Jiang Ling stood there stunned by Qin Huang's words, and just as she was hesitating about how to answer him, Zhang Qide ran back from outside the door.
"The old man has been sent over!"
With Zhang Qide's interference, the topic naturally came to an end. Qin Huang was filled with resentment and wished he could punch Zhang Qide right now, as this guy had ruined his plans once again.
"Alright, since we've brought you to the yamen, let's sit down and have a meal together!" Qin Huangqiang said, suppressing his anger.
Zhang Qide is truly wicked. He's been monitoring Xiao Cui almost day and night lately, and finally caught them red-handed the night before last.
The interrogation lasted for another day and night. During this time, Zhang Qide barely got a good night's sleep and didn't eat a full meal.
The spicy and fragrant chicken, and the tender and sweet braised pork, were like a woman's slender and fair hand, deeply stirring Zhang Qide's heartstrings.
After devouring the food, Zhang Qide pushed his bowl away, leaned back in his chair, and let out a big burp. Qin Huang, who was standing next to him, was furious. This guy had just eaten three more pieces of spicy chicken, five pieces of braised pork, and two pieces of steamed pork ribs than him. "Hmph, I'll definitely dock his pay when we get back!"
"Boss Jiang, you must consider my suggestion. If you are short of manpower or money, that's not a problem!" Before leaving, Qin Huang once again put forward his idea, hoping that Jiang Ling would consider it.
After all, he couldn't very well tie Jiang Ling up and bring her to his home to be his cook, so he could only come up with this roundabout policy.
Although Qin Huang could solve the two most pressing problems, Jiang Ling did not agree to his request immediately. She simply said she would consider it and then sent the two away.
...
In early March, the weather was still chilly despite the warming trend. Willow buds gradually sprouted, and the surrounding greenery gave people a sense of vitality.
Today is the day Shen Qianhe comes to deliver her daughter's dowry; usually, such a day is set a week before the wedding.
Jiang Yaojie washed up early in the morning and stood nervously at his door, rubbing his hands together.
In the countryside, such things can't be kept secret from everyone, so early in the morning, a large number of people gathered at Jiang Ling's door to watch the excitement. Just as everyone was whispering among themselves, someone shouted from the crowd.
"Here he comes! Master Shen is here!"
Everyone's eyes turned towards the direction of the sound, and they saw a carriage adorned with red flowers slowly approaching from afar, followed by several other carriages, also decorated with red flowers.
"In-law!" Master Shen, sitting in the carriage, lifted the curtain and waved vigorously at Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling greeted Shen Qianhe with a smile.
"Thanks to you for what happened last time, my dear in-law! When Mr. Su came to pick up the goods, he ordered five hundred pieces from me! I was shocked when I heard that. I didn't expect your trick to actually work. Not only did it help me sell the previous batch of porcelain, but it also brought in another order!" Shen Qianhe said to Jiang Ling as soon as he got off the carriage.
"What's the big deal? After you've finished with the weddings of your two children, there'll be even better business waiting for you!" Jiang Ling smiled mysteriously and remained silent.
Shen Qianhe wanted to ask, but he knew it wasn't the right day, so he suppressed his curiosity and coughed lightly, saying to the servants, "Bring in the young lady's dowry!"
The servants, in pairs, carried sixteen large boxes out of the carriage, leaving everyone in awe.
Most farming families prepare only two boxes of gifts for their daughters' weddings. Those with slightly better conditions might store four or six boxes. This is the first time I've ever seen sixteen large boxes carried in at once.
"Oh my, Yaojie is so lucky! He married such a beautiful daughter!"
"That's right! I heard that Master Shen is a wealthy porcelain merchant, and he only has one legitimate daughter. Won't all his family fortune end up in Jiang Yaojie's hands?"
"If you ask me, Yaojie is capable himself. Haven't you heard so many people calling him 'Little Boss'? He's a perfect match for the Shen family and the Qian family!"
The uncles and aunts around looked at the boxes of mahogany chests with big red flowers hanging on the doors and discussed them with envy.
However, these envious whispers stopped abruptly when Widow Wang came over with the medicine.
Everyone looked at Widow Wang with schadenfreude. Widow Wang felt a wave of embarrassment and lowered her head, quickening her pace.
"Hey, don't you think she deserves it?" Lightning Girl said, cracking sunflower seeds as she looked at Widow Wang with utter contempt.
Zhao Erleng's wife also came over with a mischievous grin and said, "That's right, Lightning's mother. I heard that old woman has been haunted by the beating ever since. It's been almost two months, and I heard her buttocks are still not healed!"
"Oh my god, really? It's been so long, and the wound still hasn't healed?" Lightning Mother grabbed a handful of melon seeds and placed them in Zhao Erleng's wife's hand, asking with a gossipy look on her face.
"It seems like she's been scared out of her wits. Actually, her bottom has been healed for a long time, but she just keeps making a fuss. Widow Wang has no choice but to go to Doctor Zhu's every day to get medicine for her!" Zhao Erleng's wife described it so vividly, as if she had witnessed the whole scene.
Lightning Girl glanced disdainfully in the direction where Widow Wang had disappeared and said, "She deserves it. Who told her to do bad things? As the saying goes, you make your own way out of a bad situation. She deserves it!"
While the two were chatting, the servants carried all the boxes inside.
Shen Qianhe felt a surge of joy as he looked at Jiang Yaojie, who was almost as tall as him.
"In-laws, please stay for dinner!" Jiang Ling said after watching Shen Qianhe take inventory of all of Shen Congxin's dowry.
Shen Qianhe shook her head with a regretful expression. "No, no, I still have a lot of things to take care of at home. I'll leave now. We can have this meal in a few days, right?"
Hearing Shen Qianhe's words, Jiang Ling didn't insist anymore. At this time, it wasn't just their Shen family who were busy; Jiang Ling's family wasn't much better off either.
Although Jiang Ling has never been married in modern times, she is still a girl and has longed for a wedding.
Some time ago, Jiang Ling made a special trip to the Shen family to ask Shen Congxin for his opinion in person, and planned to arrange a wedding that would satisfy Shen Congxin.
There were less than five days left until their wedding, but Jiang Ling's house was still far from ready.
After saying goodbye to Shen Qianhe, he dragged Jiang Yaojie along and started busying himself at home.
When Lightning Girl and Zhao Erleng's wife saw Jiang Ling covered in sweat, they quickly went over to her and asked with concern, "Little sister, is there anything we can help you with?"
Jiang Ling didn't exchange pleasantries at this moment. She directly handed each of them a piece of red cloth, explained the size and how to make it, and then immediately went to do other things.
Busy times always fly by. When Jiang Ling looked up again, the once azure sky was now dyed red by the setting sun.
"Sister-in-law... no, eldest sister... oh boss, no... something bad has happened!" Just as Jiang Ling was about to sit down and rest for a while before continuing her work, Zhou Daxia hurriedly pushed open Jiang Ling's door and shouted anxiously.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
