Chapter 28

When everyone was gathered, Old Tie Tou flicked his whip, and they slowly headed toward Longquan Cun.

Jiang Lian'er looked at the bundle in Lin Qingshuang's hand and asked: "How many pieces did you buy with this bulging thing?"

"Just three pieces." Lin Qingshuang untied the bundle to show her: "I don't know what looks good, but they recommended these to me, saying they are the most fashionable styles this year, and even the ladies in the palace love them, so I bought them."

Jiang Lian'er reached out and touched them: "They are quite good-looking; I have never worn such soft material; it must be very expensive, right?"

Lin Qingshuang's father was the village head, and there were over ten acres of land at home; everything good was saved for her, the only beloved daughter, so she naturally bought whatever she wanted.

She was different; at home, Grandmother had the final say, and Grandmother favored her brother Jiang Zongbao, so she wouldn't waste silver on her.

So since she was a child, Lin Qingshuang had been the person Jiang Lian'er envied the most.

Lin Qingshuang smiled: "Not expensive, it only cost two hundred copper coins."

Two hundred copper coins isn't expensive?

Jiang Lian'er's mentality became even more unbalanced; let alone two hundred copper coins, she didn't even have twenty copper coins of private money in her hand. How could the difference between people be so great?

Feeling the eighty copper coins earned from selling embroidery in her palm, Jiang Lian'er gritted her teeth and decided to pocket ten copper coins.

Anyway, Grandmother couldn't possibly verify it!

Du Ruo watched the interaction between the two girls opposite her and smiled.

One was deliberately showing off, and the other was vain; it was quite interesting.

The ox cart bumped, and Jiang Lian'er was preparing her excuses for when she got home; without paying attention, her foot kicked the steamer placed on the cart board.

Du Ruo hurriedly pulled the steamer toward her side.

Jiang Lian'er's gaze fell on other things: a large string of pork, a basket of fresh vegetables, and a few bags of beans.

She couldn't help it and said sarcastically: "Cousin-in-law, you can really spend money; can you finish eating so much?"

Du Ruo found it funny: "This doesn't need to worry Lian'er sister; if I can't finish it, I'll feed it to the dog."

Anyway, it's not for you people of the eldest branch.

Jiang Lian'er: "..."

That's too much; the eldest branch is still eating chaff and swallowing vegetables from time to time, so why is the second branch living so comfortably?

Toward Lin Qingshuang, Jiang Lian'er only felt envy, as she was already used to it; but toward Du Ruo, Jiang Lian'er felt resentment and even jealousy, because Du Ruo was from the second branch, and people from the second branch should live a bitter life.

This was what her mother had told her since she was a child.

The second branch owes the eldest branch; they deserve it!

Jiang Lian'er hummed: "Don't be proud; I'll tell Grandmother when I get back, saying you spend money recklessly, preferring to honor the dog rather than honor her, and see how Grandmother punishes you!"

*Pfft*, Du Ruo couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Comparing her grandmother to a dog—it was estimated that Yan Pozi would be the first to want to tear her mouth apart.

"Then you go tell her quickly; I'm so scared."

Her eyes turned: "How about this, I heard that snake soup is the most nourishing for the elderly; how about I go up the mountain tomorrow and catch one to send to you?"

Jiang Lian'er hurriedly moved her butt to the inside, moving far away from Du Ruo.

"You, you stop it!" She said with a pale face, shouting fiercely but weak in spirit: "Who are you trying to scare? If you dare to send a snake, when Eldest Cousin comes back, I, I will tell him that you are disrespectful to your elders and want to intentionally harm Grandmother; when that happens, he will definitely divorce you!"

The speaker had no intention, but the listener did.

Lin Qingshuang's eyes flashed, and her fingers holding the bundle moved.

Du Ruo rolled her eyes, too lazy to pay attention to that low-IQ fool.

Using Jiang Li to pressure her—she didn't even look to see if Jiang Li had enough weight; every time she remembered the look of disdain on that big muscular man's face when he first saw her, she felt suffocated.

Divorce? She wished for it!

Amidst the noise, they finally arrived at Longquan Cun.

The three of them parted ways and returned to their own homes.

Everything at home was fine, except for the colorful pheasant Tie Dan brought back this morning; she didn't know if it was scared out of its wits or couldn't adapt to the water and soil, but it refused to eat anything and was listless.

Sure enough, it didn't make it by the next day.

Du Ruo had no choice but to slaughter it, and by the way, plucked the most beautiful feathers to make a few shuttlecocks for Jiang Wan; the little girl liked them very much and was playing with Tie Dan in the courtyard, kicking and picking them up, having a great time.

Du Ruo was just killing the chicken when the courtyard gate was suddenly knocked with a *bang, bang, bang*.

"Sister-in-law, open the door quickly."

It seemed to be Yao Yulan's voice; Du Ruo hurriedly washed her hands, ran over, and pulled the bolt.

Yao Yulan was covered in sweat, but her face was filled with excitement: "Sister-in-law, great joy!"

Du Ruo was full of question marks.

Their family didn't seem to have any happy events; the parents-in-law were gone, Jiang Zhan hadn't reached the time for the imperial examination, and Jiang Sheng and Jiang Wan were still young and hadn't reached the age of engagement.

Could it be that Jiang Li was going to take a concubine?

Du Ruo asked suspiciously while welcoming Yao Yulan into the door: "Where does the joy come from?"

Yao Yulan laughed from ear to ear: "Oh, I have to say, you are a husband-prospering life! You haven't been married for long, and your Jiang Li is about to make a fortune!"

Du Ruo was even more confused.

"Sister-in-law, hurry up and tell me; who is this going to worry to death?"

Yao Yulan didn't play riddles anymore and said happily: "Do you remember the brother of my mother's neighbor? The one who works in the Ya Men? Early this morning, word came that Jiang Li made a great contribution in the county, saying he saved some noble person, and the Magistrate appreciates him very much and wants to promote him!"

Promote Jiang Li?

Du Ruo didn't understand: "Besides having strength, my husband can't do anything else."

"You say that, but you underestimate Jiang Li," Yao Yulan rolled her eyes at her. "Your father-in-law was a third-place scholar with a belly full of ink; when he passed away, Jiang Li was already thirteen, so he started his education and studied for seven or eight years; he's not worse than those official masters."

So Jiang Li is also a cultured person.

She really couldn't tell.

Du Ruo hurriedly asked: "What position does the Magistrate intend to give him?"

Yao Yulan took a sip of the tea Jiang Wan served and continued: "I heard that more than a dozen Ya Men runners died in that assassination last time, and the Ya Men is short of manpower, so the Magistrate is preparing to let your Jiang Li do this."

"Be a Ya Men runner?"

"What Ya Men runner, don't be afraid to think big; it's a Chief Ya Men Runner!"

A difference of one word, but the difference is huge.

There are dozens of Ya Men runners, but there is only one Chief Ya Men Runner! In the hearts of ordinary people, he is only a small cut lower than the Magistrate!

Du Ruo didn't know whether to be happy or worried for a moment.

Being a Chief Ya Men Runner is naturally a good thing, which means eating from the public pot from now on, and having face when going out.

But thinking that Jiang Li would be a colleague with her scumbag father Du Ren Mei in the future, seeing him every day, her head hurt.

No wonder Du Ren Mei told her that Jiang Li would make a name for himself; it seemed he had received the news early.

Seeing her strange expression, Yao Yulan asked suspiciously: "What's wrong, Sister-in-law, are you not happy?"

Du Ruo hurriedly shook her head: "How could that be? I'm just worried; being a Chief Ya Men Runner means catching bad guys, and what if he runs into a powerful one..."

Yao Yulan understood and slapped her thigh, laughing heartily: "Oh my, the young couple hasn't consummated the marriage yet, and you're already worried about him! When he comes back, you can instruct him; there are many subordinates, so if he really runs into a powerful one, let them run to the front; knives don't have eyes, so they won't cut him."

Du Ruo: "... Sister-in-law is right."

She did need to instruct him, but not about this, but to tell him to have less contact with Du Ren Mei.

Anyway, Jiang Li is not allowed to acknowledge that scumbag father-in-law!