Chapter 287

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

The carriage had long since turned around; the driver cracked his whip, and it slowly rolled out with a clattering sound.

Chen Fuzi glanced at Cao Fuzi beside him, saw his hesitant look, and cursed, "You old coot!" Then he said, "The older you get, the less capable you are at handling things—what are you dawdling for!"

As he cursed, he poked his head out of the carriage window and shouted, "Zheng Yan!"

Han Li had been standing quietly to one side; hearing this, he hurriedly stepped forward a few paces.

Chen Fuzi then said, "I just heard Song Xiaoniangzi mention that when you two were in Hua Prefecture, you knew the Six Routes Transport Vice Commissioner Wang Shuji?"

Han Li replied, "Indeed there is such a matter."

"Is he someone you can speak to?"

"Vice Commissioner Wang is easygoing; even his house servants and subordinates can get a word in."

Hearing this, Chen Fuzi stroked his precious beard and said, "That's perfect—when you have some free time these two days, go find your Cao Xiansheng; he has something to tell you!"

Han Li naturally agreed, and without waiting for another day, he immediately asked Cao Fuzi for the time.

Cao Fuzi hurriedly said, "It doesn't matter what hour; whenever you have time, just come find me!"

He was all smiles and kind-eyed in front of Han Li, but as soon as the carriage drove off, he began cursing.

"You rascal, for no reason at all, why drag those two youngsters into this! I couldn't find people elsewhere!"

"There's a perfectly good bell right here, yet you insist on going outside to find a drum—I think you're just bored and full! At your age, still caring about face, unwilling to call this one, too embarrassed to call that one; afraid of trouble now, but real trouble will come later, and you'll regret it too late!"

"You don't know a thing; I have it all figured out!"

"What a load of nonsense!"

The carriage carrying the two old men bickering back and forth drove away in a most uncivilized manner.

Han Li watched the carriage body go into the distance, casually tied up the horse, turned around, and saw Song Miao also seeing them off at the door; a smile involuntarily appeared on his face.

He took down a bamboo tube hanging from the horse's back, his pace first fast then slow, walked closer, and lowered his voice to ask, "I wonder when Shopkeeper Song closes for the day?"

Speaking, he handed over the bamboo tube.

The bamboo tube was quite large and somewhat heavy.

Song Miao weighed it and asked curiously, "What is this?"

"Sheep's milk," Han Li said. "Earlier in Hua Prefecture, I heard you talking to others that drinking cow's milk often makes your stomach sour. Coincidentally, today at the Du Shui Jian I met an old clerk who said the daughter of the Du Shui Jian Cheng couldn't drink cow's milk since childhood but could drink sheep's milk. You rise too early, which really harms the body. I read in a materia medica that sheep's milk can tonify deficiency and fatigue, benefit essence and qi; try it and see if your spleen and stomach can take it. If they can, then slowly build up your strength."

He added, "I bought some; if you can't finish it, you can share it with others—this stuff doesn't keep anyway, and I'll buy fresh again tomorrow night."

Since it was delivered right to her door, and though it wasn't anything precious, the back-and-forth was still a bother, Song Miao naturally wouldn't decline again.

She lifted the sheep's milk and thanked him, then said, "Young Master is truly thoughtful; I'll accept it today, but there's no need to send more in the future—you're busy enough yourself; after the Mao hour, you'd best go back and rest early."

Han Li, however, said, "How do you know I came this way just to rest?"

He looked at Song Miao, then turned to look at the left and right of Song Ji's main gate, and said, "The weather isn't as hot as before. If I come early and the shop hasn't closed, I'll deliver it inside; if I come late and you've already gone to bed, I'll put a food box by the side."

"I'll put some ice in the food box, lock it, and make a mark. You and I each keep a key. Even if you can't drink it tonight, you can have a sip first thing in the morning before going to the stall. That would be fine, wouldn't it?"

Song Miao thought for a moment and asked, "Young Master, won't you come in for a cup of tea?"

Han Li shook his head and said, "It's not early anymore; once I sit down, I won't want to get up. You should rest early."

He put it so plainly and naturally that Song Miao didn't want to delay any longer, and said, "Delivering every day is really too much trouble..."

Han Li said, "Then how about a little supplement money? I see other small vendors and servants delivering goods always get some benefit. If you're stingy, give one wen; if you're generous, give two wen?"

"Let's set that aside for now," Song Miao said. "I also have a few things I want to say to Young Master."

The smile on Han Li's face faded slightly, and he had already sensed a few things.

"I have debts on my person, people in the shop, and business outside; I'm busy all day and truly have no spare energy, nor can I spare any thought to manage other matters..."

Han Li suddenly said, "My thoughts are set here; I can manage it myself without you needing to make room to manage it."

He paused, then said, "You speak of debts, of people, of business, of the shop, of having no spare energy—but what about yourself?"

"Last time you said those words, you haven't answered—do you have a bit of such thought yourself?"

It was very dark; neither of them held a lamp. The oil lamp in the front hall sat on the table, quite far away. Outside the house there was only a bit of remaining light, and they could not see each other's faces or expressions at all.

Song Miao had always been frank, and this time she was equally honest.

She replied, "A bit."

Although she couldn't see the face clearly, she could clearly feel that the person opposite, for a moment, stood up straighter.

"Though a bit, Young Master and I each have things to do and roads to walk. I am a businessman; even if I only have one stall and one shop now, with only two tables inside, my heart is still wild."

"I also want to eat lychees freshly picked from the trees in Guangnan, live rouyu fish just scooped from the sea in Fu Zhou with stars still flashing on their bodies, water bamboo from Jiangnan, and sand scallions from Sai Bei—heaven and earth, each place has its ingredients. I not only want to eat them all myself, but also open several small shops everywhere to feed guests, earn some silver, and receive much praise..."

"Can't I go?"

Song Miao laughed and said, "Young Master still has many people to scold and many things to do."

"Where can't one be an official, where can't one do things?"

Han Li stepped forward, his voice very soft, with a hint of a smile: "I think I have some ability. Give me a year or two, and I can follow you to broaden my horizons, eat them all one by one, and do things everywhere—without rushing you. Why not wait until you have free time, then consider this thought?"

Song Miao held the sheep's milk in one hand and held the door with the other, feeling that both the door panel and the bamboo tube holding the sheep's milk were thumping.

In the darkness, Han Li's eyes still shone brightly.

"If so, can I count as already being at the front of the line?"

"What?"

"I've seen Young Lady set up her stall. Every day before the stall cart arrives, a long line has already formed in front of the stall. Besides people, there are often food boxes, shi dai, book boxes, bamboo baskets, and so on. Today I've also put some thought into lining up. Do you think I am a food box, a shi dai, a book box, or a bamboo basket?"

"No matter which one, as long as you're at the front, you'll surely be seen first by the stall owner, right?"

Received a One in Ten Thousand He Shi Bi from Xiaoxiao, thank you thank you, too generous!

Thanks to Book City, my cat Egg Egg personally delivered a Small Gift and a Codeword Tool:)

Thanks to Feng Ma, Ao Te Man Xiao Jie, Occasional Relaxation 2, A Bai, Smoke Fire and Freedom, Sitting Watching Clouds Rise, Crooked Crooked Cat, HY_RC, Date. bE, Time is spacetime_ae for each sending a Small Gift ^_^

Off duty too late these two days, Possibly fewer updates, sorry sorry