Chapter 106, Not That Important
Rice Flower Pavilion.
Zhou Jingwan sat leisurely under the flower shed, admiring the flowers blooming in the yard while eating snacks.
"Daohua, the snacks in your family are so delicious. Where did you buy them?" After getting to know each other, Zhou Jingwan started calling Daohua by her nickname.
The two girls are about the same age, and neither of them calls each other sister or younger sister.
Wang Maner replied with a smile: "The snacks are made by my daughter herself. She prepared them in advance knowing that she was coming."
Hearing this, Zhou Jingwan looked at Daohua in surprise: "Really?"
Daohua smiled and said, "My grandmother loves soft and sticky desserts. Whenever I have time, I will make some."
Zhou Jingwan was full of admiration: "Daohua, you are really amazing. Your cooking skills are unmatched."
Daohua: "That's not that exaggerated, it's just practice makes perfect." Her cooking skills are really nothing special, it's mainly because the ingredients in the space are good.
Zhou Jingwan quickly finished the osmanthus cake in her hand, wiped her mouth, and then pointed to the remaining ones on the table and asked, "Daohua, are these for me?"
Rice Flower nodded.
Zhou Jingwan's expression lit up: "Then I won't eat it now. When you leave later, pack up the rest for me to take away. I'll take it back for my mother to try. She also likes sweets."
Daohua smiled and rolled her eyes at Zhou Jingwan: "You're welcome."
Zhou Jingwan gave him a wink: "We're on good terms."
Seeing this, Daohua couldn't help laughing out loud.
Compared to the little girl who said nothing or hid several meanings in one sentence, waiting for people to guess, she really liked Zhou Jingwan's straightforward personality of saying whatever she wanted.
"Eat it!" Daohua pushed the dessert on the table toward Zhou Jingwan. "I'm giving this to my aunt, so how can I let you eat the leftovers?"
Wang Maner smiled and continued, "My daughter has already prepared another dessert for you to take home, and there are also specially made mooncakes."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jingwan's eyes curved and her mouth opened. She continued to eat happily without any politeness.
Seeing her happy eating, Daohua started eating too. As she ate, she thought of her three brothers who would be back tomorrow, and asked, "My brothers are going home tomorrow. Will your brother come back?"
Zhou Jingwan shook her head. "Not coming back. The newly appointed Governor Guo is inviting officials from Zhongzhou Province to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, and my grandfather is going too. As the eldest grandson of the Zhou family, my eldest brother usually accompanies us on such occasions." She paused, tilted her head, and asked, "Uncle Yan isn't going?"
Daohua was stunned for a moment. She had some understanding of the officials of Daxia and knew that the governor was a second-rank official, a higher position than the governor who was in charge of the civil affairs of a province. Those who could become governors were generally the emperor's confidants.
"My father is only a fifth-rank prefect. He shouldn't be able to go to the Governor-General's banquet, right?"
Hearing this, Zhou Jingwan nodded and said, "That's right. I heard from my mother that the people going this time are all high-ranking officials from Zhongzhou Province, so my eldest brother was brought there to broaden his horizons, but..."
Zhou Jingwan looked at the rice flowers hesitantly, wanting to say something.
Daohua smiled: "Why, is there anything that cannot be said here?"
Zhou Jingwan put down the dessert in her hand: "It's not that I can't tell you, but I just find it strange. Isn't your family familiar with the young prince? With this relationship, Uncle Yan should be invited!"
"My family and the young prince aren't that familiar with each other," Daohua explained, then asked, "Why would we be invited just because we know the young prince?"
Zhou Jingwan: "Governor Guo is the young prince's uncle! Don't you know this?"
Rice Flower shook her head.
At this moment, the background of the wealthy families was revealed. They were so well-informed that few things could be hidden from them.
This was the first time she heard of Governor Guo. Perhaps even her adoptive father didn't know about him.
Seeing that she really knew nothing, Zhou Jingwan continued, "I heard from my grandfather that when Prince Rui returned to the capital to report, the young prince was supposed to go with him, but later Governor Guo was appointed Governor-General, so the young prince stayed at Wangyue Academy to study."
Daohua listened carefully. The Yan family, with their weak foundation and limited connections, had no way of knowing such high-level news.
However, Zhou Jingwan didn't know much, and most of it was just gossip. After all, no matter how much a big family valued the cultivation of their children, they would not tell them about important matters.
After chatting for a while, Zhou Jingwan left with the return gift prepared by Daohua.
After seeing her off, Daohua went to the old lady's yard. After entering the house, she found that her stepfather had left the yamen early, but his face didn't seem to be very good.
Madam Li asked with a smile, "Miss Zhou has left?"
Rice Flower nodded.
Because Yan Zhigao looked unwell, everyone ate in silence and the dinner ended hastily.
On the way back to the main courtyard with Madam Li, Daohua couldn't help but ask, "Mother, what happened to Father?"
Madam Li forced a wry smile and said, "I'm not happy after hearing some gossip."
Daohua: "Is it because of the Governor-General's banquet for the officials of Zhongzhou?"
Mrs. Li looked surprised: "You know?"
Daohua nodded. "Zhou Jingwan just told me, but what's so unpleasant about this? The Governor-General holds such a high position, isn't it normal for him not to invite my father?"
Madam Li moved her lips and finally sighed deeply, "One should not have too high expectations. Once one's expectations are exceeded, there will be a gap, and when there is a gap, it is natural to feel unhappy."
Daohua rolled her eyes and said, "Father, you don't think that since my family knows Xiao Yeyang, the Governor should invite him, right?"
Madam Li patted the back of Daohua's hand and said, "Everyone has unrealistic expectations, and your father is no exception."
Daohua frowned.
Seeing this, Madam Li smiled and said, "Don't worry, your father is a self-aware man. He just heard a few gossips and felt a little disappointed. He will adjust quickly."
If the master had a bad mentality and had been suppressed in the position of county magistrate for so long, he would not have been able to survive.
Daohua thought for a moment and said, "Mom, the gap between Xiao Yeyang and us is too big. In my opinion, he has already repaid the favor of saving my life."
"So, unless he comes to us, we have no right to go to him. It's best not to expect him to continue to help us and take care of us."
To him, who is so high and mighty, the Yan family is not that important.
Madam Li smiled and tapped Daohua's forehead. "How could Mother not think more clearly than you? Your father knew it all too well, so after the young prince stayed at our house, he didn't punish anyone in the state government office."
"After all, a person's success in the world depends on his own ability."
(End of this chapter)
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