Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 283: Visiting the Su Family

When Lian Ze heard him praise Ah Jian, he raised his chest proudly and his eyes were shining, even more excited than if he had been praised himself.
He couldn’t help but keep asking Sun Zhang Xing questions.

Seeing this, Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said: “What questions can’t be asked when we go back? Let them rest and eat while we sort out the mushrooms, then we should be ready to go back.”

Everyone looked at the sky and agreed, going back to work.

Today, they had brought the donkey cart but it was only for carrying the two heaviest bags of mushrooms and Lian Fang Qing.
The wild boar could only be carried back by Sun Zhang Xing and Ah Jian.

Fortunately, both of them still had a lot of strength and it was nothing to carry the two hundred catties of wild boar.

As soon as they reached the entrance of the village, many children were attracted to the sight and ran to follow them from behind, watching with excitement.
Even the adults they met were envious as they admired their success.

Lian Fang Zhou asked them to take the wild boar to the compound and Madam Li and Zhang Xiu’er hurried to make a fire and boil the water.
Just as the sun was about to set, the group started to work on the big boar.

Ah Jian looked at Lian Fang Zhou: “It’s a pity that we didn’t catch any living creatures today.
The wild boars that live in the deep mountains are very rare; on most days its difficult to buy them, even if you have the money! Those pheasants and the like are also good.”

Lian Fang Zhou also thought so and smiled, nodding.
“Well, let’s store them here when we’re finished.
We can come back tomorrow with the cart and take some back.
Ah, it’s very good that we built a basement in the compound!”

The temperature in the basement was much lower and it was easy to store even such a big wild boar.

Ah Jian smiled lightly: “The temperature is still low at night, so it won’t matter where you store it for one night.
It’s just that the amount you take home must be dealt with as quickly as possible!”

Lian Fang Zhou hummed, thinking about how she wanted to allocate it.

The half left to her family was a good amount.
She must give some to Zhang Li Zheng and his family, the village elders, and Lian Li’s family.
They should also give some to the neighbors.
There were also so many people in her family, why should she worry that they couldn’t finish eating it!

Third Aunt rushed over to watch the excitement.
While they cut the meat, she jumped around and said from time to time: “You want the spare ribs? Fang Zhou and the others love it, should get more!”, “I want this good foreleg meat!”, “I haven’t eaten wild pig knuckle stew, we should keep this front leg!”, and “Cut a few kilograms to even it out…”

Finally, Third Aunt asked for her favorite pig’s ears and tail.

The pig tail wasn’t much but it was messy to cut the ears off the pigs head.
Zhang Xiao Jun smiled at Third Aunt and told her that there were so many fine hairs on the ears, they would send them to her after they had been cleaned with the head.

Third Aunt thought about this and nodded, asking for a few bones to fill a big pot before returning home with satisfaction.

Seeing that Lian Fang Zhou had enough meat, she left two more pheasants to Madam Li and asked her to save them and stew them in a soup for Qin Feng.

Because the boar had grown up in the mountains eating wild vegetables and running around all day, it hardly had any fat.
There was only a thin layer of fat under the thick skin and the rest was muscle.
Third Aunt was not picky about meat in terms of fat or lean, however.

That evening, Lian Fang Zhou arranged the gifts to bring to the Su family the next day, wrapping up a few clothes and make-up kits.
Since this time, she would be going for an important meeting and would stay for two or three days, it was important to have her necessities.

Lian Fang Zhou also prepared a number of exquisite purses bought from the market that contained two to four silver coins.
These were rewards to give out.

Fang Qing wouldn’t be embarrassed but it was hard to say if other people wouldn’t have any thoughts.
Lian Fang Zhou would rather be generous.

“Sister, that, you better take Sister Xiu’er.
I, I don’t want to go to the Su house.” Lian Ze said slowly.

Su Xin’er’s words had been extremely uncomfortable to listen to.
While Lian Ze had been quite arrogant at first, due to his youth he had become more and more uncomfortable.

He wasn’t like Lian Fang Zhou, who had lived a lifetime.
There were many things that needed to be understood and considered but he was indifferent, he only focused on what he needed to care about and what he didn’t need to care about.

Lian Fang Zhou thought about it for a while and then shook her head: “This is no good.
I will be staying at the Su Manor for two or three days this time.
Xiu’er is too honest and isn’t suitable to bring out.
You and Ah Jian will live in the outer courtyard at this time, so no one should bother you.
If people do make trouble, don’t go out and walk around, just do what you need to do.
Our cousin will treat us as relatives.
Let’s just go.
If we don’t fawn on others, we don’t need to be angry.
If anyone makes things difficult, just ignore it.
If you go away and ignore them, who can spread gossip? If you take it seriously, you will be a fool! The Su family has a good reputation in Shuangliu county and the servants won’t dare to do anything excessive.
If it’s too much, just speak with your cousin, she may not ignore it.”

“My sister has said so many words!” Lian Ze couldn’t argue or say a word of rejection, so he muttered: “I understand, sister!” After a pause, he said: “Sister, one day we will be on par with the Su family, right?”

“Yes!” Lian Fang Zhou raised her chin proudly and smiled brightly: “Aren’t we working hard for such a day now?”

“Yes!” Lian Ze’s eyes brightened and he nodded his head heavily.
The two of them shared a knowing smile.

Laughing, Lian Fang Zhou turned to Ah Jian: “Ah Jian, Ah Ze will inevitably worry about things going wrong and may do something impulsive.
Can I trouble you to take care of him then?”

“I know, don’t worry!” Ah Jian smiled but his eyes were lowered without looking at her, let alone touching her.

Ah Jian had never done this before and Lian Fang Zhou was a little surprised.
She didn’t think much of it, just thanking him with a smile.

But she didn’t know that Ah Jian’s thoughts were chaotic and his heart was numb.
He couldn’t help but think: She is so polite when she talks to me, shouldn’t she treat me like Brother Sun said? Shouldn’t I be sighing in relief? Why is my heart disappointed? A little regretful? It’s not right, she’s entrusting her brother to me, she clearly treats me as one of her people… Just how does she see me in her hear?… Is it close or distant? Am I really different than others?

~

The three of them left early the next morning.
Zhang Xiao Jun drove them to the city in the donkey cart and left with it after they hired a horse and cart.

By the time they reached the Su Manor, it was nearly noon.

Steward Xu had been instructed by Fang Qing to wait for them.
Additionally, Lian Fang Zhou had come twice and had never been stingy with rewards for the servants.
She was kind and generous, neither cringing nor arrogant, even when people of the Su family had argued with her.
It was good to be kind to her party.

Seeing them coming, he smiled and called: “Miss Lian, Second Young Master Lian, Young Master Jian.” Helping them to take in their things, he took them to the entry room to sit and wait while someone went to inform the servants in the inner courtyard.

Lian Fang Zhou thanked him politely with a smile.
Of course, there was also a red envelope to clear the way.

TN: Start of a very interesting side story with the Su family!