Although the donkey cart was fast, it was past lunchtime when they arrived in the county. Li Lanzhen stopped in front of a seafood noodle restaurant.
They ordered five bowls of seafood noodles, but worried that the village chief and Zhuzi wouldn't have enough to eat, so they also ordered ten seafood pancakes from a nearby shop.
The seafood pancakes cost two coins each, which was one coin cheaper than the meat pies in Youzhou City.
Li Lanzhen picked up a seafood pancake and took a bite. The dough was soft and the filling was plentiful.
I don't know how the restaurant prepared it, but the seafood filling was fresh and delicious, without any fishy smell.
The village chief and Zhu Zi slurped down a bowl of seafood noodles, then felt too embarrassed to reach for the flatbread.
Li Lanzhen put a pancake in each of their bowls.
"Eat up, let's hurry on our way after we've eaten our fill."
They hurried back to the residences of the border guards' officers and other officials just as the sun was about to set.
The two guards recognized Li Lanzhen and did not stop her.
They quickly drove the donkey cart past, heading towards Han Mingjiang's courtyard.
Hearing the sound of the donkey cart, Han Yibo rushed over like a cannonball and grabbed Li Lanzhen's leg.
"Grandma, Grandma, why did it take you so long to come back? I thought you didn't want me anymore."
"Waaaaah!" She burst into tears.
Li Lanzhen picked him up and wiped away his tears.
"Alright, look, Grandma brought you two little kids. Aren't you ashamed? You're still crying."
Han Yibo immediately stopped crying and ignored his hiccups.
Turning his head, he saw two children in the donkey cart staring at him with their four eyes wide open.
He hastily wiped away his tears, feeling embarrassed.
He buried his head in Li Lanzhen's neck and remained silent.
The village chief and Zhu Zi were still worried about Li Lanzhen as they walked.
They only felt relieved when they arrived here and saw the soldiers carrying large swords.
It seems the benefactor was right.
If that's the case, the two children could have enough to eat if they stayed with her and ate at various homes in the village, and they could grow up. But it's too difficult; if they encounter illness, their chances of survival are too small.
Zhu Zi tugged at the village chief's arm and whispered.
"Village chief, let Shuiwang and his sister follow the benefactor."
The village chief nodded without saying a word. The two of them took the child down, and Li Lanzhen put Han Yibo on the ground.
"Come here, Han Yibo, let me introduce you. This is Shui Wang, and this is Shui Wang's younger sister, Niu Niu."
They're coming back to Youzhou City with us. From now on, the three of you will be good friends, so you'll have to take good care of them.
Han Yibo was very proud to be assigned such an important task by Li Lianzhen. He puffed out his chest, walked over, and took their hands. "Let's go home."
Once inside the courtyard, he told Shuiwang.
"You'll stay with my father for now. Once my mother is out of confinement and feeling better, you'll come back to Youzhou City with me and my grandmother."
Peach Blossom Spring is so vast, and there are so many delicious things to eat.
You two are so thin, you definitely won't get enough to eat.
Let me tell you, when I was little, I also couldn't get enough to eat. My mother carried me and followed my grandmother to escape famine. We were only able to get enough to eat when we arrived at Peach Blossom Spring.
It's all thanks to my grandma, she was so amazing, she led us all..."
Her mouth kept chattering away.
Li Lanzhen saw the village chief and Zhu Zi standing outside, looking dazed and not coming in.
He greeted them, "Village Chief and Zhu Zi, you two come in too."
Dinner included seafood, meat, rice, steamed sweet potatoes, and potato and pumpkin dishes.
After Han Mingjiang returned, Li Lanzhen told him about what happened in the small fishing village.
The village chief said that Li Lanzhen traded grain for a lot of dried seafood, which saved their lives. She was a benefactor to both villages.
Neither Han Mingjiang nor Xue Nizi asked Li Lanzhen where she had put the dried seafood.
Knowing that the two children were orphans, they wanted to go back to Peach Blossom Spring with Li Lanzhen.
Han Mingjiang raised his bowl of rice wine and offered it to the village chief and Zhu Zi.
"Village Chief Zhuzi, I respect you. You treat these two children very well, even better than family."
"The sweet potatoes and potatoes my mother saved for you, please take good care of them and plant them properly. If you plant enough, you'll have enough to eat."
The village chief and Zhu Zi were flattered and drank a bowl of rice wine before they gradually relaxed.
Hearing Han Mingjiang say this, they were already quite confident that they would be able to have enough to eat in the future.
Even if they didn't believe Li Lanzhen, they believed the words of General Han Mingjiang.
The next morning, Li Lanzhen asked the cook to make more than a hundred pancakes made from three kinds of flour.
They filled a water bag with the spiritual spring water and had a servant from the manor drive a donkey cart to take them back.
Before leaving, the village chief and Zhu Zi hugged the two children and repeatedly told them to listen to Li Lanzhen.
Don't cause trouble. When you grow up, come back and visit the little fishing village.
After seeing the village chief and his group off, Li Lanzhen found some clothes for the two children and had the housekeepers bathe and change them.
Han Yibo then took the two children out to play.
Xue Nizi completed her postpartum confinement period, and Xuan Shen returned early that morning, before dawn.
Han Mingjiang then prepared to hold a full moon celebration, which included five tables of food.
Sweetie is a month old now. The little girl is chubby and fair-skinned, like a plump peanut, so adorable.
Her big eyes are very similar to Xue Nizi's. When we took her to the yard, her dark eyes darted around looking everywhere.
Today's banquet includes dishes made with vermicelli.
The cold rice noodles were served with lots of leafy green vegetables. There was also a stew of rice noodles with cabbage and tofu. Li Lanzhen also made a stew with wide rice noodles and meat, and a hot and sour rice noodle dish.
General Qi ate with great relish, praising Li Lanzhen repeatedly for the delicious vermicelli.
He brought along a cook from the army today so he could see how to make delicious vermicelli and then teach everyone back at the barracks.
So that all the soldiers in the barracks can eat dishes made with vermicelli.
After seeing off the guests, Han Mingjiang had drunk a bit too much today, but he wasn't drunk yet. He hugged Tiantian and chuckled foolishly, muttering to himself.
"Grow up quickly, my dear daughter, and Daddy will take you horseback riding!"
Shui Nizi angrily slapped him twice, took the child from him, and wouldn't let him hold him anymore.
"You'll smell a bit strong from drinking, don't let it bother your daughter. Go to sleep now."
Li Lanzhen picked up Tiantian and said to Xuan Shen, who was sitting next to her.
“Xuan Shen, please take my granddaughter’s pulse and see how she is doing.”
Xuan Shen carefully took the child's pulse and examined his hands and feet, chuckling to herself.
"Auntie, Tiantian is very healthy, don't worry."
I heard several adults around Tian Tian laughing happily.
Li Lanzhen looked at Xue Nizi and said, "Nizi, take Tiantian back with your mother."
Life would be better back in Peach Blossom Spring; conditions here are still a bit harsh.
Go back and take good care of yourself for a year. If you still want to come, then come again.
Han Mingjiang really wanted his wife and daughter to stay, but he also felt that his mother was right.
Since my wife came here, I've been busy and exhausted.
He knew that his wife had sacrificed so much because she wanted him to have a better life, so he spoke up.
“Nizi, you go back with your mother. I’ll come back to see you next year when I have time off. If you want to come again, then come with me.”
Xue Nizi thought about it and decided that going back to raise her child and take care of her own health would be the best option.
But after I left, Han Mingjiang couldn't get a hot meal, and no one cared about his health.
Once, when he went out on a mission, he returned covered in blood vessels.
She was so frightened that she cried non-stop, and it took her more than a month to heal from the knife wound in her chest.
Xue Nizi was very scared and wanted to stay by his side to watch over him, as her eldest son was also there.
She hugged Tian Tian's arm tighter and said to Li Lanzhen with a grin.
"Mother, I won't go back. I'll stay here with Han Mingjiang and Han Yisong."
After saying that, looking at Han Yibo, who was staring at her with wide, dark eyes, her own eyes welled up with tears.
"Son, do you want to stay, or do you want to go back with Grandma?"
Han Yibo was conflicted; it was difficult for such a young child to make a decision.
He wanted to stay here with his younger brother, mother, older brother, and younger sister, but he also knew that he didn't like fighting. He just liked reading and wanted to be like his uncle and become a top scholar in the imperial examination.
After thinking for a long time, I looked up and saw everyone.
"Mother, I'd better go back with Grandma. I still need to study. Master Xu said he'll let me take the exam next year to see if I can pass the preliminary examination."
Also, Grandma is very lonely, and I want to stay with her and take care of her on your behalf.
When Han Mingjiang heard his son say those words, his eyes reddened, and he hugged and kissed Han Yibo, holding him tightly in his arms.
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