The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 915 - 913: Worshipped

Chapter 915: Chapter 913: Worshipped

The couple laughed and joked for a while before getting down to business.

"Brother Song, be careful about this Baiyun Academy business! I don’t think those people will let it go easily! They lost face here today, so they might try to give you trouble at the academy," Wang Yongzhu reminded.

Song Chongjin felt reassured, "I’m aware of that, after today’s event, they’ll have to restrain themselves for a few days. Not to mention, they all stay at Changqing Academy, right under our watchful eyes, making trouble won’t be so easy."

Knowing that Song Chongjin was already aware, Wang Yongzhu wasn’t worried.

Turning his head, he talked about the sauce distribution: "The sauce we cooked today, we’ll keep some for our own use, and we must send some to Ninth Master Lee and Shopkeeper Wu. Besides the dean and a few teachers, who else do you need to send it to on your side? Make a list for me, so I can buy some small jars tomorrow, label them, and send them out with the Bath Orchid Festival gifts."

Song Chongjin pondered for a while before writing a list, and the couple discussed it a bit more to finalize the number of people.

In previous years, Song Chongjin would send festival gifts for the Bath Orchid Festival, apart from his teaching benefactors, he would carefully prepare gifts for Shopkeeper Zhang and Hunter Qin.

At that time, he hadn’t started a family yet, and people didn’t expect too much; usually, it would be rare game he hunted himself plus some purchased gifts, which was enough.

As for the Song Family at that time, it was all handled by Song Chunhua, who practically wanted to empty the house.

He hadn’t properly sent festival gifts before, so now seeing Wang Yongzhu listing the gifts, he couldn’t help but lean over to have a look.

On the gift list, besides pastries and fine wine, there were salted duck eggs, some pidan, some zongzi, a few Five-Poison Cakes for the Bath Orchid Festival, and finally, the mushroom sauce, which looked practical and unobtrusive, all daily necessities, showing thoughtful preparation.

It’s impressive without being extravagantly expensive—quite appropriate.

Once these gifts were prepared and sent out, return gifts started arriving one after another.

Ninth Master Lee was very fond of the mushroom sauce, and when sending a return gift, he didn’t forget to ask for two more jars.

His return gifts also had Ninth Master Lee’s characteristic of being as luxurious as possible.

As for Gu Zikai, after receiving the gift, he returned quite a bit of valuable nourishing medicine.

Even Imperial Doctor Du, after receiving the gift, instead of being picky, had Lady Qi ask for two jars of mushroom sauce.

Lady Qi was a bit embarrassed: "My husband has been away from his hometown for many years. We used to have my old lady making it and sending it to the Capital City. Since she passed, he hasn’t tasted this hometown flavor for decades. After tasting the sauce last night, he couldn’t sleep, thinking of my old lady."

"My husband’s greatest regret in life is not being able to fulfill his duty of filial piety in front of his old lady. He often mentions wanting to taste her special dishes again this life. Now this sauce tastes a bit like my old lady’s, so I have no choice but to thickly ask for two more jars."

Wang Yongzhu quickly said, "It’s no bother! As long as Lord Du likes it, I’ll send two more jars tomorrow. If it’s not too much trouble, we make this sauce every year, and I can make two more jars at that time. Alternatively, I’ll ask my mother and the cooking lady at my house for the recipe today and send it along tomorrow. Lord Du can make it himself if he wants."

Lady Qi was overjoyed; having the recipe would be wonderful. She thought perhaps the sauce-making skill was something that shouldn’t be passed outside, so she didn’t ask.

Now that Wang Yongzhu offered to give the recipe, she quickly agreed, "Then I’ll trouble you!"

Because of this, the festival gifts from Imperial Doctor Du’s house were more generous. Besides the usual festival gifts, there was an extra box with four or five small porcelain bottles labeled.

There were tonics for qi and blood, digestive aids, and medicines for bruises and injuries, including some for wound healing.

It was essentially a collection of regular family medicines, all well-prepared.

Indeed, it was a grand gift.

Not only was Wang Yongzhu happy, but even Old Granny Zhang couldn’t help but click her tongue at the porcelain bottles in the box, "Daughter, were these really sent from Imperial Doctor Du’s house?"

Wang Yongzhu nodded.

Old Granny Zhang carefully held the box, "Daughter, do you think these pills were made by Imperial Doctor Du? He used to treat the Emperor, didn’t he? So, our pills might be the same as what the Emperor takes? Oh my, if they’re just like the Emperor’s, then we can’t eat these pills, they’re tribute items, and we have to offer them up!"

Wang Yongzhu had a helpless expression, "Mother, Imperial Doctor Du even treated you once, should we offer you up too?"

Old Granny Zhang’s face stiffened, and she playfully slapped Wang Yongzhu, "You child, always talking nonsense!"

Though she said that, she relaxed a bit, gently touched the bottles, and handed them to Wang Yongzhu, "These are precious, you keep them safe, don’t leave such valuable things with an old lady like me, what if they lose their medicinal properties."

Wang Yongzhu didn’t refuse—these pills are valuable; they should be well-kept, as they can be life-saving at critical moments.

※※※

Changqing Academy. Guest courtyard.

The Baiyun Academy came to compete this time, including the leading teachers, there were about twenty people altogether.

The guest courtyard they were arranged in wasn’t large, each room accommodated three to four people, just barely enough for them.

This made the students from Baiyun Academy, who were used to having their own rooms, quite uncomfortable.

They tried to negotiate with the Changqing Academy steward for another courtyard to have a more spacious stay.

The steward of Changqing Academy had a smile on his face, very hospitable, but when they made their request, he looked troubled, saying that because of the annual dragon boat race, outside students came in endless streams to stay at Changqing Academy, leaving no extra accommodation.

The guest courtyard was barely vacated, so the Baiyun Academy people had to endure it for a few days.

After all, there were only a few days until the competition.

The Baiyun Academy people were not willing to comply, wanting to cause a fuss, but seeing Changqing Academy steward’s fearless demeanor, they understood what was happening.

The previous incident did make Changqing Academy wary and defensive of them.

They were indeed at fault, and if trouble were to arise, they would not be in the right.

No choice, they had to grit their teeth and bear it.

Back in the courtyard, someone quietly complained, "I’ve long said, even if we must win, we should win fair and square, why resort to such underhanded methods? Now we’ve stolen a chicken only to lose the corn, why bother!"

Someone else agreed, "Exactly, things weren’t done right, and we’ve stirred up trouble. Now that we’re at Changqing Academy, everywhere we go, we’re watched like thieves."