Full House Spring

Chapter 33 Revealing the secret

In summer, we walked along the winding bluestone path in the wind and snow.

The snowflakes fell on her face, feeling cool. The cold air corroded every pore of her body. Even though she wrapped herself tightly in a cloak, she was still shivering with cold.

The snow under her feet made a crunching sound, and she quite enjoyed the peace and tranquility.

After walking for a while, I felt hot and heard the noise from the small kitchen.

She walked closer and saw that Qiao He was wearing a pink flowered jacket and was instructing the maids to carry the cooked porridge out. She had to step forward to lend a hand from time to time, and her little face was flushed.

Xia Li was in no hurry to greet them. After the last bucket of porridge was carried away and Qiao He was brushing off the snowflakes on her body, she smiled and said, "I wonder if Sister Qiao He is free now?"

Qiao He turned her head and saw her. A smile spread across her eyes and eyebrows. She said angrily, "Other people are busy when they come, but you have to make time for it even if you are busy. It's snowing hard outside. Let's talk inside."

She pulled Xia Li with her without hesitation, and the two of them walked slowly into the house. Xia Li looked around and asked curiously, "Madam Lu didn't come to work today?"

Qiao He sighed and said, "Master's Dong Ge has caught a cold and is too sick to get out of bed. Zhao Daqiao just drinks and plays dirty. Mrs. Zhao has a weak leg. Master has to go back and take care of them. I don't know what she is up to."

Xia Li lowered her eyes and said in a voice as gentle as jade, "It has not been easy for Madam Lu these years. Although the two Zhao family members are not good, at least Dong Ge'er is close to her."

Qiao He entered the house and sat in front of the stove, stuffing a handful of firewood into it. She sighed and said, "I can only think so. When Dong Ge'er grows up, I hope the master will be relieved."

Xia Li has seen Madam Lu's adopted son, and it can be said that good things come out of bad bamboo shoots. Although he is sickly, he has clear eyes and knows how to be grateful. If he is brought up carefully, Madam Lu will not be left without a place to go when she is old.

Seeing that the kitchen was in good order, Xia Li said softly, "Fortunately, you are here to support this small kitchen, otherwise I'm afraid your position as the chef would be in jeopardy."

Qiao He said nonchalantly, "She taught me this cooking skill. I can't let my apprentice starve to death. She treats me well, so let's do this for now."

Xia Li was able to be so close to her because of her kindness. He raised his head and smiled softly, "How many more pots of porridge do you have to cook? Isn't there anything busy in the big kitchen?"

Qiao He stood up and used a spatula to stir the bottom of the pot to prevent it from getting burnt. She said helplessly, "The big kitchen has to prepare lunch for so many people. There are not many pots left. The ancestors ordered us to do charity. How can I have time to spare?"

The master gave a casual order, and the subordinates were busy running around. There was nothing they could do about it. Xia Li pointed to the steaming charcoal stove on the ground and asked with a smile, "Is this the lunch prepared for my grandma?"

Qiao He nodded slightly, "This pigeon soup is very nutritious. Let Madam eat it to drive away the cold. You can put it in the food box yourself. If it gets cold on the way, you can heat it up when you get back."

Because of Xia Li, Nanny Xie has taken good care of Qiao He over the years, especially she has taken good care of her in front of the old lady several times. Qiao He is grateful and always tries her best to show her filial piety to her.

Xia Li's hands were so white and tender that they made people envious, and her embroidery skills were outstanding, but she was not someone who had never touched women's clothes. She quickly packed the food, straightened her waist and said, "Then I'll leave first. I have to go to Fuqian Street to give alms to the old lady later."

Qiao He turned around and reminded: "You must wear a snow hat when you go out, so that the wind won't blow and give you a headache."

Xia Li smiled and said, "I understand. You should also take a rest and don't work too hard."

Qiao He nodded lightly and said nonchalantly, "I won't be tired. Go slowly on your way."

The two of them were close friends so there was no need to be overly polite. Xia Li picked up the lunch box and turned to leave. However, in just a short while, the snow on the road had become thicker, so she walked back with one foot deep and one foot shallow.

Nanny Xie lifted the curtain and looked outside several times. When she saw her figure from afar, she quickly went to greet her with an umbrella. The relationship between the grandparents and granddaughter was so good that even the old lady envied them.

After having lunch with grandma in the house, Xia Li went to give alms with Shi Mi. As soon as they arrived at the front yard, they saw the eldest lady wearing a bright red feather gauze cloak and a group of maids and servants slowly coming behind her.

The two of them squatted down and bowed. The eldest wife became more and more old-fashioned and strict as she grew older. Seeing them, she smiled and said calmly, "It's so cold. Fortunately, the old ancestor didn't come out, otherwise I would have scolded you two."

Although they were all first-class maids, Shi Mi was always the leader, and Xia Li never fought for it. Shi Mi stepped forward and said with a smile:
"The old lady wanted to come out, but was persuaded by Nanny and Xia Li to stay. Before I came out, I had already helped her lie down and rest. There were people guarding her."

The eldest wife's eyes were filled with satisfaction. She said with emotion: "All the maids in this mansion are not as good as you guys. It's still the old ancestor who knows how to discipline people."

Shi Mi smiled and said, "Madam, you are too kind. It is a blessing for us servants to serve the old ancestor."

Seeing Xia Li standing aside in silence, the eldest lady waved to her again. Xia Li hurriedly walked over to support her arm. The more the eldest lady looked at Xia Li, the happier she became. As she walked forward, she whispered, "The flowery dress you made is so exquisite. The eldest lady loves it like crazy."

Xia Li smiled shyly and said softly, "Only a grown-up girl can wear that flowery skirt with such charm. It complements each other very well."

The eldest wife nodded slightly. She looked at Xia Li as if she were her daughter-in-law, and never concealed it in front of others. Seeing that Xia Li was neither arrogant nor impatient, she said calmly:

"Qing He will be returning home in a few days. Thanks to you for speaking well of her in front of the old ancestor, otherwise there would be more delays."

Xia Li raised his eyebrows slightly and said calmly:

"Madam, you don't know that although the old ancestor didn't mention it in front of you, she is also thinking about the eldest girl in private. She knows that the eldest girl has become more and more outstanding over the years. Even if you don't ask for mercy, she will take the eldest girl back home."

The eldest wife was also helpless when she mentioned her daughter. She had been stubborn for so many years, but now she finally knew how to be submissive and behave herself. After all, she was her biological daughter, and she had to take care of things for her when she came back.

The eldest wife was actually unsure of herself. Her previous desire to get closer to Concubine Shu had faded. Now she just hoped that her daughter would control her temper, marry a man of equal status, and live a peaceful life with her husband and children.

While they were talking, they had already reached the gate of the mansion. There were guards from the mansion maintaining order. There was a long queue of people outside waiting to ask for a bowl of porridge. The queue stretched for dozens of miles and Xia Li could not see the end at a glance.

The eldest wife obviously hadn't expected this situation. She asked the nanny beside her, "Didn't they say that other mansions also distributed porridge? Why are there still so many people?"

The maid frowned and lowered her voice, "It's probably because of the cold weather. There are too many people who have suffered from the disaster. Life is really hard. If we can get a bowl of rice, we should save it. Now the New Year is coming, and life is getting harder and harder."

The eldest lady understood, and she called to Shi Mi and Xia Li, "Let's distribute the porridge quickly. The wind and snow show no sign of stopping. It would be bad if we delay for too long and get frozen." The two of them quickly agreed, and they took action separately. Soon the team was moving, and the people who got the porridge were all grateful.

Xia Li felt a little sad. In the past few years, she had occasionally left the house and witnessed the lives of the lower-class people. It was much more difficult than she had imagined, so she understood her grandmother's suggestion that she get rid of her slavery and find a husband to live with. But she still didn't want to rely on others to live. She could only feel at ease when her destiny was in her own hands.

Xia Li was used to doing embroidery and she didn't have the physical strength to keep up. The same was true for the eldest wife. They just scooped the porridge for a while at the beginning, and then asked the strong maids to do it, and the eldest wife just stood by and watched.

Seeing that there was not much porridge left, Xia Li went back home and asked the servant to urge the kitchen to deliver the porridge quickly.

Although Xia Li rarely moved around the mansion, she was still very prestigious. The maids and servants all called her "sister" when they saw her, and her words carried some weight.

After she finished giving instructions and was about to go out to help, she saw a familiar figure flash by at the corner of the front yard.

Xia Li narrowed her eyes slightly. If she was not mistaken, that person should be Bai Shao. Bai Shao had been distracted from her work recently, so she gave most of the old lady's clothes to Xia Li to make, which made her lose a lot of rest time.

Xia Li is not a curious person, but Bai Shao's condition directly affects her workload. She wants to see what this girl is doing. Xia Li did not alarm others and followed quietly.

She had not been to the front yard very often, but she knew the general direction. She passed through the alley in front of the ear room and turned a corner, and saw Bai Shao arguing with a young man in a security uniform. Her pretty face was flushed, and she looked as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. She would never believe it even if you said they had nothing to do with each other.

Xia Li suddenly coughed dryly. The two looked over at the same time in shock. Bai Shao's face lost all color. She stroked her chest and saw that it was Xia Li. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the young man and said, "You go first. I'll talk to Xia Li."

The young man's dark skin turned a little red, and his eyes seemed to be evasive when he looked at Xia Li. He nodded imperceptibly, then turned sideways and left.

Bai Shao reluctantly watched him go away, then turned and walked towards Xia Li. She gently stroked a strand of hair on her temples, blushing as she said, "Why are you staring at me? Now that the truth has been revealed, I have nothing to hide. As you can see, I have a crush on someone."

Xia Li's eyes were deep, and he asked solemnly, "He is a guard in the mansion? Has he signed a contract to sell himself?"

Bai Shao shook her head and pursed her lips and said, "He didn't sign a contract to sell himself. He just came to work in the mansion. His family has good farmland."

Civilians are at least free, so Xia Li continued to ask, "Do your parents know about this?"

Bai Shao frowned slightly, a slight irritation crept up her brows, and she said unhappily:
"My father has taken a fancy to Shi Mi's brother Shi Hu and wants me to marry into his family, but Shi Hu is a wooden-headed person and too honest. I really don't like him."

Xia Li had seen Shi Hu come to see her. Although he looked a little ordinary, he had been trained by Butler Shi for many years and now he was the prince's attendant. Xia Li didn't think it was necessary to say that he was simple-minded and had no scheming.

She said solemnly, "So you and the guard have secretly decided to spend your life together?"

Bai Shao was both ashamed and angry. "Yang Yong and I love each other, and we haven't even decided to get married yet. Don't talk nonsense."

Xia Li did not argue with her and motioned for her to sit in the pavilion for a while. Bai Shao had kept this secret for a long time and also wanted to confide in Xia Li.

The two found a clean place to sit down, and Xia Li said bluntly:
"It's understandable that you've reached the age to be married off, but Yang Yong is neither a family son nor has he signed a contract to sell himself. Will the old lady let you go?"

Bai Shao's face turned ugly. Xia Li continued, "If he needs to redeem himself, does Yang Yong have the ability to do so? Will his family agree?"

Bai Shao's eyes wandered, not very confident, she stammered:
"I have served the old ancestor for so many years, so I think it should be no problem to ask for a favor."

Xia Li was not so optimistic. She said calmly, "Even if the old lady is kindhearted, how are you going to face Sister Shi Mi? She is so kind to you, and Shi Hu treats you well too. What if your parents refuse to agree?"

Bai Shao's expression suddenly changed. She was so emotional that she said without caring about anything else:

"Marriage is not a joke. I can't force myself to accept Shihu just for the sake of others' wishes. It's too unfair to me."

Xia Li looked at Bai Shao with a complicated look in her eyes. She said helplessly, "Tell me about Yang Yong's family situation and what abilities he has."

Speaking of her lover, Bai Shao's expression softened slightly, and she said timidly:

"Yang Yong is just an ordinary farm boy. His family owns a few brick and tile houses and a few acres of land. His two older brothers are married and his two younger sisters are still married. He is good at martial arts and farming. He is a good man who values friendship and loyalty."

As soon as Xia Li heard it, he knew that Yang Yong's family was poor. There were so many people in his family, but they only had a few acres of land, which was not enough for the whole family to eat and feed. How could they live a good life?

Bai Shao seemed to know Xia Li's thoughts. She said with a look of longing:

"It doesn't matter if my family is poor. I can sew and have saved a lot of money. He is also very capable. As long as he treats me well, I will have a good life in the future."

Xia Li wanted to tell her loudly that marriage and life are not a matter for two people, but she was in a rage and nothing she said would help, so she could only remind her gently:

"You haven't rejected Shihu yet, but you're involved with Yang Yong. It's a bit unfair. You should deal with Shihu's matter first, and then consider the next thing."

Bai Shao frowned and said impatiently:
"Don't worry about Shihu. My parents won't agree to this, so I plan to ask the ancestors to arrange a marriage for me. As long as the ancestors agree, everything will be easy."

Xia Li didn't think the old lady would like her behavior, so she poured cold water on her and said, "What if the old lady doesn't agree?"

Bai Shao hesitated for a moment, then half chuckled and said, "No, the old ancestor loves me the most. As long as I am willing, she will definitely fulfill my wish."

Xia Li couldn't wake up her love brain, so he could only scare her, "If the old ancestor is unhappy about this and lets you go and doesn't care about you anymore, and Steward Shi loses face and comes to make trouble, and your parents are so angry that they won't have anything to do with you anymore, what will you do?"

Bai Shao looked at her, and for a moment she looked a little flustered...

(End of this chapter)