Chapter 173 High Emotional Value
Sure enough, after a while, the old woman came back smiling.
Following behind him was a middle-aged woman who was dressed even more gorgeously and looked like the head steward of the mansion.
The maid called her Madam Wei, and she was a trusted maid who served Old Madam Ding. She had followed the old lady's orders and came to invite the couple to meet.
"Sorry to have kept you two waiting!"
Nanny Wei had a smile on her face and looked very enthusiastic. She first apologized to the couple, and then explained to them why the old lady had to sleep so long today.
Qin Yao and Liu Ji looked at each other, shook their heads to indicate that everything was fine, and followed Nanny Wei out of the side hall and came to the innermost courtyard of the Ding Mansion, where they finally met Old Madam Ding.
She looked younger than Qin Yao had imagined. Her hair was still completely black and she was rather thin. She had a navy blue headband with a silver ornament on her forehead. She was sitting on a large, low chair padded with soft pillows, eating while her maid helped her comb her hair.
It looks like he just woke up because he slept too much.
Seeing Qin Yao and Liu Ji coming in, he smiled at them first, "Have you been waiting for a long time?"
Liu Ji glanced at Qin Yao. He was a little flattered at first, but when he saw Qin Yao's calm eyes, he suddenly calmed down again. He snorted in his heart, she looked so good only because she got the prescription. She just left them alone for most of the hour.
The journey home is long. If they hadn't brought me the medicine, I would have no idea how long it would take me to get home.
But since people smile when they meet, he naturally can't have a cold face.
Liu Ji bowed politely. Qin Yao stood two steps away from him, slightly behind him, and bowed slightly to show respect for the old man.
Asking someone to do something requires the right attitude. In Liu Ji's eyes, Qin Yao unexpectedly put aside her pride. Except for not flattering. This is really difficult for her to do.
The old lady just glanced at her and curled the corners of her mouth slightly, with a very subtle expression of contempt that most people would not be able to detect.
Liu Ji's heart skipped a beat when he saw this. He was really afraid that the evil woman behind him would not be able to bear it and would rush forward to slap the old lady in the face.
Fortunately, she didn't.
Liu Ji asked the old man how he slept and whether his knees hurt in the cold weather. He cleverly mentioned that the mountain deer and big gray rabbits he brought with him could be used to make knee pads.
The old lady was startled at first, then pretended to be angry and asked Wei Mama: "Why did my son wake me up at this time? The Liu family also sent mountain deer and rabbits?"
Nanny Wei bowed and admitted that it was her fault and asked the old lady to calm down.
The old lady said a few words to her, and Liu Ji, with a headache, hurriedly tried to persuade her, and she finally calmed down.
The old lady asked again in surprise: "Are there still wild animals moving around in the mountains at this time of year?"
Liu Ji pointed at Qin Yao and praised her superb hunting skills.
Then, the old lady's smile gradually disappeared, as if she remembered her granddaughter who had learned horse riding and archery. Her displeased expression was about to turn into a materialized knife, stabbing Qin Yao again and again.
Qin Yao coughed twice, tilted her head slightly and looked away, thinking that she should have sent only Liu Ji to suffer here today.
Seeing that the atmosphere was getting cold, Liu Ji quickly livened up the mood again, praising the old lady for her youth and good health, and interspersed some idioms, sounding very cultured.
The old lady then became happy and praised him for his good speaking skills and good looks. She then followed up with asking whether Liu Ji's children were in school and whether he had any study plans.
Finally, they got to the point. Liu Ji breathed a sigh of relief and briefly talked about the situation of his children at home.
He was not bragging at all. Dalang was steady and patient at a young age, and was proficient in both civil and military affairs.
Erlang is intelligent, likes reading, and has an excellent talent for mathematics.
There are also Sanlang and Si Niang, twins, a boy and a girl. People will be surprised for a while when they hear about them.
Liu Ji's talk was interesting and he was willing to coax people. After listening to him, the old lady was very interested.
She always told Liu Ji to bring the children to her next time he came to the farm, because she liked to see these children playing in front of her.
Qin Yao had retreated to the pillar beside the door without knowing when, and using the curtain to cover herself, she rolled her eyes towards the sky.
The house was lively for a while, with waves of the old lady's happy laughter coming from her. Qin Yao calculated the time, it was a full two hours. Liu Ji provided the old lady with two full hours of high emotional value.
It gets dark early in winter, and it is already dark in the afternoon.
Qin Yao went in only after hearing Liu Ji's low call from inside the room. The couple said goodbye to the old lady together.
"The school has been built. It is just to the east of the village. You can go and take a look when you pass by. It is bright and sturdy. Bring the children here after the New Year or in the spring. I will ask the teacher to write down their names."
Before leaving, the old lady said with a smile.
The task was accomplished, and Qin Yao and his wife finally breathed a sigh of relief with the last breath left.
Driving the carriage away, Qin Yao sighed, "It's still better to go to the county academy."
Although it is a bit far away, it is much easier to enter the government-run schools than private schools.
Let's see how this time, it can really make people die.
Thinking of this, Qin Yao looked up at Liu Ji, who was driving the cart, and said, "Go into town and see if there is anything you want to eat to take home. We have to celebrate today."
Liu Ji was really flattered this time, and hurriedly responded with a smile: "Okay!"
After a pause, he remembered how he was usually treated by Qin Yao, and couldn't help asking, "Can I buy the braised pork?"
He was talking about braised beef in soy sauce. Yesterday when I went to the village to buy vegetables, I heard someone say that someone in the town had sold two old cows, one of which was used to make braised beef in soy sauce. It would be so delicious if I could buy it to go with wine.
Qin Yao nodded and agreed.
Liu Ji tried again: "Then buy another three taels of Bald Donkey's craft beer?"
Qin Yao drank the wine here as a low-alcohol beverage. She hadn't had any drinks for a long time, so she decided to have some.
"Make at least two kilograms so that you can drink it during the New Year," she instructed.
Liu Ji was so happy that his mouth was grinning from ear to ear. He suppressed his ecstasy and replied "OK". He shook the reins and urged Lao Huang to run faster, as he was afraid that there would be no braised beef cattle to sell if he went too late.
When the carriage reached the intersection of Dingjiazhuang, a newly built manor-style building, still in its original wood color and not yet painted, appeared before the couple.
Liu Ji said enviously: "The Ding family really spared no effort in using materials to build this school. It looks really solid and beautiful."
It is much more beautiful than the academy in the county town. The carvings on the windows are of the Four Gentlemen: plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum.
"Da Lang and his friends are really lucky."
Qin Yao nodded in agreement, "Good luck is also part of strength."
Liu Ji understood this very well, and said with a proud smile: "Then I am lucky to have met a smart and capable woman, the envy of others!"
Qin Yao's mouth twitched fiercely. There was no need to be so deliberate in flattering.
But he behaved well today, so give him less beating.
I'm really lucky today. The stall selling braised beef with soy sauce has not closed yet and there is still meat available.
Qin Yao bought five kilograms of beef and went to Bald Donkey's house to get two kilograms of wine. The couple smelled the aroma of wine and meat and rushed home before dark.
Qin Yao told the good news that she could go to Ding family school, and the small courtyard was filled with the surprised cheers of the four brothers and sisters.
This makes this year more lively than previous years.