The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 1019 - 998: Lying Down (August Monthly Ticket Bonus 5)

Chapter 1019: Chapter 998: Lying Down (August Monthly Ticket Bonus 5)

Yin Huo chuckled, "You’re in good health and can use your wits, so studying shouldn’t be difficult for you."

Bai Erlang: "Difficult? Nothing in this world is more difficult than studying."

Manbao: "That’s what you said when you were sowing wheat and transplanting seedlings too, that nothing in this world is harder than farm work."

Bai Erlang leaned back in his lounge chair, rocking it as he closed his eyes, pretending not to hear her words.

Seeing this, Yin Huo smiled and imitated him, leaning back entirely as the lounge chair began to rock. He turned his head past Manbao and asked Bai Shan, "Didn’t you want to ask me something before lunch?"

Bai Shan glanced at Manbao, and seeing she had no objections, asked, "Since the Imperial Academy’s climate has improved, why hasn’t the atmosphere in the capital improved? Can’t the sons of officials of the fifth rank and above enroll in school?"

"That’s because there are quotas," Yin Huo laughed. "Take my father, for example; he is a third-rank magistrate in the capital and has two slots to send students to the Imperial Academy. But our family only has me, so there’s a slot left that could be saved for a future nephew or a relative’s child."

Yin Huo paused for a moment, then continued, "But how many in the capital have as few heirs as my father? Who doesn’t have a plethora of children and grandchildren? For officials of the fifth rank and above, if it’s the father, it’s not bad; he can give the slot to his son, those with many sons give it to the eldest legitimate son, and those with many eldest legitimate sons give it to the eldest grandson. But when it comes to the grandfather, and the children have had children, naturally the slot goes to the eldest legitimate grandson. If the eldest legitimate grandson isn’t smart, for the sake of the family’s future, some elders will choose the most intelligent among the grandchildren to send."

Manbao immediately understood and, not wanting him to say too much, interjected, "I understand, where there are benefits, there is competition. Contention within the family leads to contention between families and clans once they are outside, hence the chaos."

Yin Huo nodded slightly.

Bai Shan said, "So very few descendants can enroll, and most are still outside. Although the Imperial Academy’s etiquette has improved, the dandyism in the capital has not improved much?"

Yin Huo nodded.

Bai Shan and Manbao exchanged glances and couldn’t help asking, "If we and your sisters had started fighting in the street back then, would they have gotten away with it afterwards without any harm?"

After a moment’s pause, Yin Huo said, "My sisters wouldn’t fight with you; they would have the servants fight you."

Manbao pointed to Daji, who was dozing off not far away on the porch, and said, "Our Daji is formidable; he can take on ten at once. Your servants wouldn’t be able to touch us. If we went to fight your sisters, wouldn’t they fight back?"

After a brief silence, Yin Huo replied, "They would have the bailiffs arrest you."

Manbao, not quite pleased, said, "Fighting is just fighting; why bring in the bailiffs? I never call the bailiffs when I fight." Only when I can’t win.

Bai Shan also said, "Though relations remain close despite small quarrels, I still think your sisters are a bit mean."

Yin Huo said, "That’s why you can sell them the flowers."

Manbao and Bai Shan, and even Bai Erlang, who was feigning sleep in his chair, were so shocked that they all opened their eyes wide and stared at Yin Huo in disbelief.

Yin Huo nodded his head and said, quite pleased, "They still have money."

Manbao hesitated, "But isn’t it bad to trick your sisters like that?"

Yin Huo laughed, "Don’t you dislike them?"

"But..." They’re your sisters after all.

Yin Huo said, "Besides, they will be very happy if I bring it back to them."

He also wanted to see how they would care for these flowers, what they would look like the next year, and then how they would treat them.

After pondering for a moment, Yin Huo looked up with a smile and said, "That’s settled, then. You give me six pots of flowers, tell me the price, and I’ll have the money sent to you later. As for the relatives of the Prince of Yizhou, I’m afraid it might be a bit difficult to sell to them. When the time comes, I can ask Changshou to inquire about their whereabouts for you; just have someone place the flowers where they can see them."

Manbao nodded blankly, and it took her a moment to snap back to reality. She swallowed and asked, "Is it really okay to gouge my sister like this?"

Yin Huo shook his head with a smile.

Manbao let out a sigh of relief, and Bai Shan asked, "When will the other relatives of the Prince of Yizhou enter the capital?"

"It seems that two princes with their families have already arrived in the capital, and the others should also arrive before the Mid-Autumn Festival. After all, there is a palace banquet for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Imperial Family also wants to gather together."

Manbao: "Huh, some princes have arrived in the capital? How come we haven’t heard the gongs clearing the way?"

"They must have entered the capital on the down-low. In the capital, only the Prince of Yizhou is so favored, so the Ministry of Rites here naturally gives him extra attention."

Manbao said, "So, the Imperial Family also play favorites."

Yin Huo coughed lightly and settled back in the lounge chair to rest.

He smirked, tugging at his lips. The richer the place, the more severe the favoritism.

After resting a bit in their chairs, Mr. Zhuang returned to find his lounge chair occupied. He shook his head with a smile and did not disturb them, heading straight back to his room to rest.

Yin Huo was especially indulgent today. He stayed at the Bai Family house until almost sunset before leaving. In the afternoon, he drank a bowl of fish soup that Manbao had asked Aunt Rong to stew. Neither overly heating nor cooling, it contained two kinds of medicinal herbs, perfect for nourishing qi and enriching blood, which suited him well.

Bai Shan and the others had a little less than half a bowl each and then set it aside with disdain, thinking it tasted medicinal and was unpleasant to drink.

But Yin Huo had two small bowls, as the slight medicinal taste was virtually nonexistent to him.

In the afternoon, he spoke very little, seemingly reverting to his old ways—a nod here, a shake of the head there, barely uttering a word. However, Changshou could tell that the young master was very happy.

Not only Changshou noticed it, but even the Eldest Sister Yin and her two other sisters, who had been reluctant to leave their maternal home, also observed it. The lifelessness once present in their brother was gone; while his face still had little expression, his eyes were much more spirited.

Eldest Sister Yin’s footsteps paused as she moved to greet him, then she quickly recovered her composure with a smile, asking, "Where did you go to have fun today? Your brother-in-law and the rest have been waiting at home since lunchtime, but you never returned, and only then did they leave for home."

Yin Huo replied with a smile, "I went out to have fun with some friends."

Just as Eldest Sister Yin was about to ask who the friends were, how many there were, their names, where they had fun, and what they did, Yin Huo already pointed to something behind him and spoke, "Eldest Sister, when I was coming back today, I came across a florist selling exotic flowers. Since you like plants, I bought each of you one pot to bring back. I’ll have it added to your Mid-Autumn Festival gifts and sent to you."

He chuckled, "The flowers for my sisters were all handpicked by me, they’re really pretty. You’ll have to take good care of them once you get them home."

The sisters of the Yin Family were somewhat surprised, as Yin Huo rarely gave them gifts, especially in recent years, as he went out less and became increasingly silent. Barely speaking to each other, let alone giving gifts, they were all surprised to suddenly receive a gift.

Changshou had someone bring up the pots of flowers, and everyone gathered around to take a look, "Wow, this pot of chrysanthemums seems to be green..."

"What kind of flower is this? I’ve never seen it before."

"This flower is pretty. How did my little brother know I liked this light yellow color?"

"I love bright red; what kind of old-fashioned rose is this? The color is really genuine."