Transmigrating to ancient times with a kitchen

by Usui Takumii

not mine, all novel updates.

3. 41 to 60

41 Wei Wusheng

Wei Wusheng saw the clear eyes of the child in front of him. His eyes were filled with curiosity and he felt that it was a little interesting. This was the first child he had seen who was not afraid of him. His nephew was already 15 years old, yet he was still afraid of him.

He answered with interest, "Yes, but we can also see what kind of medicinal herbs it is. We don't want the kind that we randomly see on the road."

Jian Qingqing showed him the honeysuckle and the Dendrobium. "Do you accept the honeysuckle and the Dendrobium?"

Wei Wusheng took it and looked at it carefully, "For honeysuckle, we only accept the buds that have not yet bloomed. The fresh ones cost 50 wen per catty, and the processed ones cost 120 wen. If you want to send the vines, you can also send them here. The dried ones cost one wen per catty."

"The quality of your Iron-skinned Dendrobium is pretty good. If the rest are all like this, the fresh ones cost 300 wen per catty, and the processed ones cost 500 wen."

Jian Qingqing shook her head and said with some pity, "We don't know how to process them."

Wei Wusheng was curious. "Aren't you herb gatherers? Why don't you know how to process the herbs?"

"We're not herb gatherers, we're just ordinary farmers."

Wei Wusheng was surprised this time. "Even a farmer knows how to recognize good herbs?"

With her fists hardened, Jian Qingqing restrained herself and said, "Don't look down on me!"

Wei Wusheng shook his head and smiled. "I'm not looking down on you, I'm just a little surprised. Do you want to learn how to process the herb? I can teach you!"

"Really?!" Jian Qingqing was surprised at first, but then she became suspicious. "What's your motive? Why do you want to teach me?"

Craftsmanship was very expensive in this era. To learn carpentry, one had to serve their master for two or three years before he would let you watch him do it, and another two or three years before he would let you learn it. One would not be able to become a master for less than ten years, and one had to pay a high tuition fee every year. Some of them might not learn anything in the end. After all, it was rare for a master to teach his disciples, and very few masters could teach them everything.

The herb gatherers' method of processing medicinal herbs was even more so. It was basically passed down from generation to generation and was not easily shared with outsiders.

Wei Wusheng laughed in anger. "What motive could I have? What value does a little girl like you have? I just like you and want to teach you. If you don't want to learn, then forget it."

"I'll learn! I'll learn!" He was right. She indeed did not have any value for him to gain anything by deceiving her. She would want to learn anything if she could gain another ability to stand on her own feet.

"Alright, then I'll teach you. Only if you call me 'Big Brother' from now on."

Jian Qingqing was speechless. Was this fellow a fool who was so eager to have a younger sister? However, calling him 'Big Brother' would not cost any money, and neither would it hurt her. So, she just did it. "Big Brother."

"Hey, Little Sister, Big Brother's name is Wei Wusheng. Can you tell me your name?" Wei Wusheng really did not have any thoughts. He just felt that when a man met a child who was not afraid of him and was rather interesting, he just wanted to make friends.

However, it was quite embarrassing to make friends with a child. He did not think too much and wanted her to call him Big Brother. However, this girl's voice was still quite soft.

"My name is Jian Qingqing."

"Alright, Little Sister Qingqing, let's go to the backyard. I'll teach you how to process medicinal herbs."

The backyard of Ji Shan Hall was filled with all kinds of medicinal herbs, and the air was filled with the smell of medicinal herbs.

There were quite a number of ways to process medicinal herbs. Wei Wusheng taught him how to process them by fire. They were used to stir-fry, roast, calcine, simmer, and other methods. Among them, there were very strict requirements on the temperature and time.

Wei Wusheng felt that she would not be able to learn them all in a short period of time, so he said, "Do you know how to read? Why don't I give you a book and you can take it back to read?"

"I don't know, but I will learn it very soon." After she was done, she would hire someone to do the work, and then she would hire a teacher to teach her.

"Okay, you have ambition!" Wei Wusheng liked children like this. "Go back and think about what you learned today. If you don't remember, come and ask me again."

42 Looking for the Village Chief

Jian Qingqing took some sand from him for cooking herbs. She took it back and asked the villagers to see if they could cook it. If they could not, then she would sell fresh herbs.

It was still early when she went back. The people who had gone down to the ground had not come back yet. The two aunties that Jian Qingqing hired were already washing the vegetables. She put the three chickens into a wooden basin and asked them to clean it up.

"Qingqing, your food is really good. You even gave the workers chickens!" one of the aunties said enviously.

Jian Qingqing smiled. "After all, they work for our family. We can't treat them unfairly, right?"

The aunties nodded and said regretfully, "That's right. Sigh, if you guys finish your farming work and then build it, I'll call my family's man over. He's also a good worker."

"My house was originally planned to be built after spring planting. When the time comes, the village's uncles would also be able to help. However, look at these two dilapidated houses of mine. A few days ago, there was a gust of wind that almost blew the roof off. We were afraid that the longer the night, the more likely it would be that something would happen. That's why we decided to look for someone to build it at this time."

Jian Qingqing knew that if she did not mention the fact that her family did not look for villagers to build a house, that knot would continue to exist. In the future, there would always be a layer of veil between them and the villagers.

"At noon, why don't you eat at our house? How can you work hard for our family and still have to go back to your own house to eat?"

As expected, after hearing these words, although the two aunties were still not very comfortable, the smile on their faces was much brighter. "That's quite embarrassing, right? All we do is cook."

The other auntie quickly added, "But since Qingqing has said so, then we will and stay."

Hearing them chime in, Jian Qingqing could not help but find it funny. "Alright, our family would like to thank you two for coming to help us cook. Otherwise, we wouldn't know what to do."

Hearing Jian Qingqing's words, the two aunties felt a little embarrassed. They could come to the Jian Family to help because they had more people, so they could do without the farm work. Therefore, they came to the Jian Family to earn some extra money to supplement their family expenses.

However, even though they felt guilty, they still said shamelessly, "Aiya, of course, we will help. If your neighbor's family wants to help, how can we not come? Qingqing, when you become rich in the future, just don't forget about us!"

Jian Qingqing did not mention that she paid wages. She nodded and said, "I won't, Aunties. You guys go ahead first. I'll make some dishes first."

There was still some leftover stewed meat from yesterday. She did not sell all of it. She planned to bring it to the village chief's house later to discuss the medicinal herbs.

The stewed meat was already cold. Jian Qingqing reheated it and sliced it into slices and placed it on a plate.

The village chief's family was large. Although he was the village chief, his conditions were not much better than the others in the village. There were still many people who ate wild vegetables. During the spring planting season, everyone had to go to the fields.

Seeing that the adults had returned, Jian Qing Qing greeted them and took the meat to the village chief's house.

The village chief's house was at the east end of the village, which was quite a distance away from her house.

When she arrived, her family was about to eat when the children were still making a racket.

Seeing Jian Qingqing, the village chief's eldest son, Jian da Jin, was stunned. "Qingqing, why are you here?"

"I'm here to look for Grandpa Village Chief. Uncle, is he at home?"

After that, an old man walked out of the house. "I'm here! Who's looking for me?"

Seeing that it was Jian Qingqing, he was stunned for a moment and quickly said, "Aiyo, it's Qingqing. Come, come, sit inside. Have you eaten? Why are you looking for me?"

Jian Qingqing gave the meat to Jian Dajin's wife, Wang Shi. "I'm here to look for Grandpa Village Chief because I have something very important to say."

43 Conversation

"What's the matter? Let's talk while we eat. Say, why did you come over to my house? What's with the dried meat? It's so expensive!"

The village chief knew that Jian Qingqing's family was in the stewed meat business. They were doing quite well. In less than a month, they had already started to build a house.

"How can a little snack compare to Grandpa Village Chief's friendship? I've been in business for so long and have never shown filial respect to Grandpa Village Chief. In the past, you've helped my family so much. Now, let you have a taste of my cooking!"

The village chief was coaxed into laughing loudly. "You are the best. You are so thoughtful! Come, come, eat your vegetables. Why are you looking for me? If I can help, I'll definitely help!"

Speaking of serious matters, Jian Qingqing said seriously, "Grandpa Village Chief, I came to look for you for the medicinal herbs in the east mountain. If you do well, the entire village will be able to make a fortune."

"What?" Hearing about medicinal herbs, the village chief was extremely surprised. "Why would there be medicinal herbs in the mountain? Even if there were, we wouldn't recognize them. We wouldn't dare to enter a deeper mountain. What good things can we find in that area outside?"

Jian Qingqing took out the honeysuckle and the Iron-skinned Dendrobium, "Grandpa Village Chief, look, this is honeysuckle. You should know how many there are in the mountains. Fresh flowers that haven't bloomed can be sold for 50 wen a catty, and the processed ones can be sold for 120 wen. Its vines can be sold for 1 wen per catty even if they are dried."

The village chief knew that these flowers were everywhere on the East Mountain, and there were also some on the roadside, so he was even more surprised. "Can these flowers really be sold for money? Can they be sold for so much? Aren't they everywhere?"

"Yes, but I suggest that you sell fresh flowers. If you prepare them, you won't be able to produce half a catty of dry flowers even with a catty of fresh flowers. If the quality of the processed flowers isn't good, I'm afraid that the herb merchants won't accept them."

"It's already a lot to sell fresh flowers for 50 wen. We're all boorish people, so we can't do the processing work. What about this one? Is it also a medicinal herb? I remember that it grew on the mountain wall, right?" The village chief pointed at the Iron-skinned Dendrobium and said.

Jian Qingqing smiled. "Grandpa Village Chief has good eyesight. This is the one on the stone wall. It's called the Iron-skinned Dendrobium. It's a very precious medicinal herb. Fresh ones can be sold for 300 wen per catty, and processed ones for 500 wen."

"What, what?!" The village chief almost could not breathe. He held his heart and gasped. "You, you, you, you, you, how much do you think it will sell for!"

The sons and daughters-in-law of the village chief who were eating at the table were also shocked. They looked at the small section of green plants on the table in surprise.

Jian Qingqing supported the village chief and helped him pat his back to calm his breath.

After a long while, the village chief finally recovered. He extended his trembling hand and pointed at the plant. "This, this can really sell for so much?"

Seeing that the village chief's face was no longer red, Jian Qingqing sat down. "Yes, I went to the Ji Shan Hall this morning to ask. The Big Brother who taught the medicine there even taught me how to make this medicine."

Hearing her words, not only did the village chief not show a happy smile, but he also had a sad expression on his face, and his eyes were red.

Jian Qingqing was shocked. The village chief's son and daughter-in-law also looked sad, and his youngest daughter-in-law even shed tears.

"What's wrong with you guys? Aren't you very happy to be able to sell them for money? Why are you so sad?"

Hearing this, the village chief's tears could not help but flow down.

"Qingqing, I'm guilty. My family pulled out quite a lot of these fortune-making medicinal herbs when they were building a house a few years ago. How much money did that cost? My heart aches!"

Jian Qingqing did not know whether to laugh or cry. She said, "It's fine, it's fine. You can just pull it out and throw it away. It can still grow. Moreover, I saw it yesterday. There is still quite a lot of it there. Think about it this way, it is an unexpected windfall. No matter how much or how little you sell, it is all pure profit."

44 The Plan

Even though that was the truth, the Village Chief still could not help but feel sad.

"Alright, alright, Grandpa Village Chief, let's think about how to retrieve the medicinal herbs first." She really did not know what to do with a crying old man.

Speaking of serious matters, the Village Chief immediately restrained his emotions. This was related to the future livelihood of their Jian Family Village, so he could not be careless.

"The blooming period of the honeysuckle is very fast, so I have to take advantage of these few days to harvest it. How about this, I'll get someone to go to the mountains to cut the vines back after work in the afternoon. At this time, only the children are free, so I'll get them to pick the flowers first. I'll try to finish it in these few days so that I can have more income before the summer harvest."

The Village Chief paused, then looked at Jian Qingqing in embarrassment. "Qingqing, how about this? You found this business, do you really want to give it to the villagers?"

Jian Qingqing nodded. "Sure, it's up to you. My grandparents, uncles, and uncles in the village have all watched me grow up. If I had a way to make money, how could I leave the villagers behind? I can't just watch my uncles eat the chaff and swallow the vegetables, can I? Are we such heartless people? The cost of my stewed meat business is really too high. Otherwise, I would also want to bring the villagers to do it."

The Village Chief was touched and nodded. "Grandpa knows that your family is kind. Qingqing, you are magnanimous too. Don't worry. If anyone dares to gossip in the future, I will not let them off!"

The Village Chief knew that because the Jian Family had made a stewed meat business, many people in the village were jealous and gossiped behind their backs. The Village Chief also had these thoughts in the past. When everyone was eating rice and vegetables, suddenly one of them could eat rice and fish, it was normal for others to have such thoughts.

The Village Chief was also ashamed that he had such thoughts. However, Jian Qingqing was able to tell the villagers about such an important business like selling medicinal herbs. This meant that she was a good person, in the future, if anyone dared to speak ill of Jian Qingqing's family again, he would be the first to punish that person!

"Thank you, Grandpa Village Chief!"

"Hey! Qingqing, eat first. I will gather people to talk about this matter."

After that, he looked at Jian Dajin and said, "Boss, go and take out the gong! Ring the gong and call everyone in the village to gather!"

The Village Chief was an impatient person. Such an important matter naturally had to be done early. He did not even have time to eat.

"Yes, Father!" Jian Dajin's heart was burning. His family had not made any money in a long time. They were all eating vegetables. If honeysuckle could earn money, they could at least buy some rice to eat.

There was only one gong in the Jian Family Village. It was only used when something big happened, so when the gong sounded, every family rushed to the Village Chief's house.

About 15 minutes later, everyone gathered at the Village Chief's house. They stood outside in a dense mass of people.

"Village Chief, What's the matter? We're still eating!"

"Yeah, yeah, what's so urgent?"

"Could it be that something big has happened? Is it another conscription?"

"Conscription? How am I supposed to live like this! My two sons died on the battlefield, and I only have one son left in the family! This is too much! I don't want to live anymore!"

…

"Quiet! Don't speak!" the Village Chief stood on the rock and shouted loudly.

The restless crowd gradually quieted down.

Seeing that no one spoke anymore, the Village Chief cleared his throat and said loudly, "Today! I have an important announcement to make! It concerns the future of our Jian Family Village. It's good news!"

"Good news? What good news can there be?" a young man standing at the front asked loudly.

45 Announcement

The Village Chief ignored him, he continued, "Your uncle, Zong Quan's granddaughter, Qingqing, has found us a job that will earn us a lot of money! The yellow-flowering vine in East Mountain is called honeysuckle. It's a medicinal herb. The flower bud that has not yet bloomed can be sold for 50 wen a catty! The dried vine can be sold for 1 wen a catty!"

The Village Chief's words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand waves. The villagers below discussed animatedly.

"Is it true?"

"Could it be a scam? Why haven't I heard that the flower can be sold for money?"

"If it could be sold for money, wouldn't it have been chopped up long ago? Why would it be left for us?"

"But the Village Chief already said it should be true. Otherwise, why would they call us here?"

"Maybe the Village Chief was cheated by that girl Qingqing. If it really could be sold, why would she tell us? Is she stupid? Isn't it good to earn money at home?"

"I think it's true. If it really can be sold, wouldn't we be rich?!"

…

The Village Chief waited for them to finish their discussion before saying, "Alright, Alright! I know many people don't dare to believe it, but it's true! Qingqing has already gone to the Ji Shan Hall to ask. They told you that they are thinking of you and want to bring you along to make a fortune! Qingqing is a kind and magnanimous girl. If anyone dares to gossip in the future, they will no longer be a member of our Jian Family Village! I will remove them from the family tree!"

Removing the family tree was a very serious matter. Hearing this, everyone's hearts trembled.

"Village Chief, we trust you! If we can really earn money like this, then Qingqing will be my great benefactor in the future! I will never gossip about her!"

"That's right, Village Chief, we know what's good for us. If we can really earn money, I will do whatever Qingqing wants me to do!"

After someone spoke, more and more people expressed their stance. No matter who it was, as long as they could earn money, it would be their benefactor!

Hearing their attitude, the Village Chief also smiled, "Alright! I know that everyone is very busy at this time, so I won't waste your time. After the work ends in the afternoon, each family will send someone to go with me to East Mountain. We will chop all the vines back and then distribute them to each family! Tomorrow, let the children of each family pick the flowers! The flowers should belong to the family who picked them. However, don't move them all to the house at once. What if the herb merchant doesn't want them if they're not fresh? So take as many as you can! After we pick them, we'll all take them to the herb shop to sell! Do you understand?!"

"Yes!"

The Village Chief smiled in satisfaction, "Good! Qingqing also introduced another herb. It could be sold, and it was even more expensive! We'll do that after the spring planting is over! If anyone can't make the honeysuckle well this time, they'll fight over it. In the future, that person won't have to deal with that herb anymore! All of you, do it well!"

"Yes!"

Hearing that there were still more medicinal herbs to be harvested, the villagers' hearts pounded. There were also some who had originally wanted to move more honeysuckle into their homes and gave up on the idea. Those were even more valuable medicinal herbs! 50 wen a catty of honeysuckle was already very expensive. How much more would it be if it was even more valuable?! What if the Village Chief did not allow them to take part in this? Therefore, all of them stopped thinking.

"Alright, you guys go and do your work!"

Seeing that everyone had dispersed, Jian Qingqing also revealed a happy smile. This not only solved the hidden danger of the villagers' jealousy, but also helped them live a better life.

46 The New County Magistrate Arrives

In the County Magistrate's residence, guard Wang Li was urging the servants in the residence to do their work.

"Hurry up, Master will arrive in the afternoon. Throw away all the unwanted things and tidy up the main courtyard first!"

This County Magistrate's residence was made luxuriously by the former County Magistrate. Even the bowls were made of gold. Who knew how many commoners had been bullied.

After the former County Magistrate was arrested, the servants in the residence looted the entire County Magistrate's residence. Everything needed to be rebuilt. The newly bought servants had not been properly trained, and their work was messy.

Thinking of the arrival of the heir-son lord in the afternoon, Wang Li walked around restlessly. The residence had not been properly built yet, and he did not know if the master would blame him.

On this side, Ming Zhiyan, who was sitting in the carriage, took a sip of tea and slowly placed a black piece on the chessboard.

"Crown Prince, the assassins have all been executed." The voice of a guard came from outside the carriage.

Ming Zhiyan replied unhurriedly, "Let's continue on our way."

"Yes!"

A group of guards riding tall horses escorted a noble carriage as they slowly set off. The original spot was left with the corpses of the black-clothed men with broken limbs. Fresh blood dyed the soil below red.

Knowing that it was already five o'clock when Ming Zhiyan arrived at Shifeng County, the street vendors had already left the city, so not many people saw the new County Magistrate's carriage.

The carriage silently arrived at the County Magistrate's residence. Wang Li led the crowd and waited in front of the residence. Seeing the arrival of the carriage, he hurriedly went forward to welcome it.

"Crown Prince, you've worked hard all the way. Food has been prepared in the residence, please have your meal."

Ming Zhiyan stretched out her slender hand to open the curtain of the carriage and bent down to get out. His handsome face was expressionless. "First, tell me about the current situation in Shifeng County."

Wang Li followed Ming Zhiyan and reported the information he had gathered over the past few days. "Most of the people in the government office are relatives of the previous County Magistrate. They act as accomplices and henchmen and treat the government office as their own home. They harm the people and oppress their colleagues who have no backing…"

"The refugees in the county are all gathered at the West District's Chenghuang Temple. The previous County Magistrate did not allow them to develop the land, so they rely on the wild vegetables on the mountain to feed themselves. The farmers in the countryside are also having a hard time. The relief rations issued by the Imperial Court last year have not been distributed to the people."

Ming Zhiyan's cold voice rang out, "Find a reason to throw those trash from the government office directly into the prison and replace them with our own people."

Wang Li paused for a moment, but he still braced himself and said, "Most of the relatives of the previous County Magistrate have committed crimes, so it's not difficult to find a crime. However, we didn't bring many people this time, so what if we don't have enough people to replace them?"

"In such a big county, we can always find capable people who were bullied by those useless officials."

"Yes."

…

The arrival of the new County Magistrate was bound to cause some commotion in this remote county.

When the County Magistrate Ming took office, the first thing he did was to dismiss all the officials who usually bullied the common people, and those who broke the law were all sent to prison.

This made the common people clap their hands in delight. It also worried the gentry who thought that Ming Zhiyan was only here to take advantage of them again.

When the previous County Magistrate was in office, these gentry had colluded with him many times and did some things to harm the common people. They were afraid that they would be punished for their previous behavior, so these gentry all hid.

However, the war between the local gentry and the new County Magistrate still broke out.

County Magistrate Ming issued a decree that allowed the people of the county to develop the empty lands, and organized the refugees to build houses and develop lands.

This decree affected the interests of the local gentry. Many of the wasteland in Shifeng County had already been occupied by the former County Magistrate and the local gentry. So if the people wanted to develop these lands, they had to buy it.

Knowing that the decree issued by Ming Zhiyan had damaged the interests of many of the local gentry, they did not hide anymore. They joined forces to go to the government office to force Ming Zhiyan to withdraw the decree.

47 Establishing Prestige

In the eyes of the local gentry, even though Ming Zhiyan was the Emperor's nephew, it was still impossible for him to suppress them in Shifeng County, which was far away from the Capital.

Early in the morning, the gentry came to the government office under the lead of the head of the Jia Clan, the number one aristocratic family in Shifeng County.

As soon as they arrived, they put on an imposing manner.

"Sir, we know that you came to Shifeng County to make a difference, so that you can return to the Capital and be promoted. However, if you want to make a contribution, you can't harm our interests, right? How many generations have our families lived in Shifeng County? You can't just drive us out the moment you arrive, right?"

The Jia Clan leader was a fat man in his fifties. Seeing Ming Zhiyan was so young, he did not respect him in the slightest. Even when he was asking for peace, he still put on the airs of an elder.

He clearly knew that Ming Zhiyan was sitting at the head of the table and was slowly wiping a sharp dagger. Hearing this, he did not even raise his eyes. His thin lips opened slightly, "So you're saying that the rules set by your Shi Family are more important than the laws of the Imperial Court? The Imperial Court allows the commoners to open up wasteland. How can the rules of your tiny Shifeng County be above the laws?"

The Jia Clan leader's expression was arrogant, "We do not mean to put our rules above the Imperial Court, but the wasteland belongs to our Shi Family. This was a rule set by our ancestors many years ago. Even if there is the Imperial Court's laws, it would not be good to change our rules that have lasted for a hundred years!"

Ming Zhiyan was wiping the dagger, and he paused for a moment. Following that, the dagger flew out from his hand and stabbed straight into the throat of the Jia Clan Leader. His action was so fast that it was hard to see clearly.

The Jia Clan Leader's eyes were wide open. He raised his hand and touched his neck. As if he did not understand what had happened, he fell straight to the ground. Large mouthfuls of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

"Brother Jia!" Seeing the Jia Clan leader being killed, the gentry that followed were greatly shocked. One after another, they pounced and shouted.

"Child of the Ming Clan! Why did you randomly kill people?!" one of the gentry shouted angrily, his eyes about to pop out of their sockets.

Although they had heard of Ming Zhiyan's reputation in the Capital, they had never seen it with their own eyes. They could only treat it as a joke. Thus, even though they had come with nothing to fear, they had never thought that he would kill people.

Ming Zhiyan stood up and slowly walked down. The gentry around the Jia Clan leader retreated in fear as if they had encountered a ferocious tiger.

He pulled out the dagger that had been stabbed into the Jia Clan leader's throat and threw it to the guards by his side.

"What? This Shifeng County is the land of Great Wei. Any law is applicable to the land of Great Wei. Are you secretly ignoring the laws of the Imperial Court? Are you a rebel?"

Even though Ming Zhiyan's voice was slow and unhurried, it felt like a thousand pounds in the hearts of the gentry. The Jia Clan's leader was the backbone among them, but now that the backbone was dead, hearing that such a big accusation would be placed on their heads, they were momentarily thrown into chaos.

The gentry knelt down one after another. "My Lord, please be merciful! We are just a small noble clan. How dare we have such rebellious thoughts?"

"That's right, My lord. All of this was instigated by that old thief of the Jia Clan. Even if we had the greatest courage, we wouldn't dare to rebel!"

"That's right. We all trusted that old thief of the Jia Clan. We were foolish. We don't know anything! Please understand, My Lord!"

The gentry all cast aside their relationship with the Jia Clan and even retaliated.

Seeing that they had finally calmed down, Ming Zhiyan said, "I don't care about what happened in the past, but since I'm here, everything has to follow my rules. As for any violators…"

Ming Zhiyan spat coldly. "I'll kill them all!"

The gentry knew that they could not contend with Ming Zhiyan. Although they felt extremely humiliated, they still bowed. "Yes!"

48 Roast Duck

As soon as the decree was issued, the people of Shifeng County cheered. Jian Qingqing also heard about this. She planned to open up more than ten acres of wasteland with her family.

The crops she had planted had already sprouted. The sweet potatoes had already grown a small cluster of leaves. They could be cut off very soon. When the time came, there would definitely not be enough land, so Jian Qingqing planned to open up more wasteland.

Jian Family Village had quite a lot of wasteland, but it was not allowed to be developed in the past. Therefore, even if the villagers had sold out all the land due to the great disaster, they could only rent the land of the landowner's family instead of opening up their own land.

Once this decree was issued, the villagers were all in a state of excitement, especially those whose families had sold out only a few acres of land. Although the wasteland could not be used to grow food for the first few years, once the land was ready, it would belong to them. Therefore, many villagers wanted to open up the land.

Jian Qingqing had her eyes on a sandy land. The sandy land was easy to develop, and it was more suitable for growing sweet potatoes.

She still needed to wait for the spring planting to be over before opening up the land. The oven workers that Jian Qingqing wanted had already been built. Today, she was going to try to make a roast duck.

She first burned the oven, then put the pickled duck in and sealed the opening. Two hours later, the duck had already been roasted until both sides were charred yellow, emitting a rich fragrance.

Xiao Lang smelled the fragrance and ran over. "Sister, it smells good!"

Jian Qingqing looked at his big sparkling eyes and brushed a layer of wild honey on the roast duck. She used a knife to slice it and stuffed it into his mouth.

"How is it? Is it good?" Xiao Lang wolfed it down and revealed a big smile. "It's so good! Sister, I want more!"

Jian Qingqing sliced a small plate for him. "Take it and eat it with your brothers."

After watching Xiao Lang leave, Jian Qingqing tasted one slice. The skin was roasted until it was crisp, but the meat inside was very tender. It had the sweetness of honey and the freshness of sauces, so it tasted just right.

It was done, and she would add the roast duck tomorrow!

Now that her stewed meat was famous throughout the county, 100 catties of stewed meat per day was not enough to meet the demand. She decided to take 20 roast ducks to test the water first.

The roast ducks were delicious on the same day. Jian Qingqing changed the time of setting up her stall to noon and simply cooked the stewed meat on the same day.

The two aunties who had been invited to cook for the workers, Jian Qingqing, gave them a raise and asked them to help with the stewed meat. So now Jian Qingqing was not so busy and had a lot of free time to do other things.

Her oven was very big. One oven could roast 10 ducks, and 20 roast ducks were quickly finished.

When Jian Qingqing arrived at the county seat, there were already many regulars waiting there.

"Little Lady Jian, why are you so late today? I thought you weren't coming. If we didn't wait for you, we would have left."

"I'm sorry, there's a new sample dish today. I woke up early in the morning to make it, so I'm a little late. In the future, the time for setting up stalls will be changed to this time. You don't have to come so early," Jian Qingqing quickly explained.

"A new dish? What is it? I've never eaten a dish as delicious as the stewed meat cooked by you. I don't feel comfortable if I don't eat it for a day! I'll definitely buy Little Lady Jian's new dish and try it!"

Jian Qingqing glanced at the person who spoke. It was a customer who came to buy her stewed meat every day. She let out a big smile and said, "Today's new dish is roast duck. The taste is also very good. I won't let you down!"

As she spoke, she opened the box containing the roast duck. Suddenly, a sweet and fragrant smell appeared in the air.

"Little Lady Jian, this smell is not bad! This color looks delicious! Little Lady, give me one!"

"I want one too! I want one too!"

…49 Scoundrels

The 20 roasted ducks were quickly snatched by the regular customers. Those who did not manage to snatch them all had a look of regret on their faces. "Little Lady, grill more tomorrow. This isn't even enough."

Jian Qingqing smiled. "Auntie, I'm sorry. My family's grill can only roast 20 ducks at most. In the future, there will only be a supply of 20 ducks every day. You can also buy stewed meat. Stewed meat is also very delicious."

Hearing this, all the guests present felt sorry. They also knew that stewed meat was delicious, but the roast duck also looked very delicious. It would be wonderful if they could take turns to buy it.

"Then can you accept a reservation? That way, I won't have to fight over it tomorrow." Someone thought of another idea.

"I'm sorry, reservation is not accepted."

"Okay." It seemed that she could only come earlier tomorrow to fight over it.

After selling the stewed meat, Jian Qingqing planned to go around the county town and buy some things for her family.

When she passed by the jewelry shop, Jian Qingqing thought that Mother Jian did not seem to have any jewelry. So, she wanted to buy something for her.

The jewelry shop in Shifeng County was not very big. The things inside were exquisite and plain. She liked a plain silver bracelet and a gold-plated hairpin. Now that she had a small fortune, she paid the money without hesitation.

When she left the jewelry shop, she felt that someone was staring at her. She looked left and right, but she did not see anything wrong. However, she trusted her intuition, so she turned around and walked in another direction.

She walked quickly to the middle of the crowd and took advantage of the crowd to turn into an alley. She hid behind the alley and carefully poked her head out to look.

Jian Qingqing's guess was right. There were indeed people following her. They were three shifty-eyed men. When they saw that she had disappeared, they looked around in the crowd.

Who was it? Was it for money or something else?

Thinking that she would have to travel to the county town every day in the future, she could hide for a while but could not hide forever. Jian Qingqing decided not to let this hidden danger go. She took a deep breath and reappeared on the street. There were so many people on the street now, she bet that they would not dare to attack her openly.

As expected, when the group saw her appear on the street, they pretended that nothing had happened and followed her at a leisurely pace.

Jian Qingqing led them to the county office. The closer they got to the county office, the fewer people there were. In this era, ordinary people usually hid from the officials, so the three people following behind them were very prominent.

When she saw the official on duty standing in front of the county office, she suddenly ran over and shouted, "Help! The three people behind me want to harm me!"

The three people behind her jumped in fright and ran away.

The two officials on duty glanced at Jian Qingqing, hesitated for a moment, and then immediately chased after her, "Stop! Don't run!"

Seeing the figure of the officers chasing after her, Jian Qingqing stood where she was and heaved a sigh of relief. She was originally afraid that the officers would ignore her, or that those people had colluded with the officials. Now, it seemed that there were still good officers.

Actually, Jian Qingqing was right to be worried. In the past, the two officers would not have bothered with her at all. However, now, there was a new County Magistrate. This County Magistrate's methods were cruel. If they did not care and the new County Magistrate found out, losing their official position would be a light punishment, they might even lose their lives. So, they hesitated for a moment before chasing after them.

The two officials quickly pressed the three people down and brought them back to the Yamen.

"Don't move around! Behave yourself!"

Jian Qingqing also followed them back to the Yamen. This was the first time she saw a real-life version of the Yamen, so she looked around curiously.

"Miss, wait a moment. We will go and ask the County Magistrate to judge the case right away."

Jian Qingqing retracted her gaze. "Alright, thank you for your trouble."

One of the officers handed the scoundrels to his colleague and went to the back.

50 Case Resolution

In a short while, a man in a black official robe walked out.

Jian Qingqing looked up and was immediately stunned. Was this not the handsome man she had saved previously? How did he appear here?

Seeing that the victim was Jian Qingqing, Ming Zhiyan was stunned for a moment, but he immediately returned to the table without batting an eyelid.

Only then did Jian Qingqing realize that this was the new County Magistrate. This handsome man was an official. She had thought that he was someone from the martial arts world.

Ming Zhiyan's deep voice rang out. "What's the matter?"

Jian Qingqing came back to her senses and took a step forward. "Sir, these three people have been following behind me. I was afraid that they were plotting something, so I came to the government to report the case."

The three villains knelt down and trembled. "My Lord! I was just walking and bumped into this little lady. She suddenly asked the official to arrest us. We don't even know her!"

"You've been following me since the jewelry shop. If you didn't follow me on purpose, how could it be so coincidental that I came to the county office and you also came to the county office? Are you also here to report the case?"

"We, we're just walking here!"

Jian Qingqing sneered, "Heh, that's really too much of a coincidence. This road is the territory of the government. If you're not here to report a case, are you saying that you're just walking here? What, do you guys live here?"

"We, we…" The three gangsters stuttered and could not speak.

Ming Zhiyan slapped the chopping board and said, "Hurry up and tell us the truth!"

Although her voice was not loud, it had a sense of authority.

The three gangsters finally had a mental breakdown. Trembling, they confessed, "We, we saw her selling stewed meat at the market every day and made a lot of money, so we wanted to steal some money. She made so much money, so it wouldn't matter if we stole a little. Sir, please spare our lives! We didn't want to hurt her! We have mothers and three-year-old children to take care of! Please spare us, Sir!"

Jian Qingqing's heart turned cold. They want to rob her because she earned a lot of money? They had their own hands and feet, so why would not they earn it themselves? In her previous life, she had long been tired of hearing about these kinds of people on TV. If they were really that responsible, they would not have come out to rob.

"Sir, please give them a heavy sentence. If they leave today, I'm afraid that they will come after me for revenge later."

Hearing that, the three gangsters cursed, "You Little Brat, you're so ruthless! We didn't do anything to you, why should we be sentenced! You bitch, be careful or I'll kill you!"

"Silence! This is the Yamen, how can we allow you to make such a big fuss here! Men, lock them in the prison!"

Ming Zhiyan frowned, showing her authority even though she was not angry.

"Sir, please spare us!" The three gangsters were dragged away in shock, leaving behind a trail of urine.

Jian Qingqing looked at them with disdain, then raised her head and said to the County Magistrate, "Thank you, Sir! If there's nothing else, I'll leave first."

"Wait a moment." Ming Zhiyan hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Wait for me outside for a moment."

"Yes."

Jian Qingqing walked out and leaned against the wall in boredom. She did not know what the handsome man wanted from her.

After waiting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she saw Ming Zhiyan walk out of the Yamen. He had changed into his normal clothes and there was no one around him. He was still very handsome.

Jian Qingqing walked over. "Is there anything else?"

"Let's go, Miss Jian. I'll treat you to a meal."

"Ah?" Jian Qingqing was stunned.

Ming Zhiyan frowned. "I haven't thanked you properly for saving me last time."

51 Jewelry

"Oh, about that…." Jian Qingqing did not mind at all. "Didn't you thank me last time? You even gave me a jade pendant. Saving you was a piece of cake for me. Don't worry about it."

"Saving me was a piece of cake for you, but it was my life-saving grace. Miss Jian, I left in a hurry last time and didn't have time to properly thank you. That was impolite of me. I originally wanted to pay you a visit after I was done with my work, but now that I've met you, please give me a chance to repay you."

Ming Zhiyan rarely spoke so much in one go, he uncomfortably cleared his throat.

"It's alright. I'm still in a hurry to go home, so I won't be going to eat. By the way, have you fully recovered from your injuries?"

Ming Zhiyan nodded and said that he had already fully recovered. He then said, "In that case, I'll get someone to send you back."

Jian Qingqing waved her hands repeatedly. "No, no. I've already made an appointment with someone, so I won't trouble you."

"Alright then. If Miss Jian needs any help in the future, you can look for me."

"Yes, yes, yes. Goodbye, Lord Ming!"

…

After eating, Jian Qingqing took out the jewelry. "Mother, look what I bought for you."

Mother Jian took it and was shocked, "Aiyo, why did you buy me such an expensive thing? How much does it cost?"

"It's nothing, it's not expensive. Besides, I earned money. What's wrong with buying something for you?"

Mother Jian carefully inserted the hairpin into her hair and asked shyly, "How is it? Is it nice?"

Jian Qingqing cheered her on, "It's nice, it's nice! The first time I saw it, I felt that it was very suitable for you."

"Wow! Mother, it is really nice! I have never seen a woman who is more beautiful than you!" Xiao Hu's expression was exaggerated and amusing.

Mother Jian was not ugly. These days, she had eaten well and had restored the meat on her face. Her gentle oval face, thin willow-leaf eyebrows, and the gold-plated hairpin made her look very expensive.

Mother Jian lowered her head shyly. "You guys always tease me!"

Jian Dalang chuckled foolishly. "It's really pretty, but Big Sister, why are you only buying gifts for your mother and not for me?"

At the end, he was already feeling jealous.

Jian Qingqing laughed and went over. She originally wanted to buy other things after buying the jewelry, but after that incident, she did not want to scare her family.

Mother Jian also said, "Yes, Big Sister, why don't you buy some for yourself? Children should dress up more beautifully. With your hair tied up twice a day, how could you not wear anything? Tomorrow, go buy some nice hair ropes and jewelry. Mother will teach you how to tie them!"

Jian Qingqing said helplessly, "Mother, I set up a stall every day, how would I have time to do these things? Besides, it's convenient to tie up my hair. Why would you dress up so nicely when you go out to work?"

She was determined not to admit that it was because she did not know how to do those complicated hairstyles that she casually tied up her hair. Seeing that Mother Jian still wanted to speak, she quickly interrupted, "Oh right, I heard that there's a private school in the county that's about to start. Why don't we send Xiao Hu and Xiao Ye to study?"

When it came to studying, the members of the Jian Family became serious.

Old Man Jian could not believe it. "Our family is really going to have scholars?"

In this day and age, those who could afford to study were either rich or noble. Their village had never had a scholar before. The Village Chief's family had originally planned to use the entire family's money to send Zhangsun to school, but after the drought, they had no money to go.

"Our family can really go to school? Doesn't that mean that Xiao Hu and Xiao Ye won't have to farm in the future? Once they go to school, they can become accountants in the county. Every month, they will earn money!"

52 Planning to Go to School

Jian Qingqing understood how excited they were. She said affirmatively, "It's true. I've asked around. The private school in the county town costs half a tael of silver a month. After handing it over to mister, you can go to school."

Old Man Jian was so excited that he cried. "Hahaha! I didn't expect that my Jian Family would have scholars too! This time, I will be worthy of my ancestors! Xiao Hu, Xiao Ye, when you go to school, you must listen to your teacher's words and study hard! In the future, you will bring glory to your ancestors!"

Xiao Hu and Xiao Ye were also very excited. Studying was the most enviable thing. The children of the landlords were all scholars, and when they walked, they were very dignified. Could they also become such people?

"Yes! We will definitely study hard!"

Old Man Jian wiped his tears, he held Jian Qingqing's hand. "Big Sister, it's all thanks to you that our lives can be so good. We have meat for every meal. Not only did we build a house, but Xiao Hu and Xiao Ye can also go to school! I didn't even dare to think about this in the past! Just thinking about how to eat every day is enough to make my stomach ache. All of this is because of you. You are our family's treasure!"

Mother Jian also remembered the time when Jian Qingqing was starving to death and woke up. At that time, she did not even have the money to hire a doctor for her daughter.

When Qingqing said that she wanted her to eat meat every day and live a good life, she thought that it was a child's sweet words, she did not expect it to be realized so quickly. Her father-in-law was right. Big Sister was their family's treasure!

…

The next day, Jian Dalang and Jian Qingqing brought Xiao Hu and Xiao Ye to buy ink, paper, and inkstone. It had to be said that these things were really expensive. An inkstone cost two taels of silver.

After buying stationery, they went to buy a bundle of cloth, a set of clothes, cotton shoes, and two roast ducks and stewed meat. Jian Dalang took them to the private school, while Jian Qingqing went to the market to set up a stall.

When she arrived, she felt that the other stall owners looked at her a little strangely.

Jian Qingqing was puzzled. Did something happen?

She pushed her doubts aside and unloaded the stewed meat and roast duck from the ox-cart.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour, no one came. She wondered, "Aren't they usually sold out very quickly?"

At this moment, an aunt who usually bought meat from her came over and said, "Little Lady, give me a roast duck."

Jian Qingqing wrapped the duck and said casually, "Aunt, don't you want the stewed meat?"

When the aunt heard this, her eyes evaded. "No, no. I'm tired of eating too much. I'll eat the roast duck today."

This sounded normal. No matter how delicious the food was, it could not be stopped from being eaten every day. Jian Qingqing did not take it to heart at first, but the aunt stuttered and looked away. She looked very guilty.

She handed the duck to her and asked curiously, "What's wrong, Aunty?"

"Nothing, nothing!" The aunty took the roast duck, threw down the money, and ran away.

The other customers were the same. They only bought the roast duck and looked guilty. They did not say a word to her.

Jian Qingqing was more and more confused. What happened? The surrounding stall owners seemed to know what happened and looked like they were watching a good show.

She moved the stool and asked the stall owner next to her, "Aunty, what happened? Why are their eyes so strange?"

The Aunt had been avoiding her, as if she did not want to talk to her.

Jian Qingqing cut a piece of stewed meat and placed it on Aunty's stall.

The Aunty took a look and finally could not resist the temptation, she whispered to Jian Qingqing, "A stewed meat stall appeared next street early in the morning. It's cheaper than yours. The customers who were waiting for you went to his stall."

53 The Appearance of an Opponent

Jian Qingqing understood. So this was the reason. It was not a big deal. Why were all of them avoiding her? Stewed meat was not difficult to make and was easy to imitate. It was only a matter of time before other stewed meat stalls appeared. Everyone could do business. Why would they feel guilty just because they did not come to her stall to buy?

Jian Qingqing was very open-minded. Could it be that because she often went to a certain steamed bun shop to buy steamed buns, she could not go to other steamed bun shops to buy? Of course, she would go to whichever shop that had the best one.

After selling the roast duck, there was still more than half of the stewed meat left. Jian Qingqing did not plan to continue selling it. There was already a new stewed meat stall, and her customer flow had already been divided up.

Therefore, she planned to take it back to the workers to eat. She would not make so much stewed meat tomorrow and would get up earlier to roast another batch of roast duck.

Just as she was about to leave, a person dressed like a young male servant came over. "Miss, I want the rest of the braised meat."

Jian Qingqing was stunned. "Can your family finish it? The braised meat won't taste good overnight."

The young male servant nodded. "Don't worry. Just sell it to us."

Jian Qingqing asked in puzzlement, "Which family are you from? There are more than 80 catties here. We can't finish it with so few people."

When the young male servant heard her pressing questions, he could only answer honestly, "I'm a young male servant from the County Magistrate's house. Our Lord asked me to come and buy it."

Sigh, it seemed like he woudl not be able to fulfill the Lord's orders. The young male servant had a bitter expression on his face.

Jian Qingqing understood. So he was someone sent by Ming Zhiyan. She already said there was no need for him to repay jer, so why did he still call for someone to come over to buy her food?

She said, "It's too much for all of you. You won't be able to finish it all. How about this, I'll sell it to you for 20 catties. I think it's enough to eat."

"Umm…" Xiaosi's face was full of worry. Ming Zhiyan asked him to buy the stewed meat and did not say anything else. If he could not complete the mission, would he be punished?

"It's fine. Just tell him that I said it. 20 catties is enough for you. If you think it's delicious, you can buy it tomorrow."

The young male servant could only carry the 20 catties of stewed meat and leave.

…

When Jian Qingqing moved the stewed meat onto the ox cart, Uncle Ox asked in surprise, "Girl, why aren't you selling it anymore?"

Jian Qingqing smiled. "There are people selling braised meat on the neighboring street. If no one wants to buy it, I'll take it back and eat it myself."

Uncle Ox said with heartache, "Aiyo, isn't this stealing business? Why are they so wicked?"

Jian Qingqing puffed. "How is this stealing business? There are so many stalls selling steamed buns. Can it be said that it's stealing business from the first person who sells steamed buns?"

Uncle Ox thought about it and agreed. However, it was hard not to complain when such a thing happened to one of his own people.

When the ox-cart drove out of the market, Jian Qingqing saw another stall selling stewed meat at the end of the street. It looked like quite a number of people had gone to buy it.

Jian Qingqing retracted her gaze.

She secretly placed five catties of stewed meat on uncle Ox's car when she reached home.

Jian Qingqing brought so much stewed meat back to her family. Her family was also surprised. Usually, they would be able to sell all of it.

After Jian Qingqing explained, the Jian Family felt that it was a pity.

"Big Sister, why don't I wake up early tomorrow and roast some more ducks?" said Jian Dalang.

"No need. It's enough to sell so much. I'll think about what other businesses I can do." Jian Dalang did not say anything else.

The next day, Jian Qingqing only braised 40 catties of braised meat. When she went there, many customers were waiting there.

She asked in surprise, "Why are you here so early?"

One of the guests said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm afraid that you will sell out if I'm late. Your meat is so delicious."

54 Order

With the first customer saying it, the rest of the customers were no longer embarrassed, they poured out everything like beans. "Yes, your house is still the best. Yesterday, I also bought the meat from the newly opened store. That pork is stinky. It's very disgusting!"

"The stewed meat is even worse than the one I made myself! It doesn't taste good at all!"

"Yeah, they didn't even give me a taste. I only found out when I bought it back that my family would throw up after just one bite! If he gave me a taste, I wouldn't have bought it! I'll have to look at your house when I buy stewed meat in the future!"

Jian Qingqing did not know whether to laugh or cry. She did not expect that the newly opened stewed meat stall would attract her loyal fans.

In that case, she might as well advertise for her stewed meat stall. "Yeah, the stewed meat in my house is made with good ingredients, which is why it tastes so good. With that huge pile of spices, the price will be more expensive. It's worth every penny!"

The customers all agreed. Jian Qingqing's stewed meat was really fragrant! They had not eaten it yet, but they could already smell the fragrance from afar. A piece of meat would go well with a bowl of rice. They wanted to eat it again. If she did not put good ingredients, would it have such an effect? Indeed, it was better to use good ingredients.

Therefore, the stewed meat for today was sold out very quickly. Jian Qingqing was ready to close the stall when Ming Zhiyan arrived.

She glanced at him and said, "Today's meat is sold out. If you want to eat, you can reserve it with me. I'll leave a portion for you on account of our acquaintance."

Ming Zhiyan was an official of all sizes and might be able to use it in the future. It was necessary to build a good relationship with him.

Ming Zhiyan touched his nose and said, "Thank you very much. By the way, do you want to take an order?"

"What order?"

"Our county office wants to order 50 catties of stewed meat every day. Do you want to take such an order?"

Jian Qingqing refused. "No. Don't you have a special cook? Why are you still buying cooked food outside?"

"Don't misunderstand. I didn't mean to help your business on purpose, but we have this need. The food in the county office isn't enough, and the cook's cooking isn't good either. Those bailiffs don't have the energy to train if they can't eat well, so I thought of ordering cooked food outside. It just so happens that the braised meat you made is very delicious, so I thought of ordering it from here."

Ming Zhiyan had eaten her braised meat yesterday, the taste was no worse than that of the Imperial Chefs in the palace.

Jian Qingqing really thought that he had to repay her kindness. However, after hearing what he said, she finally understood.

In this way, those who did not accept were fools. Why did she not want more business?

She said loudly, "I'll accept it!"

Ming Zhiyan smiled, she was really a child.

"Alright, I'll get someone to come and take it tomorrow."

Wang Li, who was following at the side, looked at her from the sidelines. He had never seen his Master treat anyone so well. It seemed that this Little Lady Jian, who had saved his Master, was not ordinary.

Jian Qingqing, who had completed a business deal, was very happy. She decided to buy another big iron pot. Many of the regular customers had returned today. It seemed that the amount of stewed meat could return to before.

She had received another order of 50 catties. She would not be able to stew all the meat it if she did not buy another pot, now that she had earned money, she did not care about the 20 taels of silver anymore.

After booking the big metal pot, she carried a roasted duck to meet Wei Wusheng. She had specially reserved this for him. Ever since she had asked for the price of the medicinal herbs the last time, she had not gone to see him. At least he had taught her the method of brewing the medicinal herbs.

When Wei Wusheng saw her, he rolled his eyes at her in annoyance. "Why? You haven't come for so many days. Have you forgotten about me, your Big Brother?"

Jian Qingqing said fawningly, "How can I forget? I was just too busy! Look, I even brought you roast duck!"

55 Medicinal Recipe

Wei Wusheng said in surprise, "Oh, isn't this the roast duck that has been very popular these past two days? How did you buy it?"

"Why, you already know that there are roast ducks sold, but you've never heard of people selling roast ducks?"

Wei Wusheng asked doubtfully, "You're selling it?"

Jian Qingqing puffed out her chest proudly, "Of course!"

"Yo! Not bad! I didn't know that you had such skills. Looks like I'll definitely want to be your friend!"

Wei Wusheng took the roast duck and casually tore off a duck leg. He took a big bite and praised, "Yes! The taste is not bad!"

"Right! My skills are praised by everyone! I can even make fried chicken. If you like it, I'll make it for you in the future!"

Hearing that, Wei Wusheng was not surprised, but said suspiciously, "Tell me, what do you need from me? You're so attentive."

Jian Qingqing chuckled, "You're really smart and wise!"

Wei Wusheng smiled, and he pretended to laugh, "Stop flattering me, tell me quickly!"

Jian Qingqing was not afraid of him. Instead, she poured tea for him. "Then I'll be straightforward. Big Brother, do you have any prescription for medicinal herbs? The kind that can strengthen the body and nourish the blood and Qi, I want to buy it back for my family to eat."

Wei Wusheng did not say anything. He turned the teacup and seemed to be thinking about something.

Jian Qingqing was nervous. Many prescriptions belonged to a doctor's exclusive formula. She knew that her request was very abrupt, but her grandfather and the others had been working so hard for the past few years, and their bodies were already severely depleted. She wanted to make some Medicinal Cuisine to nourish them.

"Big Brother, from your reaction, I can tell that you have such a prescription. Is it with another doctor? Is it convenient for you to tell me? I can go and talk to him. I can also spend money to buy the prescription."

"Brother, I beg you, I can buy it no matter how much it costs."

Wei Wusheng came back to his senses and knocked on her forehead. "What do you mean? I'll give it to you!"

He was just thinking about which prescription had the best effect, but he did not know that the little girl in front of him had imagined so many things.

Jian Qingqing was in disbelief and her eyes were wide open. She exclaimed, "Really?! Brother, you're giving it to me? Really? Really?"

Wei Wusheng rolled his eyes at her. "Of course. Who do you think I am? How can I lie to you? I have the Imperial Palace's secret recipe, do you want it? It's my Wei Family's treasured prescription."

Jian Qingqing was so pleasantly surprised that her words were incoherent. "Really, really, really! Do you really not want money? Then what do you want? As long as I can do it, I can give it to you! If you don't want anything, I feel a little uneasy!"

This was the first time Wei Wusheng saw her so emotional and felt that it was a little funny. In the past, she always acted like a little adult and spoke with a steady and capable voice.

"If you feel guilty, then in the future, you can send me whatever delicious food you make. For example, roast duck. You can send it to me every day."

Jian Qingqing felt that Wei Wusheng was a little mysterious. Initially, she thought that he was just a medicine boy from the Ji Shan Hall, but now it seemed that his status was not ordinary.

He gave her the prescription just like that. That little bit of food was nothing to her at all. Now that she was the beneficiary of such a gift, she felt great!

She said loudly, "No problem!"

Wei Wusheng suddenly thought of something. "Oh right, since you're selling roast duck, then you're also selling stewed meat, right? I also have a prescription here that can be added into the stew, and the taste can be even better."

He had often gone to Yunlai Restaurant to eat stewed meat before, and later, when he heard that there was a stall set up, he asked his own servants to buy it back. He also heard about the roast duck, but he did not manage to buy it even after going there twice.

"Really?" Jian Qingqing was even more surprised. She knew that some herbs can be put into stewed meat. It was healthier and tasted better. However, those were the exclusive recipes of others. What she made only used conventional spices.

56 New House Banquet

"Thank you, Big Brother! Let me know what you want to eat in the future. I'm not good at anything else, but I'm very good at cooking!"

Wei Wusheng really enjoyed her fawning manner and asked her to write down the recipe for the Medicinal Cuisine, and asked her to have a meal with him at the same time.

…

Wei Wusheng's recipe was indeed very useful. She added a few medicinal herbs into the brine to make it taste even better. There was an endless stream of people coming to buy it, and it simply could not meet the demand. There were even some customers who said that their appetite had become better after eating her braised meat.

Jian Qingqing felt that it was a very fulfilling thing for the things she made to be liked by others. When she earned enough money to let her family live a prosperous life, she also wanted to open a restaurant. When the time came, she would hire a few chefs and cook as she pleased. There was no need to be too busy. At that time, life was the life she truly hoped to live.

Jian Qingqing thought that her family's house would need to be built for at least a month, but she did not expect that it would be completed in 17 days.

The furniture and beds were all custom-made by Old Man Jian himself, and he also brought them back on the day the house was completed.

According to the customs of Shifeng County, the newly built house was to be celebrated by relatives, so on the last day of its completion, Old Man Jian invited the whole village to have a lively meal.

At this time, the spring planting had entered the follow-up stage, and many people had already planted everything they needed to plant, and the Jian Family was no exception. So today, the family was free to decorate the new house.

The Jian Family had been eating very well during this period of time, and Jian Qingqing often prepared Medicinal Cuisine for them, so they were no longer as skinny as before. Their faces had become ruddy and fleshy, and their bodies had become much stronger.

Xiao Hu and Jian Qingqing had also grown a little taller, and the Xiao Lang could also run and jump. They were very naughty.

Due to the honeysuckle incident in the Jian Family Village, each family had earned some money, so they were very grateful to Jian Qingqing. They came to help decorate their house.

Today, Jian Qingqing was the head chef and made a lot of food, including braised meat and roast duck. The kitchen was bustling with activity.

In the new house, Jian Dalang and the uncles in the village were moving furniture inside. The children picked up the dumplings and snacks. They ran from room to room.

Outside the house, Mother Jian and a group of aunties were knitting straw mats. The straw mats were woven by the guests on the day the new house was built. At night, the host would sleep on the newly woven straw mats.

Suddenly, the lively crowd quieted down and looked in a certain direction.

Following their line of sight, a young man on a tall horse slowly walked along the path. The young man was dressed in a blue brocade robe, and his face was like a crown of jade.

The Jian Family villagers were stunned for a moment and stared blankly at the approaching person.

The Village Chief put down the things in his hands and asked nervously, "May I ask who Young Master is looking for?"

Ming Zhiyan had dismounted, he nodded and replied, "There's no need to be so polite, Old Man. I'm a guest here for the banquet."

The Village Chief was puzzled. When did Old Man Jian have such a rich relative?

Standing at the side of the main door, Jian Dalang also came back to his senses and poked Old Man Jian. "Father, is that the person that big sister saved that day?"

That day, it was Jian Dalang who helped clean Ming Zhiyan's body and change his clothes. He had never seen such a handsome young man in his life, so he had a deep impression of him.

Old Man Jian looked at him carefully. "It seems to be him. Let's go and ask him."

When they went over, they heard Ming Zhiyan's reply and immediately smiled. "Young Master Ming, please come in quickly. Today, Big Sister is cooking, so the food will be enough!"

Ming Zhiyan cupped his fists and saluted. "Thank you, Uncle."

"Hey, come in and sit down! Brother, lead Young Master Ming's horse to the stable!"

Old Man Jian was very happy with Ming Zhiyan's arrival. He wanted to grab Ming Zhiyan's hand and bring him in. However, he was afraid that he would be too abrupt.

Ming Zhiyan glanced at him and took the initiative to help him into the house.

57 The County Magistrate Came the House

Jian Qingqing heard the commotion and looked outside. She happened to see her grandfather bringing Ming Zhiyan in. She handed the spatula to her aunt who was helping her. She quickly went out to welcome him. "My Lord, why are you here?"

Ming Zhiyan's lips twitched slightly and revealed a smile. "I heard that your new house is having a banquet. I took the liberty of coming here to ask for a bowl of wine to drink."

"Sure, sure. Please take a seat first. The dishes will be ready soon."

Jian Qingqing was going to make him a pot of tea. The villagers were not used to this stuff, so she only bought some to keep as a precaution.

Ming Zhiyan stopped her. "Miss Jian, you don't have to be so polite. Please don't mind me."

Jian Qingqing still went into the kitchen and made him a pot of tea. She did not know how much of a shock their conversation had left the villagers.

"My, My Lord?" Old Man Jian asked with his mouth agape.

Ming Zhiyan had yet to introduce him, he nodded slightly and said, "I am the new County Magistrate of Shifeng County, Ming Zhiyan."

Old Man Jian stared blankly at his mouth, which opened and closed. After a long while, he looked up at the sky and let out a long cry, "Oh my God!"

He was so excited that he was incoherent. "It's an official! An official!"

The Village Chief was also in disbelief. "You, you are really the County Magistrate?"

Ming Zhi Yan nodded. "It's true."

Instantly, the eyes of the entire village were focused on him. Their eyes were as bright as gold. An old lady's eyes were filled with tears. "It's really the County Magistrate! My Lord, thank you for allowing us to open up the land for farming. Otherwise, we don't know how much suffering we will have to endure in the future!"

When she said this, the villagers all nodded emotionally. "Thank you, County Magistrate!"

Ming Zhiyan was not used to such an occasion. In the past, in the Capital, those people wanted nothing more than to eat his flesh and drink his blood. This was the first time someone had thanked him, and he was so embarrassed that he was unable to accept it.

When Jian Qingqing came out, she saw a handsome young man surrounded by the aunts and uncles, his face slightly red.

She felt that he was inexplicably cute and could not help but laugh out loud. After admiring him for a while, she decided to go over and save him.

"Grandfather, Lord Ming, the tea is ready. Go and sit down."

Jian Qingqing pulled him out of the encirclement and brought him into the house. She made a cup of tea and said, "The house hasn't been fully built yet. It's a little chaotic. Please forgive me."

Ming Zhiyan shook his head slightly. He could see that Jian Qingqing was uncomfortable and said, "It's nothing. Miss Jian, if you have something to do, go ahead and do it. I'll do as I please."

Jian Qingqing did not really want to stay here to accompany him. The main reason was that she still had a lot of work to do, so she nodded and said, "Okay. Then Grandfather, Father, you guys accompany Lord Ming and chat."

"Ah, okay."

Old Man Jian and Jian Dalang were at a loss. This was the first time they had seen such a big official. It was as if they were dreaming.

Although they had saved his life before, they still did not dare to talk to him. They sat at the side and looked at him dryly.

Ming Zhiyan took a sip of tea and took the initiative to find a topic to talk about. "I am here to thank you for saving my life. I was in a hurry earlier and could not thank you in person. It's my fault."

Being thanked by the County Magistrate in person, Old Man Jian and Jian Dalang were so excited that their faces were red. They quickly waved their hands. "You're welcome. This is what we should do."

"If you all need any help in the future, you can come to me. I will definitely do my best to help."

"Yes, yes, yes. Thank you, My Lord."

Ming Zhiyan did not have the habit of putting on airs. He said, "Old Man and Jian Dalang, you can just call me Zhiyan in private."

Old Man Jian repeatedly waved his hands and said. "I can't do that. I don't dare to call you by your name."

"It's okay. I'm the junior here. You're the elder. It's only right for an elder to call me by my name."

Old Man Jian felt that Ming Zhiyan was a kind, polite, and humble official. He replied excitedly, "Hey, okay, okay, okay!"

58 Riding a Horse

Ming Zhiyan had poured himself another cup of tea, the scene quieted down once again. Old Man Jian and Jian Dalang nervously held each other's hands, not knowing what to say.

Ming Zhiyan was not a talkative person, he looked at the two nervous people in front of him and once again brought up the topic, "Old Man, this house of yours is very impressive."

Speaking of houses, Old Man Jian was very proud. That pride instantly overcame his restraint, "Of course! This is the only one in our Jian Family village! This is all thanks to Big Sister. You saw it a month ago, right? We were still living in that leaky thatched hut! Bis Sister is so smart. She sold mushrooms, then sold stewed meat, which slowly made our family better. We ate meat every meal, and now we have a brick house! Everyone in the village praised me for raising a good granddaughter!"

Ming Zhiyan nodded. He had sent people to investigate Jian Qingqing after she reported to the authorities last time. He knew that what she had done in the past month could change the face of the family in such a short time, indeed, there were many women who did not have the wisdom and character. He generously agreed, "Miss Jian is indeed very intelligent."

Old Man Jian was full of pride when he mentioned Jian Qingqing. "That's right! Big Sister is indeed very intelligent!"

After that, he seemed to realize that he was talking to an official. He had said all the things that he usually showed off to the villagers, so he said embarrassedly, "My Lord… Zhi, Zhiyan, am I talking too much?"

Ming Zhiyan smiled. "It's okay. Uncle, let's go out for a walk."

"Ah, okay!"

Old Man Jian took Ming Zhiyan to tour the new house. The new house took up a lot of land. It was divided into east and west wing rooms. All of them were made of bricks and tiles. This was the only one in all the villages in the ten miles. Now, only the bed, cabinet, and table were moved into the house, the rest of the rooms were slowly added after they were moved in. It was still empty, and there was nothing to see.

Ming Zhiyan quietly followed behind Old Man Jian and listened to him introduce these rooms. For example, who lived in this room, and what was this room used for.

Ming Zhiyan's horse was placed in a big shed outside the room by Jian Dalang. It was intended to be used to raise cattle.

At this moment, a group of children were lying on the fence, their eyes sparkling as they looked at the horse eating grass in the shed. They let out cries of surprise from time to time.

Ming Zhiyan saw their eager gazes and went in to lead the horse out.

"Do you want to touch it?"

The tall horse let out a disgruntled snort. Ming Zhiyan patted its head. The horse that was originally unhappy immediately lowered its proud head.

It could not be helped, its Master was too cruel.

The children looked at each other and hesitated. Ming Zhiyan's aura was too strong, they did not dare to go over.

Of course, they did not know what an aura was, but they felt that this brother did not look easy to deal with, and was not easy to talk to.

Xiao Hu also really wanted to touch this very fierce-looking big horse, but looking at the expressionless Ming Zhiyan, he was still a little afraid.

In the end, it was the younger Xiao Lang. He hugged the front leg of the horse and shouted loudly, "I want to ride the big horse! Ride the big horse!"

The horse resisted the urge to kick the child over and turned its head to the side.

After standing there for so long without anyone coming forward, Ming Zhiyan was actually a little embarrassed.

Finally, someone came. Ming Zhiyan happily raised Xiao Lang and put him on the horse's back.

59 Eating

"Good boy!"

Xiao Lang sat happily on the horse's back and giggled. He was so happy that he revealed a row of small and neat teeth. His two small hands excitedly patted the horse's back. "Hyah! Hyah!"

When Xiao Hu and Xiao Ye saw their younger brother sitting on the horse's back in a majestic manner, envy overcame their timidity. The two brothers looked at each other and went forward one after another. They awkwardly performed the gentleman's etiquette that a teacher taught them, they said nervously, "Sir, sir, I also want to ride!"

Ming Zhiyan patted Xiao Ye's head and carried them both to the horse, he asked gently, "Have you both studied?"

Xiao Ye answered shyly, his voice as soft as a mosquito, "Yes."

Xiao Hu was the oldest and braver. He answered loudly, "We have been in school for more than ten days. We are at the Detian Academy in the county. Sir, do you know the Detian Academy?"

"Of course I do. The gentleman from the Detian Academy is very powerful." There were three academies in the county besides the county school. These academies were all to train talents for the Imperial Court, so Ming Zhiyan was very concerned about them.

He patted the shoulders of the two people. "Study hard and you will serve the Imperial Court in the future."

"Yes!" The two children who had only been in school for more than ten days were very excited after receiving the encouragement from the County Magistrate.

When it was time to eat, the children in the village had already taken turns to sit on the big horses. At this moment, the group of children were all extremely excited. They surrounded Ming Zhiyan and called him Big Brother non-stop, they completely lost their initial fear.

Jian Qingqing stood at the door and shouted, "It's time to eat!"

In an instant, a group of children ran over like the wind. Ming Zhiyan was pulled by Xiao Hu and ran in the middle.

"Let's go, brother, eat with us. My sister's food is so delicious!"

Old Man Jian originally wanted to arrange for him to sit at the master table, but seeing that he was enjoying sitting among the children, he thought about it and decided to give up. Even though Ming Zhiyan was an official, he did not look that old. He was still young, so he should sit at the same table as the children.

Jian Qingqing looked at the people surrounded by a group of children. She could not help but Sigh at Ming Zhiyan's popularity. Both adults and children liked him.

When the dishes were served, everyone was like a wolf seeing meat. They dug out the rice ferociously.

Mmm, how fragrant!

The villagers lamented that Jian Qingqing's family was about to get up. The dishes for a new family banquet were so good. The rice was pure white rice. They had not even seen the dishes on the table. Not only were there stewed meat and roast duck, there were also sweet and sour ribs, red braised meat, and mutton soup. All of them were meat!

The green and tender vegetables were placed on the porcelain-white plate. When they were filled with oil and salt, they were so delicious that they wanted to swallow their tongues!

Moreover, the Jian Family's prestige was so great that even the County Magistrate and adults came to congratulate them!

After eating this meal, it was enough for them to brag about for the rest of their lives!

As soon as the dishes on the child's table were served, the children rushed over. No matter how elegant Ming Zhiyan ate, the food was so good that he had no choice but eat more than usual. However, he chose his favorite dishes and did not touch the vegetables or mutton soup.

The mutton soup did not have the smell of mutton at all. Instead, it reflected the freshness of mutton. The vegetables had a light sweetness to it. Ming Zhiyan felt that Jian Qingqing's cooking skills were enough to be the head chef of a big restaurant.

When Xiao Ye saw that Ming Zhiyan only ate vegetables, he picked up a piece of rib that he thought was the best and gave it to him. Then, he buried his face in the bowl shyly.

Ming Zhiyan smiled and also gave him a piece. "You eat too."

Xiao Ye happily squinted his eyes and ate.

60 Processing Medicinal Herbs

Old Man Jian looked at the table with a smile. The Village Chief asked in a low voice, "Brother Quan, how do you know the County Magistrate?"

Old Man Jian also replied in a low voice, "He was injured once and was saved by Big Sister. At that time, we didn't know that he was the County Magistrate."

The Village Chief understood. It seemed that it was not unreasonable for Old Man Jian's family to be able to prosper. If it was him, it should be said that the vast majority of the people in the village would definitely not save an injured person they did not know. In this world, they might get into trouble if they got involved with random, dangerous people.

If Jian Qingqing dared to save him, it meant that she was a kind person. Such a person's luck was usually not that bad.

He could not be envious. It was his fault that his family did not have such a clear-minded granddaughter, the Village Chief thought to himself bitterly. However, when he thought of the path that Jian Qingqing provided for the villagers to make money, he drank a mouthful of rice wine happily. It was their fortune to have such a blessed life in the Jian Family Village!

Ming Zhiyan did not stay after the meal, he left with the gifts and rode away.

The villagers stayed behind to help clean up the leftovers. Mother Jian asked them to pack up the leftovers. Although it was leftovers, it was still a very rich feast for the villagers who had not eaten meat for a long time, this action was also greatly praised by the villagers.

After sending off the guests, Jian Qingqing looked at the gift Ming Zhiyan had left behind. She knew that it was difficult. This gift was placed in an exquisite and luxurious wooden box. The things inside should not be too bad.

However, she was afraid that it would be too expensive and she would not be able to pay it back in the future.

Old Man Jian comforted her, "Big sister, open it. They know what kind of family we are. They don't expect us to be able to pay back the same value of the gift. Moreover, we have saved him before. This is a fair gift."

Jian Qingqing thought about it and agreed, so she opened the box without feeling guilty.

Seeing the things inside, she let out a sigh of relief. It turned out to be two sets of the four treasures of the study. It seemed that he knew that Little Hu and little ye were studying, so he gave them such practical things. Once again, she sighed with emotion at his thoughtfulness.

With one look, she could tell that these two sets of treasures of the study, and they were of high quality. They were many times better than the ones she had bought in the county. They could be left behind to wait for Xiao Hu and the others to have some progress in their studies before they use them. It would be a waste if they used them now.

"Big Sister, what is it?"

"Two sets of treasures of the study."

Old Man Jian had never heard of it before. "What is that?"

Jian Qingqing explained patiently, "The four treasures of the study are pens, ink, paper, and inkstones. They are things used for reading."

"Aiyo!" Old Man Jian understood this time. "You have to put away the things used for reading. They are precious!"

"Okay, I'll put them away. I'll use them when Xiao Hu and the others are older."

…

After the feast in the new house, the spring planting came to an end. Jian Qingqing did not plan to let her grandfather and the others continue to work so hard. She wanted to hire someone to do the land development work, or she could buy it from someone else.

Old Man Jian and the others did not agree. Farmers did not have a sense of security without touching the ground. However, under Jian Qingqing's strong request, they still agreed to what she called the 'combination of work and rest'.

In addition to the villagers starting to develop the land in a frenzy, they also began to produce the Iron-skinned Dendrobium.

The village chief had people dig up all the Dendrobium, and all the village women worked together to produce the Dendrobium. The money they sold was distributed according to the population.

Producing medicinal herbs was a very delicate and tiring task. Jian Qingqing spent two days teaching them and produced three pots of medicinal herbs that were damaged. This made their hearts ache. These things could be sold for money, so they had to be even more careful.

They were not afraid of being tired, but they were afraid of not having money.

Jian Qingqing saw that they had all learned well, so she left to continue her business.