Chapter 45
Meeting the Country Magistrate’s Wife
T/N: Chapter (6/6) sponsored by Madam Daim! Thank you for sponsoring!
A few days later, Leng Er came to tell Du Xiao Li that they prepared another horse carriage. If she wants to go to the county seat to sell fruits, then she can borrow.
Du Xiao Li was very happy. In the last two days, she had been worrying about the tangerines having matured, yet not having a horse carriage to transport them, but that was solved now. Thus, in the afternoon, on that very same day, she and Luo Qi went and picked an entire basket full. And on the morning of the next day, they headed to the county seat.
The one driving was still Leng Er. This time, Han Ming Yi and Leng Yi didn’t come, however Luo Qi did. Ever since Du Xiao Li encountered danger last time, whenever she needed to go somewhere far away, Luo Qi would always accompany her.
Today was also the same.
In order to prevent Luo Qi from getting discovered, Du Xiao Li did some work on his face. Thus his brows became rough, his skin also turned rough, and also got darker. By his mouth, he also got an additional mustache. He then put on Du Hai’s old clothes, and even if it’s someone familiar, they won’t be able to tell without looking carefully.
After arriving at the fruit market, Leng Er went to go look for a place to park the horse carriage, while Luo Qi followed behind Du Xiao Li, helping her carry the basket.
As soon as Du Xiao Li arrived at the fruit market, she immediately felt the atmosphere was different from before. She came to her spot from last time, and just as she was taking out the cloth, the neighboring uncle started talking to her, “Little miss, why didn’t you come in the last few days?”
“Something happened at home and couldn’t leave, so I didn’t come.” Du Xiao Li had the tangerines taken out and properly set, as she replied to that uncle’s words.
“Is this tangerine of yours still the same price as last time?” The uncle asked.
“No, this time, it’s fifteen copper coins for a catty.” Du Xiao Li replied.
“Why did it increase by five copper coins?” The uncle thought of something and asked with a frown.
“Yep, last time, because it was the first time selling, and everyone has never seen this fruit before, so I needed to make it a bit cheaper.” Du Xiao Li said.
“Then you….” Before the middle-aged uncle could finish his words, he saw Hong Jie and a few middle-aged women come in from outside, directly heading towards Du Xiao Li.
“Little miss, why didn’t you come in the past few days?” Hong Jie asked.
“Eh, something happened at home.” Du Xiao Li repeated her words just now.
“The tangerines we bought back last time were very delicious. Our family’s master and young master also liked them. That’s why they all received some. Then, when our madam wanted to eat some, it was all gone. She kept pressing us to come buy. We came several times to look, but didn’t see you, really worried us to death.” Hong Jie said, “Our madam said, if you came, to let you come with me to the manor, madam has something she wants to ask you.”
“Madam wants to see me?!” Du Xiao Li asked, somewhat astonished.
“Yes.” Hong Jie said, “Quickly come with us. The tangerines here, carry them all back to the manor.”
Hearing Hong Jie’s orders, an older woman thus came forward and directly placing the tangerines into the basket. Afterwards, the group thus left.
The middle-aged uncle, seeing Du Xiao Li and the others leaving just like that, slapped his thigh and said, “How did they come this quick!? Ai, a perfectly fine opportunity pa.s.sed by just like that!”
Du Xiao Li followed Hong Jie to the county magistrate’s official residence. Entering from the back door, and after pa.s.sing through a few little courtyards, she arrived at the main courtyard in front.
“Hong Jie, you’ve finally returned, madam was just rushing us! Quickly go in.” Du Xiao Li didn’t have the time to carefully examine the surroundings here, when a girl dressed similar to Hong Jie came out from the courtyard, saw them, and urged.
“I understand.” Hong Jie responded, letting Luo Qi and Leng Er wait outside the courtyard, while she lead Du Xiao Li into the courtyard and directly headed for the middle room.
“Madam, this servant has brought the selling tangerines little miss.” After Hong Mei* entered, she bowed to the woman sitting by the window and said.
(T/N: I swear the author likes to randomly change up names without any cues. Hong Jie and Hong Mei are referring to the same person. The previous address Hong Jie is like calling her ‘sister Hong’, while Hong Mei is her actual name.)
“You finally found her today.” The madam, Li Xue Mei, heard Hong Mei’s words and turned around. She looked to Du Xiao Li and asked, “Her?”
Du Xiao Li glanced at Li Xue Mei, approximately twenty-five years old, wearing a lily hairstyle with two golden hairpins on there. She wore a relaxing clothes, presumably because of the pregnancy, it’s a bit more comfortable like this. She had a pair of sharp phoenix eyes, making her entire person emit an astute light.
“Replaying to madam, yes.” Hong Mei replied.
“Audacious peasant, still not greeting the madam?” A servant girl behind Li Xue Mei saw that Du Xiao Li didn’t know to bow and berated.
“Ah? Oh, h.e.l.lo madam.” Du Xiao Li said to Li Xue Mei.
“You….” That servant girl still wanted to say something, but Li Xue Mei lifted her hand and said, “Forget it, it’s just a child.”
“Yes, madam.” The servant girl replied with a curtsy.
“Little miss, don’t be scared, I only called you here to ask you a few questions.” Li Xue Mei said.
“Madam please ask.” Du Xiao Li saw that Li Xue Mei was quite amiable, nothing at all like what Xiao Cui had said last time.
“What’s your name? Who all is in your family? Is this tangerine grown in your own home? Why have I never seen this kind of fruit before?” Li Xue Mei picked up a tangerine and asked.
When the tangerines had entered this manor, they were already separated from herself. Unexpectedly, they’d already sent them over to her this quick.
Du Xiao Li nodded and said, “I’m called Du Xiao Li. At home, there’s only big brother and me. This tangerine used to grow in the mountains. Afterwards, I discovered it was edible, and thus began planting it myself to sell.”
“Just you and your big brother? How old are you? How come you came to sell the tangerines and not your big brother?” Li Xue Mei asked.
“Big brother is currently studying in the county seat school. That’s why, only I came to sell the tangerines.” Du Xiao Li replied.
“Does any other family plant this?” Li Xue Mei asked.
“No.” Du Xiao Li replied.
“This tangerine, how many more do you have at home?” Li Xue Mei continued to ask.
“Probably a thousand eight hundred catties.” Du Xiao Li estimated the amount of tangerines on the tree and said.
“Oh? This many?” Li Xue Mei’s finger tapped on the rocking chair, seemingly contemplating something. After a long while, she finally said to Du Xiao Li, “Your tangerines, don’t need to sell them to anyone else, leave them all for me. As for the price, I won’t give you any less, how about it?”
Du Xiao Li saw that Li Xue Mei wasn’t asking for her opinion. She was merely just informing her. Thinking that it was all the same no matter who she sold to, she thus nodded and said, “Thank you madam.”
“If there’s anything, I will notify you in advance. In a bit, tell Hong Jie your address.”
“Yes, madam.” Du Xiao Li obediently replied, and then asked, “Don’t know if madam wants sour ones or sweet ones?”
“What difference is there?” Li Xue Mei heard Du Xiao Li’s words and asked.
“It’s like this madam, if you want to eat sour ones, then this time right now, is the perfect time to pick them. Once it reaches the end of the eight month to the beginning of the ninth month, the tangerines will begin to turn sweet. By the middle third of the ninth month, they’ll be sweet like honey.” Du Xiao Li explained.
“So there’s still these to pay attention to.” Li Xue Mei looked to the tangerine in hand and said, “I understand, you can go back now. Xiao Hong, send her out.”
“Yes, madam!” Hong Jie walked over from the side and said to Du Xiao Li, “Little miss, follow me.”
“Bye-bye madam.” Du Xiao Li smiled at Li Xue Mei, and then followed Hong Jie out of the courtyard.
A while later, a man wearing an official’s gown walked in. It was precisely the Zhou county country magistrate, Sun Zheng.”
“Master.” The people in the room all bowed to Sun Zheng.
Li Xue Mei also got up from the rocking chair and greeted him, asking: “Why did master come back this early?”
Sun Zheng rubbed Li Xue Mei’s stomach and said, “Came back to get some things. Just heard the servants say you let that tangerine seller have all their tangerine sold to you? Even if you like it, just let someone buy some, why buy that many?”
Li Xue Mei patted Sun Zheng’s hand and said, “Master, did you forget, the prefectural magistrate’s wife is also pregnant. Right now, nearly all sour fruits have gone out of season. If we have this tangerine delivered to the prefectural magistrate’s place……recently isn’t there a transfer? Perhaps, it’ll be useful. Besides, this tangerine is also considered an uncommon fruit, sending some to the other officials, it would also seem rather special.”
“It’s still madam that is thoughtful.” Sun Zheng said with a smile, “The prefectural magistrate’s madam’s side, I’ll have you take care of it.”
“Don’t worry master, this wife has already thought it through.” Li Xue Mei said, as she grabbed a tangerine, peeled the skin, and handed it to Sun Zheng.
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