Full House Spring

Chapter 65: Picking Flowers and Brewing Spring
Xia Li looked surprised. If a woman who had experienced the world had such remarks, she could understand it, but how old was Lu Qinghe?
This idea is a bit too pessimistic, she thought:
"Let's put aside the love affairs. You were born to be a noble master. You have servants everywhere. You have never suffered the hardships of life. How can you feel inferior to others?"

Lu Qinghe was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled distantly.

“Compared to you, I am no worse than you, but the people I associate with are all Yao Dizhu and Princess Yongxin.

I have suffered a lot of injustice in places you can't see. This is how the world is. Only those who are in high positions can live freely and happily. "

Xia Li sat there thoughtfully. Lu Qinghe was not wrong, but how high is considered high?
Human desires are endless. After becoming the third prince's consort, she still wants to be the queen. Greed will only drag people into the abyss.

Seeing Xia Li remained silent, Lu Qinghe tilted his head and asked, "Why, you don't agree with what I said?"

Xia Li shook her head gently and said in a calm voice:
"It's a good thing for a girl to have higher aspirations, but she can't just focus on power. If she lives alone in a high position, losing the most basic warmth and feeling of happiness and joy, then there is no point in living."

Lu Qinghe's eyes were full of confusion, and he subconsciously asked:

"Then what do you think is the meaning of life? If I'm not mistaken, you rejected my brother's love and didn't want to be his concubine. With your status, you may not be able to find a man better than him in this life. Don't you regret it?"

Xia Li calmly lifted the curtain and looked out, then said softly, "Talking about the meaning of life is too heavy. I just want to live well in the present. It's rare to live comfortably and fulfilled every day. As for the prince..."

Lu Qinghe was staring at her intently, wanting to know what she would say. Xia Li raised his eyes and smiled at her, saying in a slightly cold voice:
"I never look back on the road I came from, so I won't regret it. The prince and Miss Gao are a perfect match. Why should I get in between and make things difficult for myself? To be honest, Miss, I just want to get rid of my slavery and live a free life. Marrying or not is secondary."

Lu Qinghe's eyes were dim, and she felt sorry for her brother. She sighed softly:

"My brother has his responsibilities and missions, and many things are beyond his control. I just don't know if the ancestor is willing to let you go. Your indenture is with her, right?"

Xia Li nodded slightly, and said with an open-minded smile: "It is my blessing to be able to serve the old lady. It is not too late to serve her until she dies. I am not in a hurry."

Lu Qinghe felt inexplicably melancholy after hearing this. It seemed that being a human being always meant having to do so many things against one's will. She didn't know what to say. Xia Li also remained silent, and the carriage suddenly became quiet.

After traveling for about half an hour, they finally reached their destination. Xia Li helped Lu Qinghe get off the carriage. They saw a mountain behind the manor. Mai Dong happily moved to Xia Li's side and whispered:

"This mountain is also owned by the old lady. I often went there to pick up mountain products when I was young. It's fun inside. I'll take you in for a walk when I'm not on duty."

Xia Li smiled and nodded in agreement, breathing in the fresh air, feeling particularly relaxed. Manager Zhou from the manor was standing at the door with a group of servants to greet them. Nanny Xie helped the old lady enter through the main gate.

Manager Zhou had no time to talk to Mai Dong. He followed the old lady and told her about the latest developments in the farm from time to time.

This Youran Villa has the largest hill among all the villas that the old lady got as a dowry. It produces a lot of crops every year. Probably because of the good management of Manager Zhou, the old lady trusts him very much.

After entering the farm, the old lady moved into the main house, and the three girls stayed in the east and west wing rooms. As there were too many maids and servants, they could only share a room. Xia Li had to live with her grandma, so she stayed away from the ear room closest to the old lady.

Led by Steward Zhou and his wife, the old lady and Nanny Xie went to stroll around the garden first, while the maids packed their luggage.

Shi Mi was taking care of things in the house, so Xia Li and Qian Cao didn't have to worry. They just had to keep an eye on the maid. After the old lady's room was in tidiness, Xia Li went back to pack her and grandma's clothes.

This farm was more practical than Xia Li had expected, which made her eager to make some money. Xia Li had saved up a lot of money, and every time she made something new, the old lady would reward her. In addition, her grandma would give her money from time to time, so she really had no shortage of money.

No matter what the future holds, it will never be a wrong thing to buy a house in Kyoto. Xia Li is thinking about finding a reliable real estate agent to help her find one.

The old lady came back from her stroll and had lunch. The dishes she ate were either grown on the farm or game hunted in the mountains. Although not as exquisite as those prepared in the mansion, they also had their own flavor.

Xia Li also got a piece of rabbit leg. She didn't like rabbit meat at first, as she always felt it was similar to chicken.

The taste of the food I ate today was very different, completely different from the ones raised artificially. It might also be because of the outstanding cooking skills of the chef. In any case, Xia Li had a great feast.

The old lady wanted to rest after lunch. Xia Li was ordered to see Manager Zhou off and give him the reward money. Mai Dong got permission from Nanny Xie and went back with Manager Zhou.

Manager Zhou, who was holding the silver, was very respectful to Xia Li. He said sternly, "Miss, you must be tired from the journey. Come in and have a rest. I have already arranged your food, clothing and daily expenses. Just tell me if you have anything to ask."

Manager Zhou is different from other managers in the mansion. He does not have any arrogance. Instead, he is more like an old farmer working in the fields. He looks simple but is very efficient.

Xia Li treated Manager Zhou with courtesy. After all, they had to stay for a while. If she accidentally offended him, she would be in big trouble if he tripped her up.

The two had already exchanged words before, so there wasn't much to say. Mai Dong was still waiting for his father to go back for dinner. Xia Li bowed, pursed his lips and smiled, "Thank you for your trouble, Manager Zhou. I won't see you off then."

Manager Zhou nodded and motioned Xia Li to go into the house first. When Xia Li was no longer in sight, Mai Dong smiled and took her father's arm. She said in a cheerful voice, "Dad, has my mother prepared anything delicious for me? I only want to eat what she cooks."

Manager Zhou looked at his daughter with wrinkled face as he walked forward:

"Your mother has started preparing since yesterday. She cooked all the dishes herself. I guarantee you will be full.

I didn't have time to ask you before, why didn't Xiangru come back with you? Isn't she the head maid of the old lady? It's not easy for her to come home, why didn't she come to serve?"

Mai Dong's expression was slightly restrained, and she said in a low voice: "Ever since she got promoted, she has become estranged from me. This time, she doesn't need to guard the yard, but she just doesn't want to come back, and I have no choice..."

Manager Zhou frowned slightly when he heard this. Xiangru was the only blood left by his brother, and he treated her as his own daughter. However, he did not expect that she was so opinionated. Some things were not convenient to say on the way, so he asked after entering the house:
"Why doesn't Xiangru want to come back? Did you make her unhappy?"

Mai Dong rolled his eyes and pouted, "How dare I mess with her? She didn't want to come back. If you want to find her someone else, you'd better give up the idea as soon as possible. She won't listen to you." Seeing the father and daughter standing there talking, Feng went forward and pulled her daughter to sit at the table, put the chopsticks in her hand, and said softly, "My dear daughter, eat first, don't starve yourself. Is there something wrong with Xiangru again?"

A mother's most important thing is definitely her own children. Maidong was very satisfied with the food cooked by his mother. Manager Zhou, who was sitting at the top, picked up a piece of food with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. He said in a deep voice: "Tell dad, what did Xiangru do in the mansion?"

Maidong was straightforward and didn't think too much. When Manager Zhou asked her, she told him everything she knew. Feng sat beside her daughter and listened to her while peeling shrimps. After she finished, Manager Zhou said with an unpleasant expression, "Are you sure that it was Elsholtzia that harmed Xiali? Are you sure?"

Mai Dong nodded gently, and she said in a depressed mood: "Father, I don't want to think badly of her, but Xiangru must have been involved in Zhu Da's matter, and Xia Li must have guessed it."

Feng glared at Manager Zhou and said unhappily:

"Don't be so stern with your daughter. I've told you before that Xiangru is arrogant, but you still don't believe me. I'll be satisfied if she doesn't get Maidong involved. She's grown up now, and it's time for her to walk her own path. There's no reason for you to support her."

Mai Dong spat out the meat and bones in his mouth and said vaguely, "Father can't help even if he wants to. She probably has a crush on the prince and wants to be his concubine. Don't worry about her marriage."

Manager Zhou's face became more and more ugly. He put down his chopsticks and said, "How could she be so foolish? She wants to be someone's mistress instead of enjoying a good life."

Feng rolled her eyes at him and sneered, "Let her be. We raised her. She has everything that Maidong has, but she doesn't seem to be grateful. I think it's better this way. When Maidong gets married and leaves the house, don't meddle in her affairs. She may not be happy if you meddle too much."

Manager Zhou couldn't bear to do it, so he asked Mai Dong, "I saw that Miss Xia Li was well-mannered and dignified. Her temperament was no worse than that of the girls in the mansion. She was also a very shrewd person. Could it be that she deliberately framed Xiangru..."

Mai Dong said unhappily, "Father, even if you support Xiangru, you shouldn't deliberately slander Xia Li. She's been very nice to me and taught us to read and write. It's obvious that Xiangru is jealous of her... There are some things I can't see clearly with you. Anyway, it's not Xia Li's fault. Don't talk nonsense."

Feng also drooped her face and said unhappily, "Whatever Xiangru wants, that's her choice. It's unreasonable for you to blame others. If it's your turn, you should stop caring so much and save yourself from getting any thanks."

Maidong also gave up hope on Xiangru. She said softly, "Father, I have tried everything I can to persuade her. There is nothing I can do if she doesn't listen. In the future... I will help her if I can. If she becomes rich, we will just have nothing to do with her."

Feng had disliked Elsholtzia since she was a child, and always felt that she was not sincere to Ophiopogon japonicus. Now she was too lazy to care about her, so she raised her voice and said:

"Don't talk about her. When you came back this time, mother arranged a date for you. The young man has a wealthy family. He owns hundreds of acres of fertile land and a shop in the city. If you marry him, you will be his wife."

Mai Dong was not opposed to marrying and having children, but was a little surprised and said: "The other party's family is so well-off, why would he marry someone like me who has children? Could it be that you were deceived?"

Feng scolded, “I am not a fool. Although our family is a home-born family, your father and I have saved a lot of money, so your dowry will definitely not be small.

That smart family would rather marry a maid from a wealthy family than a girl from a poor family. You have served the old lady respectfully and gloriously, and have experienced wealth and luxury that ordinary people will never be able to experience in their lifetime.

Since their family wants to move up, the head lady must have vision. With the conditions of the Li family, officials and nobles will certainly look down on them, but they will also set their sights on you. "

Although Mai Dong was straightforward, she was not stupid. She puffed her cheeks and said, "If this marriage is successful, will the old lady release my indenture?"

Manager Zhou said calmly: "Yes, it was a bit difficult to release the indentures of you and Xiangru. Now that you are alone, it shouldn't be a big problem. You don't need to worry about this."

Feng continued, "I have also seen that young man. He is a rare and good boy. You must not miss him."

Mai Dong nodded slightly, and she said obediently: "What you said is good, it must not be too bad. I want Xia Li to accompany me to look at it. She has a unique vision and will be able to see if there is any problem."

Feng hesitated and asked, "Aren't you afraid that the man will be snatched away by Xia Li?"

Mai Dong sneered and said, "Xia Li can't do such a thing, just arrange it."

Feng thought for a moment and said softly, "That's fine. She's a favorite of the old lady. If you get into trouble after you get married, having some connections with the mansion will give you more opportunities."

Manager Zhou also felt that Xia Li would not do anything to take away someone's favor, so he was not too worried.

Xia Li, who was being missed, went back to her room to rest for a while at noon. When she got up, she heard the maids say that the apricot flowers in the north of the farm were in full bloom, so she ran to see them with great interest.

When she arrived, the three girls were also enjoying the scenery under the apricot tree. Lu Wanqiao danced to the falling petals, the third girl Lu Jiya played the piano to accompany her, and the eldest girl Lu Qinghe sat comfortably in the armchair.

After Lu Wanqiao finished her dance, she panted slightly and said, "Xia Li, these apricot flowers are so beautiful, it's a pity that they were blown away by the wind. Can you do something with them?"

The spring breeze blew Xia Li's hairband fluttering. She rolled her eyes and smiled softly, "I can make apricot blossom glutinous rice wine. Would you like to drink it?"

Lu Wanqiao's eyes sparkled, and she said excitedly, "I've reached the age of marriage, so what's wrong with drinking a little wine? It's better to pair it with barbecue. Let's enjoy it under this apricot tree, it will definitely taste different."

Lu Qinghe was also in a rare mood, so he stood up and said, "What are we waiting for? Let's act quickly."

Xia Li walked lightly under the tree. The sunlight shone on her face through the leaves. She stood on tiptoe, stretched out her hand, and gently picked a blooming apricot blossom. The pink flower seemed to carry the breath of spring, making her mood cheerful.

The girls joined in one after another, and soon they had picked a basket of flowers. Xia Li asked everyone to wash the flowers and dry them, while she went to wash the glutinous rice and steam it.

At the beginning, you could still hear laughter and noise. After the glutinous rice was steamed, the girls were tired and went back to rest, leaving Xia Li alone to dry the glutinous rice.

When she steamed the apricot blossoms and turned to prepare the koji, Maidong came to help. The two of them mixed the apricot blossoms and glutinous rice evenly into a jar, and then placed it in a cool place for ventilation and fermentation.

　The Duke's Mansion will soon be in decline, so let's let the male lead out for a walk as soon as possible~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)