was someone else's house and she was there to do something, so she didn't eat anything.
The kitchen had left some food for her, including sweet and sour pork ribs and pigeon soup. The pickled cabbage and steamed egg with scallops were made by Lin Qiuran after he came back.
Lin Qiuran was not at Tangyuan's lunch, and he didn't eat much despite being noisy. Now he wanted to eat, "Mom, I want to eat spare ribs too."
Lin Qiuran said, "Isn't there anything for lunch? I want to eat now. Since I didn't eat well at lunch, I can eat in the evening."
Sun thought Lin Qiuran had this good point: she didn't spoil her children most of the time. She didn't blame Tangyuan for not eating properly when she was not home.
After doing this once or twice, Tangyuan knew that he should eat well, even if Lin Qiuran was not at home. Sun Shi now understood the benefits of doing this, and she would not feel sorry for Lin Qiuran when he was eating and say that Tangyuan was not full and give him some more.
Maybe this was really done in the past.
After dinner, Lin Qiuran took Tangyuan to bed. He was noisy, but he finally fell asleep obediently.
Lin Qiuran came out of the house. Sun was sitting in the hall. She talked to Sun about her life in the mansion and said, "Maybe someone will come to ask me to cook in the future."
Sun was surprised and asked, "Please do it?"
Lin Qiuran nodded and said briefly, "The old lady has helped a little, so the restaurant is still open, but there's no rush. Scarcity makes things valuable, so I'll take on fewer jobs. I'll let Lin Chun and the others cook most of the restaurant's dishes, and I'll show off my cooking occasionally. Those people like it, so even if I don't cook much, they're still willing to come."
Lin Qiuran has a child and also manages other businesses, so he didn't stay in Jindinglou all the time last year.
Sun couldn't help but think that Yu An and the others still had to find work to do, and when they arrived in the capital, others would find them.
Seeing Sun's happy face, Lin Qiuran said, "I also asked the old lady to send me a letter when the army returns to the capital."
Lin Qiuran didn't say anything else. If she told her guess, Sun would definitely be worried and would not allow her to have any contact with the Marquis' Mansion anymore.
But now everything is peaceful, and the Marquis' Mansion has no shortage of children. The Xiao family has just arrived in the capital, and there is nothing the Marquis' Mansion can plot against. We can take it one step at a time and wait and see.
Lin Qiuran was open-minded. If he really had bad intentions, it would be useless for her to be on guard.
Sun was stunned for a moment, her eyes moistened. "Just asking, just asking."
Lin Qiuran: "The capital is peaceful now, don't worry too much. Xiao Xun is back in the capital, and he doesn't have to go back to Yu'an like before. I'm sure we'll see each other sooner."
Sun nodded vigorously and wiped her eyes. Lin Qiuran felt uncomfortable. She hoped that Xiao Xun was still alive.
At the Marquis' Mansion, Madam Qin said she was tired, but she didn't rest after Lin Qiuran left and just sat on the Arhat bed.
Qin lamented the unpredictable nature of life. If that were true, she would have sent the child to Xuzhou, but he ended up going to war again.
Qin couldn't bear it. She originally thought that there would be a chance for them to meet in this life, but swords and knives have no mercy on the battlefield.
She and Lu Zheng are old, and she wishes she could ask her son to find out who Lin Qiuran's husband is right now.
When Lu Zheng came back, Madam Qin asked the maids to go out and told Lu Zheng about this matter, "Go and check it out..."
Lu Zheng said, "That's absolutely not possible. Since he's been sent away, he should live a good life. You've seen it. Even if the original case could be changed, why not live a good life as the son of a criminal?"
Lü Zheng had thought about this for a while, but even if he could overturn the verdict, he wouldn't say anything. Hiding the son of a convicted official was a crime, and this was a matter of the Anyang Marquisate.
Even if we take a step back and say that if we had sent the child away, that family would have been implicated if something had happened. Raising the child, and then asking him to return to his ancestral home?
There is no one left in the Shen family, so why bother?
Lu Zheng felt a little regretful and told Madam Qin about it.
Madam Qin said, "You don't have to ask, but you should at least find out when the army will return to the capital."
We will know whether the person is alive or dead when we return to the capital.
Lu Zheng lowered his head and nodded twice, "Okay, I'll go ask."
Lü Zheng had retired and returned to his hometown, so he was not familiar with the affairs of the court. When he asked his son, he learned that the army had already returned to the court and would be back in more than half a month.
They can rest and recuperate in the winter, and since the Yue Dynasty has been winning battles, they have now driven the foreign invaders back beyond Lulan Pass, so they can rest and recuperate for a while.
Marquis Anyang was curious about why his father suddenly became concerned about state affairs. "Don't you only care about what to eat and drink every day?"
Lu Zheng glared at his son and said, "What's so strange about asking a few questions? If you have any news about the army, just tell me."
Marquis Anyang sighed.
It was two days later that Lin Qiuran received the news. She had just gone out to buy a shop and when she came back she learned from the doorman that someone from Anyang Marquis's Mansion had sent a letter, which had been delivered to the study in the main courtyard.
Lin Qiuran's heart skipped a beat. He returned to the main courtyard and found the letter on the table in the side room.
The furniture was purchased recently. Lin Qiuran sometimes reads books here during the day, teaches Tangyuan to recite poems and learn to read, and also instills in him the idea that he may go to academy to study after the new year.
The sunlight poured in from the window and fell on the envelope. There was also a charcoal basin on the table, filled with silver charcoal. It was only after coming to the capital that Lin Qiuran realized that there were several kinds of charcoal.
There is not much charcoal left, and there is a lot of charcoal ash in the basin.
Lin Qiuran had a vague premonition in her heart. She sat down on the chair and opened the envelope. It was given to her by Mrs. Qin.
The letter said that the army would return to the capital soon, in at least half a month and at most twenty days.
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After I Became the Heroine's Maid, I Lied Down
The copy is here
Jiang Tang transmigrated into a novel about domestic intrigue and became the maidservant of the heroine, a winner in life.
According to the plot of the original book, the heroine was pregnant. She used her pretty face to seduce the hero, but was ruthlessly driven out and exiled to a farm, where she froze to death miserably one winter day.
As far as Jiang Tang knows, the heroine of this book, Lu Jinyao, is an expert in domestic fighting with great luck. As long as you follow her obediently, you will be able to rise to prominence and live a luxurious life in the near future.
*
Jiang Tang thought she had a winning script and that she could live happily in the tea room every day, eating, drinking, having fun and talking about the couple of the hero and heroine. However, the heroine became pregnant and had no appetite, and the hero threatened to kick them all out.
Jiang Tang:?
Jiang Tang: I got it but not completely.
*
Being a maid in a marquis's mansion is a high-paying job. You have to work at fixed times, get paid in the middle of the month, and receive high bonuses from time to time. After retiring and redeeming yourself, you can become a landlord with your small fortune.
Jiang Tang is determined to be a good maid.
However, this maidservant eventually became the heroine's sister-in-law.
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