A-Zhu beckoned the servant to follow her into the storeroom. First, she carried out three bags of coarse grains, then added an extra small bag of fine grains, and finally filled three small jars with salt.
As for the fabric, although Wu Shiliu said he wanted coarse cloth, coarse cloth is not as durable as linen, nor as breathable, refreshing, washable, or sun-resistant. Therefore, Azhu had the servant carry three bolts of linen out.
This linen is woven from coarse hemp fibers, making it durable and wear-resistant, which perfectly suits the needs of Wu Shiliu and his companions.
A-Zhu said to the two servants, "Move all of these to the carriage outside."
With carriages and grain and cloth being moved around, the servants in the courtyard soon found out, and those who didn't have anything to do couldn't help but come over to watch the excitement.
The servants and shop assistants all bid farewell to Wu Shiliu and his companions, jokingly remarking that they had made quite a haul on their trip.
When Wu Shiliu saw the large bags of grain and fine linen that the servants brought out, he was so excited that he could hardly stand.
He and his two apprentices first stared intently at the carriage, and then, after being teased by the crowd, they couldn't help but chat and laugh heartily, repeatedly expressing their gratitude to the lady and Lord Pei.
Among the onlookers, Wu Yiyi was undoubtedly the most envied.
Wu Yiben and Wu Shiliu were from the same village. Seeing that they were about to finish their work and go home, the lady specially sent a carriage to take them back. With so many good things in the carriage, they would surely be praised by the whole village when they returned. As for himself, he didn't know when he would be able to go home.
Wu Yi gazed longingly at Wu Shiliu and the other two, feeling both reluctant to part and wanting to get on the carriage with them. Although she managed to hold back her tears, her eyes still couldn't help but redden.
This scene happened to be witnessed by A-Zhu. Seeing the teenager silently grieving, A-Zhu felt a pang of pity.
Wu Yiyi is different from Wu Sanniang and her mother. Wu Sanniang and her mother depend on each other for survival. Since they have both come here, they have settled down here, so there is no question of them missing home.
Wu Yiyi came alone. His family was still in Dongshan Village. He was only fifteen years old and still a child. How could he not miss his family?
A-Zhu quickly walked back to the inner courtyard and reported the matter to Min Yueqing.
Min Yueqing said, "I almost forgot about him. Luckily you're so thoughtful. Since that's the case, let Wu Yiyi go back and rest for a couple of days. Pay him his wages for this period of time. If he also wants some goods, give them to him as well."
A-Zhu asked, "What will happen to the cows these next two days?"
Min Yueqing waved her hand and said, "This is not difficult. Wu Yiyi has been here for so long, the workers must have learned how to take care of the cows and how to milk them. This is not difficult. Jinzhi probably wanted to help the child's family that day, which is why he left people behind. We can arrange for the workers to fill in for him for the next two days while he goes home."
Ah Zhu then realized what was happening and quickly turned around to make the arrangements.
When A-Zhu returned to the Chuihua Gate with the servant and told Wu Yi-Yi the good news, Wu Yi-Yi burst into tears on the spot and bowed to A-Zhu several times while crying.
A-Zhu smiled and helped him up, then pointed to the things in the servant's hands and asked him, "Do you want wages or grain and cloth like Wu Shiliu?"
Wu Yi wiped away her tears, pointed at the servant, and choked out, "I want that one too."
A-Zhu said, "Alright, then we'll move you to the carriage. You can stay home for a couple of days without worry."
Wu Yi asked worriedly, "What about the cows? No one has been milking them for the past two days; they must be uncomfortable."
After watching the commotion for a while, Lai Fu said loudly to Wu Yiyi, "Don't worry, we'll take care of things for you for a couple of days."
Lai Fu was a warm and outgoing person who treated others well. Wu Yiyi had been here for almost two months and had already come to regard Lai Fu as her older brother. When Lai Fu told her not to worry, there must be no problem, and Wu Yiyi immediately felt relieved.
Seeing that everything that needed to be moved had been loaded onto the carriage, A-Zhu said to everyone, "It's about time to set off. The journey is not short. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can get home, so you don't have to travel at night."
Wu Shiliu, Wu Yiyi, and the others thanked Azhu profusely before boarding the carriage.
The carriage slowly began to move, and the people inside leaned out of the windows, looking at the crowd in the courtyard with great reluctance. The servants and waiters also smiled and waved goodbye to them.
Having spent so much time together, everyone had developed a bond. Wu Shiliu greeted everyone, saying, "If you have the chance, you must come visit our Dongshan Village. We'll treat you to a good time!"
Everyone laughed and agreed.
Although A-Zhu wanted them to set off earlier, they were busy with various things and didn't leave until mid-morning. In addition, the road to Dongshan Village was too steep and difficult to travel. Even though they traveled by carriage and didn't stop along the way, the group didn't arrive at Dongshan Village until nightfall.
It was already summer, and although the nights in the mountains were quiet, the moonlight was bright, so it wasn't completely dark.
The horse-drawn carriage entered Dongshan Village, and the clattering of hooves was particularly loud in the quiet night. The villagers, who were still awake, were startled, and many gathered at their doorsteps to look out curiously.
Wu Shiliu and the others were extremely excited when they entered Dongshan Village. They couldn't sit still in the carriage and came out to sit with the driver on the carriage frame.
As soon as the mountain people saw that it was Wu Shiliu and his group returning, they immediately shouted, "Everyone, come out and see! It's Wu Shiliu and his apprentice, along with Wu Yiyi, who went to Lord Pei's house!"
Before long, everyone in the village heard the good news and came running out excitedly.
When the carriage came to a stop in front of Wu Shiliu's house, the mountain villagers gathered around and excitedly asked, "Old Wu, have you finished your work? Lord Pei is so kind; he even sent a carriage to bring you back!"
Wu Shiliu replied cheerfully, "Lord Pei is a rare and excellent official, how could he not be good? However, this time it was Madam who sent a carriage to bring us back. Madam is just as good as Lord Pei. Not only does she look like a fairy from heaven, but she also has the heart of a bodhisattva."
Upon hearing this, the mountain people immediately began asking for details.
Wu Shiliu, Wu Yiyi, and the others were all beaming with joy. They talked endlessly about Min Yueqing's deeds, and the mountain people listened with great attention, with exclamations of admiration frequently erupting from the crowd.
Finally, Wu Shiliu and his two apprentices unloaded everything from the carriage. Pointing to the items on the carriage, Wu Shiliu said, "These were all given to us by Madam. She originally wanted to give us money, but as everyone knows, money is good, but it's useless to us."
The villagers nodded in agreement.
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