Qi Fu and her husband, Second Master Pang, quarreled day in and day out, their life in a complete mess.
As for Qi Hao, his whereabouts remained unknown.
Whenever people talked about the Qi family in Biwu Village, they couldn't help but sigh, believing that good and evil would always be rewarded accordingly. They said that it was because the eldest Qi brother and his wife, Mrs. Qian, had done so many evil deeds that they ended up in such a miserable state.
In fact, Qi Jiao didn't feel the satisfaction of avenging a great wrong. Instead, she felt a kind of indifference, as if it had nothing to do with her.
The dead were gone, and she didn't have the time to dwell on past grudges.
As days passed by, the day when Pei Li was to enter the county school soon arrived.
In the tender spring light, the young man had shed his childishness. He had grown as tall and slender as a bamboo, with a carefree smile on his face, but his actions had become more steady.
Qi Jiao and Pei Xia specially asked the provincial graduate, Master Fan, in the town to act as a guarantor, and then sent Pei Li to take the preliminary exam for the county school.
As expected, Pei Li was rated as excellent by the county school instructor, Sui, and became a child student.
Pei Li carried his bookbag and went to school in the county. At the same time, Pei Jin was taken into the Shu Mansion by Mrs. Fu.
Mrs. Fu took Pei Jin under her wing and taught her how to behave in society and manage the household affairs.
The siblings complemented each other well.
Seeing that the Tang Han Textile was developing well, Qi Jiao still worried about the business of Jiao Niang Restaurant. So, on a sunny day, she went back to Pomegranate Alley with Pei Xia.
As soon as Jiao Niang returned, everyone immediately found their backbone.
Zheng Huier, who had been cooking in the kitchen for days, was on the verge of tears. She grabbed Qi Jiao's hand and poured out her grievances, "You don't know, those customers are so picky. They all said that my cooking skills are not as good as yours..."
Qi Jiao couldn't help but smile and gently comforted her, "But from the ledger, I can see that our income this season has not only not decreased, but has even increased steadily. If you say you have no credit for it, I won't believe it. Who dares to say anything bad about our Chef Zheng? Come on, call everyone here. I'm going to reward you according to your merits."
When everyone heard that the boss was going to give rewards, the younger boys and girls were all excited. They chattered non - stop, telling all the important and trivial things that had happened in the store recently.
Only after the excitement died down did the steady Mrs. Hua and Mrs. Lin step forward to report.
Qi Jiao returned to Jiao Niang Restaurant to oversee the business, but she didn't interfere in the daily affairs. Instead, she only gave guidance. Taking this opportunity, everyone grew rapidly.
As the ice melted in the sixth nine - day period and the swallows returned in the seventh, after the Beginning of Spring, the flowers bloomed one after another.
Soon, it was time for Guo Lingyi to leave home. Qi Jiao went to see her off.
At the pavilion outside the city.
When Guo Lingyi and the people behind her saw the scene in front of them, they couldn't help but widen their eyes.
Two carriages rumbled towards them and stopped one after another. Then, a pregnant woman with a round belly got out of the second carriage.
Qi Jiao brought Yindie and Ge Fan to help, and there was also a temporarily hired coachman.
The carriage in front was full of things prepared for Guo Lingyi.
The coachman would escort this carriage of things until the next post station and then transfer.
Qi Jiao gave him a few instructions before turning around to talk to Guo Lingyi.
Guo Lingyi personally helped Qi Jiao out and said with a look of both complaint and joy in her eyes, "Didn't you already see me off yesterday? You don't need to come today. Aren't you afraid of jolting the baby?"
Qi Jiao said, "You're going on a long journey. The capital is so far away from our Lingle County. I've prepared some food and daily necessities for you. You'll definitely need them on the way."
It turned out that Guo Lingyi's husband, Xia Yi, was going to take the spring imperial examination in the capital. The young couple was deeply in love and couldn't bear to part, so as the young mistress of the Xia family, Guo Lingyi naturally had to accompany him.
No one knew how many years this trip would last. If Xia Yi passed the imperial examination and was appointed an official, no one knew when the two sisters would see each other again.
That was why Qi Jiao had to come to see her off outside the city while pregnant.
The maid behind Guo Lingyi glanced at the simple carriage and thought to herself that her young mistress couldn't possibly lack for food and daily necessities.
But the woman in front of her was not just the former maid of the young mistress. She was Jiao Niang, a well - known and capable figure in Lingle County, highly praised by the master and mistress of the family. So, she silently closed her mouth.
Guo Lingyi, Ziyun, and Jiao Niang chatted and gave each other more instructions. But as the saying goes, even if you accompany a friend a thousand miles, there must be a parting at last. Finally, Qi Jiao waved her handkerchief and tearfully saw them off.
"Jiao Niang, I'll wait for you in the capital."
The horses' hooves kicked up clouds of dust. Guo Lingyi leaned out of the carriage and shouted loudly.
I will definitely go to the capital.
Jiao Niang replied silently in her heart and then got on the returning carriage.
On this side, after Guo Lingyi and her entourage had been on the road for three days and two nights, although they had rested along the way, both the people and the horses were exhausted.
It would have been better if there had been inns or tea houses on the way, but unfortunately, when they reached the border between Yulin County and another county, it was a desolate and barren place with nothing.
Both the Guo and Xia families had sent highly skilled bodyguards to escort them, and there was also an official convoy following. So, there was no doubt about Guo Lingyi's safety.
But Ziyun noticed that her complexion had obviously deteriorated, and she had hardly eaten well along the way.
Ziyun remembered Jiao Niang's instructions and thought that it was time to use the things in the carriage. So, when they stopped for a rest at the next station, with Guo Lingyi's permission, she took out the simple stove and a large iron pot from the carriage.
The space in the carriage was limited, but Qi Jiao had made the most of it. The food, daily necessities, and utensils were all neatly sorted and placed.
The tightly wrapped jars were filled with all kinds of delicious food that could be stored for a long time. The fresh meat and eggs inside were specially pickled.
Even the spices and seasonings for each dish were prepared, which was really convenient.
Before long, the smell of delicious mushroom chicken soup filled the rest area.
Ziyun first served a bowl to Guo Lingyi.
Guo Lingyi got out of the carriage and sat on a small folding chair, eating with great relish.
While she was enjoying the soup, the people around her who were chewing on dry buns lost their appetites.
Family members, who could understand! They also wanted to eat, too...
After Guo Lingyi was full and warm all over, her face regained its rosy color. Then she got on the carriage, wrapped herself in a quilt, and went to sleep.
By the way, the quilt she was covering was a top - grade product from Tang Han Textile. It was filled with soft duck down. Even a thin layer could keep her warm, and it was more to Guo Lingyi's liking than the heavy and cold brocade quilt.
The maid who was following couldn't say anything critical anymore.
The large pot of chicken soup was too much for the young mistress to finish alone, so the rest was given to them. Although it was just casually stewed in the wilderness, the taste was no less than the signature dishes in the precious restaurant.
Everyone licked their lips and couldn't help but praise the chicken soup, the young mistress, and Jiao Niang...
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Thin spring clouds shrouded the bright moon, and the ground was covered with fragrant apricot blossoms like snow.
That night, the candle flame flickered. Pei Xia was sitting on a low couch in his snow - white inner robe. His long black hair covered half of his face, revealing his straight nose.
He held the "Songs of Chu" in his left hand and the "Book of Songs" in his right, frowning in deep thought.
After reading for a long time, his neck felt tired. He changed his position and leaned against the tortoise - shell - patterned cushion. He looked up at Jiao Niang under the lamp, his dark pupils deep and full of a profound smile.
Qi Jiao felt his gaze and looked up at him.
She thought Pei Xia was reading official documents and was afraid of disturbing him. So, she made a funny face at him and got up to go to the inner bedroom.
There were many pieces of cloth piled on the bedside. She began to pick out patterns to make clothes for the baby.
In fact, the so - called clothes were just palm - sized bellybands.
She didn't really need to make them herself, but her motherly love needed an outlet. Qi Jiao wasn't good at making complicated things, so she just did as much as she could. As long as the baby could wear them.
Before she had even finished embroidering a single petal, Qi Jiao yawned twice in a row.
The light in front of her was blocked. Somehow, Pei Xia had come over. He gently took the needle and thread out of her hand.