The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 263 The Eldest Sister is so Capricious (9)_1

Chapter 263: Chapter 263 The Eldest Sister is so Capricious (9)_1

Thinking of this, Wu Dongsi nodded in agreement and asked Pei Qin how much sweet potato she had planted and the condition of the field, saying he would also like to go and see how the sweet potatoes were doing.

Shen Songming knew he was taking it seriously and didn’t say much more. He simply stood up and signaled Pei Qin with his eyes to leave. He had a lot of grievances he wanted to vent to someone.

But they didn’t get a chance to talk on the way because Sun Lizheng had joined them.

Sun Lizheng had been holding back the whole way, wanting to ask Shen Songming what his identity was that could make the County Magistrate pay him such attention. Listening to them talk familiarly about sweet potatoes and the various ways to eat them, Sun Lizheng restrained himself from asking.

After getting out of the carriage, Shen Songming ordered the servants to carry a chest into the house. Sun Lizheng hung back and pulled Pei Qin aside to whisper, "This Young Master Shen, what’s his identity?" Given the County Magistrate’s attitude, he must be more than just a Scholar.

Pei Qin glanced at Shen Songming directing people to move the boxes and said to him, "His father is the Jinan Magistrate."

Sun Lizheng nodded in sudden understanding, "No wonder! No wonder!" He was astonished that Pei Qin knew the son of the Jinan Magistrate and was so closely acquainted.

Seeing his gaze turn sharp as he looked at Shen Songming, covetous of influence and power, Pei Qin rolled her eyes in secret. If he knew this guy had an Elder Statesman for an uncle, would he be groveling at his feet?

Sun Lizheng then came over to invite Shen Songming to stay at his house, which had two empty rooms.

"Two rooms won’t be enough. We’ll go find an inn!" Shen Songming wasn’t keen on staying somewhere uncomfortable. If it weren’t for Chang Yonglin staying at Pei Qin’s house, he would have sent his attendants to the inn and settled in himself. Actually... he could have stayed too!

Seeing that he was reluctant and was accompanied by several attendants, Sun Lizheng let it go and asked Pei Qin to take good care of him.

Once Sun Lizheng had left, Shen Songming turned to Pei Qin with a grin, "Pei Laoda! I still have a lot of things to discuss with you. Can your family spare a room for me to stay in?"

Pei Qin looked at him coolly, "No room! The two vacant rooms are now full of beans, piled up high. Do you want to sleep on top of the beans?"

Shen Songming’s face fell, muttering discontentedly, "That’s what I hate about the ancient times! If it were the modern era, squeezing into one room wouldn’t be a problem!" He wouldn’t mind sleeping on the floor.

"What did you say?" Pei Qin asked him.

Shen Songming cast her a plaintive look, "I want to eat fried sweet potato balls, candied sweet potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, and steamed buns!"

Pei Yuan and Pei Qian came out just in time to see him having people move a bunch of stuff and then heard him request a bunch of food.

Pei Qin ignored him and went straight into the house.

Couldn’t he do something more in line with the pure and innocent image of modern girls? Shen Songming grumbled as he followed her in.

The servants carried the boxes into the house, stacking them up.

Shen Songming sorted through the chests and trunks, showing off specialty pastries from various places, famous snacks, cool wood carvings, a peach wood sword, a Bagua Mirror, several unique fabric patterns, squashed clay figurines, some flawed but cheap-looking raw jade stones, and a mishmash of items.

Pei Qin’s mouth twitched, "You could open a stall with all this stuff!"

"Why would I set up a stall? All these things are useful!" Shen Songming looked at her strangely and then opened another trunk, "These vases, teaware, and some stationery, they’re all usable!"

Pei Qin nodded; this trunk was somewhat reliable at least, definitely of use. She left him to sort through his things himself and headed to the kitchen to make sweet potato dishes.

Fried sweet potato balls, roasted sweet potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, fortunately, they had pumpkin porridge cooking and hadn’t added more sweet potatoes.

Pei Wendong, holding a set of writing materials, was thrilled, and Shen Songming had already coaxed him into calling him "brother."

Pei Yuan and Pei Qian also got a share of various items.

Chang Yonglin, with his lips pursed, looked somewhat unconvinced as he eyed Shen Songming. So what if his family had more money!

Knowing he was the Little Radish from Landlord Chang’s house, Shen Songming gave him something too.

Once the meal was served, Shen Songming started eating heartily without regard for image, "Although I’ve eaten many delicacies, the cooking skills here are too terrible! Many of the dishes don’t taste right! Aren’t you planning on making soy sauce? When can we have soy sauce? I’ve been craving red-braised pork so much my eyes are straight!" he said, looking directly at her.

"It’ll be at least half a year. The koji has just started fermenting; it won’t yield any soy sauce for another three to five months," Pei Qin replied irritably.

Shen Songming wanted to complain to her, why hadn’t she started making soy sauce before! But seeing the look on Pei Qin’s face when she saw the pair of odds and ends he had bought, he held back his words.

After the meal, he was ready to talk with her, but Pei Yuan, Pei Qian, Pei Wendong, and Chang Yonglin were all sitting nearby, so Pei Qin used the excuse of him having traveled a long way and sent him away.

The next day, bright and early, Pei Qin went to the market to buy fish and meat and picked out some vegetables.

After breakfast, just past the second quarter of the si hour, County Magistrate Wu Dongsi arrived in casual clothing with his entourage.

Pei Qin and Shen Songming came out together to greet him, while Sun Lizheng, having received the news, also hurried over.

Lady Zhu and Lady Chen had taken grain to the mill to grind flour and seeing Pei Qin, one’s glance was sharp like needles, the other poisonous. The village was all abuzz that this shameless girl had acquired a large expanse of land, dozens of acres.

Pei Wenbo, who had accompanied them, suddenly pointed at Wu Dongsi and said, "Mother! That’s Master County! Last time father and second uncle spoke with him, I recognized him!"

Lady Chen was startled, "Really, Master County?" Why would such an uncorrupted official come to Taiping Town, and to speak with that shameless girl?

"It’s true! He’s the highest-ranking official I’ve ever seen, I recognize him!" Pei Wenbo asserted confidently.