Chapter 328: All expenses covered, Miss He picks up the bill

Gu Xixi sighed, "How could I not have thought of these?"

I plan to gradually let go of the farmland, handing over full responsibility for the grain fields to Uncle Chen. As for the orchards on the border, I'm also relieved to have subcontracted them to Aunt Lin and others.

The problem is that afterwards there's still more to do; things are complicated, and without finding a few capable and trustworthy people to divide the work, I alone would certainly be stretched thin.

She looked at He Jinglan, "But this matter can't be rushed; I can only wait until I return and then look for it slowly."

He Jinglan nodded, "Once our sweet‑drink stall is stable, I'll come back to the village to see you when I have time."

She joked, "Didn't you used to say you wanted to hire me?"

Gu Xixi couldn't help laughing, "Then I couldn't ask for better!"

Accounting, ghostwriting, village school teacher— they come with their own guards and can be used; in daily life they can even top a first‑rate strategist. Listen! Which of these isn't a line of work that wants extra pay?

Gu Xixi counted on her fingers, feeling deeply, "All I need to do is provide you with food and lodging; reckoning it this way, I'm really making a profit."

Her humorous remark, paired with a dead‑serious expression, made He Jinglan double over laughing.

"All right, all right, keep praising me and I'll really feel light‑headed."

Bringing up the village school teacher, He Jinglan said, "This time I saw you but didn't ask how the school is."

After Master Liu went to the capital to report on his duties, he was transferred to an official post elsewhere; the new old teacher who arrived—can the children still adapt to him?

Gu Xixi replied, "Mr. Song is a strict teacher; that bunch of little monkeys knows how to read faces and behaves well. It's not like when you first went to the village school, openly and secretly wanting to bully you, the newcomer."

He Jinglan put on a stern face, "Why bring up what happened back then? I soon subdued them, didn't I?"

Gu Xixi pouted, "It's not like you didn't have Shitou, Gouwa and a few others helping you keep things under control."

In the first few days, I was afraid you'd suddenly come running back in tears, saying you couldn't do it.

Recalling the fun incidents at the school, He Jinglan also laughed.

After a moment, she said, "I've heard Mr. Song's virtue is high; solely in terms of teaching and nurturing, even someone as erudite as the Regent Prince might not compare."

Gu Xixi deeply agreed, "Knowing how to learn doesn't necessarily mean knowing how to teach."

She recalled Song Qingshan's earnest plea, staring blankly at her teacup.

Mr. Song wanted to see Mu Nan Zhao.

Did she still have a chance to help Mr. Song fulfill his wish?

The next morning, the invitations from the Xiao He residence were sent out.

Gu Xixi and An Qinghe also went to visit Jiang Mingyuan; looking at his expression and condition, his exam should have been decent.

Nine days later the spring examination results were posted, and He Jinglan's flower‑viewing banquet was set for the eleventh day after that.

The banquet procedure had already been arranged; all that remained was for the household stewards to carry it out concretely.

While waiting a few more days for the concrete inspection results, Gu Xixi and He Jinglan weren't idle, rising early and returning late, pouring all their energy into the sweet‑drink stall.

That morning, Gu Xixi habitually headed for the stall again, but He Jinglan laughed and said, "We're not going today."

She stood behind Gu Xixi, pushed her forward as they walked out, and said:

"You've been in the capital for about half a month already, and aside from Dongshi I haven't taken you anywhere else to play."

"When you return to our village and people ask what's fun in the capital, if you only went to teahouses, scouted tea shops, and opened a stall, wouldn't it seem like you came for nothing?"

Gu Xixi laughed, "I never came here just to leisurely travel."

He Jinglan pursed her lips, "You may be indifferent, but we agreed earlier that when you're here I must show you a good time of eating, drinking, and having fun."

To say that Gu Xixi has had no pressure these past days would be false.

First, Lv Jing's case has already been tried once, but handling it in a different jurisdiction means evidence still needs to be gathered and transferred; moreover, it involves the Nan Yi Xian county office and the highly influential Grand Secretary Fan.

The situation is too complex; one can tell that several factions will openly and covertly vie for control, trying to manipulate and interfere.

So far we still haven't received news of a second hearing for this case.

Second, will the sweet‑drink stall be a hit once it opens?

Third, the upcoming banquet will be Gu Xixi's first time attending an ancient flower‑viewing feast; aside from that she isn't nervous, only the poetry‑recital segment…

Although He Jinglan said she would fix things behind the scenes so Gu Xixi wouldn't have a chance to compose a rebuttal poem, whenever she thinks about it she still feels a bit worried.

Fourth, Mu Nan Zhao himself—his very existence is already a source of pressure.

At this moment the weather is clear and bright, and the spring breeze brushes the face in the courtyard.

He Jinglan shook Gu Xixi, "Just consider it something I can't get over in my mind—will you keep me company and play?"

Gu Xixi lifted her eyes to the lovely spring scenery, involuntarily curling the corners of her mouth, "All right! If we play, we'll play to the fullest."

He Jinglan was pleased now, "Come on! Let's go call An Xiong along, so he won't say I'm failing as host."

That day Gu Xixi lived a life of decadent luxury.

The entire venue's expenses were signed for by the He family's eldest daughter.

In the morning we watched acrobatics at an art hall opened by people from Nanjiang, sampled their special flower wine, and tried various pastries.

At noon, in the private room we had booked in advance at the largest and most expensive restaurant in Dongshi, a single dish of Xishi tongue costs one tael of gold.

In the afternoon we first went shopping; in several shops familiar to the Xiao He residence, He Jinglan insisted on putting together three outfits for Gu Xixi from head to toe.

Since there wasn't time to order custom clothing, we could only buy ready‑made; He Jinglan picked the best, two of which were one‑of‑a‑kind and happened to fit Gu Xixi's size perfectly.

While waiting for Gu Xixi to come out of the fitting room, the two outside had their eyes light up.

A lotus‑hued cloud‑brocade vest, with a sprig of magnolia embroidered downward from the shoulder, the buds half‑open, half‑closed, and various silk threads gradually embroidered into petals.

Over it she wore a slightly lighter, half‑transparent plain gauze single layer, with a matching pleated skirt tied at the waist.

As she moved, the skirt pleats spread, scattering magnolia petals that flickered in and out of view, like a floating subtle fragrance.

He Jinglan stared wide‑eyed, "My eye for fashion was spot on, Xixi—you look stunning in this!"

An Qinghe took a moment to snap out of it, mouth agape, wearing a foolish grin, "Beautiful! Really beautiful!"

"Indeed… a person relies on clothes, a horse on its saddle!"

He Jinglan gave him a white‑eye look, "If you can't speak, don't; Xixi is naturally lovely, and this is just adding flowers to brocade."

An Qinghe nodded, his eyes still fixed on Gu Xixi, as if his soul had left.

He Jinglan couldn't stand it, "Wipe your saliva, it's about to drip!"

Gu Xixi turned in front of the dressing mirror, poised and graceful.

"I also think it's fine, and the size fits well."

Previously Gu Xixi had never done such an elaborate dressing; just this simple adornment already made eyes light up.

If makeup and hair ornaments were added, how stunning would that be?

He Jinglan thought that, unable to wait, she pulled Gu Xixi along, "Let's pick a few more hair flowers and hairpins,"

Gu Xixi firmly refused, "You said for the banquet, the clothes and shoes count as your gift to me; I accept them, and taking them home for my family to see is also a demonstration of our Jing Lan's capability."

"But jewelry is really too valuable; for the banquet day, just borrowing yours will do."