“Are you going to work today?”
Song Zhe nodded awkwardly.
“Then follow Xiao Hui Du to cut grass and feed the goslings.”
Under the lead of Xiao Hui Du, Song Zhe carried a back basket and a sickle, and set off towards the mountain.
When they reached the edge of the woods, he was a little afraid to go in. The shocking scene last night still left him terrified.
There were man-eating wolves in the mountains!
Was this little girl not afraid at all?
“Your name is Xiao Hui?”
“Yes, Xiao Hui Du,” Xiao Hui Du said. “Young Master Song, feel free to ask me anything you don't understand.”
“Nothing else, I just want to ask, what are you going to do with the wolves that were beaten back last night?”
“Wolf meat,” Xiao Hui Du thought for a moment and said, “I heard Aunt Li saying this morning that most of them would be pickled and dried, but we’d cook a pot tonight to try the fresh meat.”
Cook and eat it?
Song Zhe stared with wide eyes.
How could they cook and eat wolf meat?
But thinking of the aromatic meat, he couldn't help drooling.
“But Auntie said,” Xiao Hui Du went on, “if you don't cut three baskets of grass today, you won't get to eat the meat, only leftover rice.”
Song Zhe: ...
Oh well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Song Zhe gritted his teeth and followed Xiao Hui Du into the sparse woods and began cutting wild grass everywhere.
Fortunately, there were quite a few villagers coming to the woods to cut grass and look for wild vegetables, and it was daylight, so he wasn't too afraid.
But every villager who saw him was secretly surprised.
Li Yao really had a way with things, to make the young master from the county magistrate's family help with her chores. This was probably a one of a kind thing across the land.
By noon, Song Zhe had finally filled the first basket with wild grass, but his hands were also cut open in several places by the grass blades. On top of being tired and hungry, he had never felt so miserable in his life.
But thinking of the aromatic food renewed his determination.
He refused to believe that he, a grown man, would be inferior to a little girl like Xiao Hui Du.
Even if he had to work himself to death on this mountain today, he must fill those three baskets with grass!
...
Li Yao wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel.
She had been working non-stop for the past two days and was exhausted every day, but finally made 500 jars of herbal ointment, 2000 bars of soap and 1000 perfumed soaps.
It looked like a lot, but divided among 18 shops, each didn’t get much, only enough for opening day.
It seemed after this was over, it would be time to consider hiring people for production.
Just as she was about to take a break, County Captain Zhang led two horses to her door. The “charity dinner” at the county magistrate's place was ready and would be held in the courtyard behind the yamen tonight. County Captain Zhang had come to pick her up.
“Did you prepare everything as I said?”
“Yes,” County Captain Zhang said. “The County Magistrate is worried there might be problems, so he’d like Mrs. Li to come early and take a look.”
What Li Yao had the County Magistrate prepare was a buffet style dinner, not because she admired foreign ways, but because it would be more casual and give her room to improvise.
“Then give me a minute, I’ll come right away.”
After washing up at home, Li Yao put on a new cotton jacket and deliberately wore a new pair of cloth shoes.
Although these clothes were very comfortable and rather upscale in the village, she knew that to the wealthy people at the market towns, the fabric of these clothes was nothing but low grade material.
The wealthy at the market towns, who didn’t love wearing silks and satins?
The County Magistrate’s wife had also reminded her earlier to make herself a silk outfit, otherwise people would look down on her.
But Li Yao didn’t.
She liked wearing cotton clothes, they were comfortable.
Besides, she wanted certain people to look down on her today.
...
Night fell, and many tables and chairs were set up in the courtyard behind the yamen, with tables full of delicious food, bowls and chopsticks, as well as good rice wine.
The surrounding trees and pillars were hung with lanterns and candle stands, lighting up the entire courtyard.
Li Yao deliberately delayed a little on the way, so by the time she arrived, the other invited guests were already there.
Knowing beforehand of the County Magistrate’s plans, those invited had all brought their families.
The County Magistrate’s wife, who was quite familiar with these women, was leading them in gathering behind a curtain, chatting harmoniously.
Seeing Li Yao finally arrive, the County Magistrate immediately strode over to welcome her: “Mrs. Li is here.”
“Greetings to you, County Magistrate.”
“No need to stand on ceremony,” the County Magistrate said with a broad smile that revealed none of his anxiety, “This way, please.”
The dozen or so invited male guests glanced at each other.
Recently they had heard a lot about Li Yao, and knew she had made some money, but didn’t know why the County Magistrate held her in such high regard.
To be honest, any one of them was worth dozens or hundreds of times more than Li Yao, in terms of personal wealth.
Yet the County Magistrate treated them indifferently, refusing their gifts, while holding this upstart in high esteem, which already left them a bit unhappy.
Of course they weren’t unhappy with the County Magistrate, but with Li Yao.
So when Li Yao came before the crowd, no one took the initiative to speak to her.
Especially Zhang Guangsheng, the owner of Zhang’s Restaurant, who had been viciously beaten by Li Yao in public, and already harbored resentment towards her. Enemies meeting naturally glared daggers at each other.
Li Yao had also guessed what the crowd was thinking, and made no effort to be polite or greet them. With undisguised arrogance, she walked past them and headed straight for the County Magistrate’s wife.
“Humph, what a thing!” Zhang Guangsheng’s face was very ugly. In a low voice he said, “Thinks she’s something just because she earned some money.”
“This Mrs. Li really does have eyes higher than her head.”
“With her disposition, I’m afraid any business, no matter how good, won’t last long for her.”
...
Oblivious to the crowd’s judgment of her, Li Yao had already become fast friends with the group of wives.
With her experience and learning, she naturally dazzled these wives, who were soon looking up to her in admiration.
“Ladies,” Li Yao finally said, “you must all know why we are gathered here tonight.”
Everyone nodded, pride in their eyes.
The County Magistrate wanted to save the common people of the whole county, but didn’t have a penny in his hands, so he wanted them to give him a boost.
When it came down to it, it still relied on them!
“So how much are you ladies planning to donate?”
“Huh?”
Everyone was stunned.
“Mrs. Li, of course we plan to donate,” said Mrs. Li. “But shouldn’t the men decide these things?”
“That’s right, what money could we women have?”
“Ha ha, you're too modest,” Li Yao said. “All of you here, which one doesn’t come from a wealthy household? Not to mention the dowries you brought when you married. But even your own pocket money over the years is probably enough to match a whole village. It's reasonable for the men to take action to help the common people, but have you ever thought that the money they take out still comes from your family coffers? So why should they get all the credit while we remain unknown? Don't we women also deserve fame and praise?”
