The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 865 - 843: 2 Lucky Arrivals

Chapter 865: Chapter 843: 2 Lucky Arrivals

Rumors spread so quickly and deeply that even the Prince of Yizhou, who seldom interfered in household affairs, heard about them.

He was slightly angry, but more than that, he was disappointed in the Princess Consort. He hadn’t expected her to make such a big fuss over such a trivial matter. The other party was merely three youngsters with no significant backing, and yet things had turned out this way—it was impossible for him not to feel disappointed.

So when he returned to the inner courtyard and found that the Princess Consort still wanted to summon the three to rebuke them, he couldn’t help but berate her angrily, "Do you think it’s still not chaotic enough? You indulge your servants, fail to govern your subordinates strictly, and now you think to add arrogance to your faults?"

The color drained from the Princess Consort’s face as she quickly got up and performed a salute, murmuring, "Should I summon them to apologize then?"

"The dignity of this prince still matters, and they aren’t worth that much concern—they’re just children, after all. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future," said the prince, "You should go out less recently and try not to provoke others. In seven or eight days, who will even remember this incident?"

The Princess Consort of Yizhou reluctantly agreed.

The Prince recalled the words of his advisers and left in a huff.

For Manbao, this matter was already in the past; she was currently busy studying headaches.

Doctor Ji took Manbao to visit Old Master Guan in the suburbs twice recently. Manbao was organizing Old Master Guan’s medical case records from over the years, learning while she sorted. She also dealt with the herbal farmers who came to her, buying the unrecorded medicinal herbs they brought and paying them a substantial amount of money.

Thus, she had almost forgotten about selling flowers, and she even forgot about Qi Jue’s birthday.

However, Bai Shan almost forgot too—the only one who didn’t was Bai Erlang.

Mainly because he couldn’t forget even if he wanted to—someone was always there to remind him.

A few friends were gathered at the entrance of the academy to bid farewell. Qi Jue and Bai Erlang waved their hands, reminding them, "Don’t forget my birthday feast tomorrow."

Bai Erlang waved his hand impatiently, "I won’t forget, I won’t forget; you’ve mentioned it a hundred and eighty times today."

On the side, Shan Yu said, "It was not a hundred and eighty times, just six times, ha ha ha ha..."

Qi Jue was so annoyed that he kicked Shan Yu.

Bai Erlang ran to the street to find his family’s carriage, but when he didn’t see Daji and the familiar carriage, he was puzzled for a moment. He looked around and a young man approached him, saying, "Erlang!"

Bai Erlang turned his head and blinked, asking, "You are Brother Liu from the lane’s end?"

"Yes," Liu Dalang said with a wide grin, "Daji was busy today and couldn’t come, so he hired me to pick you up."

Bai Erlang looked at him suspiciously; he had discussed with Manbao and Bai Shan about 180 different methods to trick and trap people, including all kinds of tricks played by acquaintances.

Liu Dalang choked under his gaze, taking a while before saying, "Young Master Bai Er, our families are neighbors, surely I wouldn’t harm you?"

Bai Erlang replied, "Even parents might sell their children."

Liu Dalang: ...

He rolled his eyes in frustration, pointing down the road, "From the academy to our alley takes barely over a quarter hour to run; what could I possibly trick you into?"

"Daji wouldn’t be unavailable; he has to pick up Bai Shan as well."

"Master Shan went home early in the afternoon."

Bai Erlang immediately climbed onto Liu Dalang’s donkey cart, exclaiming, "Let’s hurry, let’s hurry."

Liu Dalang slowly went to fetch the donkey and asked, "Do you trust me now, Second Young Master?"

"Ah, Brother Liu, why do you have so much to say," Bai Shan blurted anxiously, "He rarely takes leave without a serious reason; something must have happened at home. Let’s hurry!"

Liu Dalang finally climbed onto the donkey cart, urging the donkey forward.

Barely reaching the entrance of the alley, Bai Erlang jumped off the cart and rushed straight to his home’s door.

As he pushed open the door, Mr. Zhuang, who was drowsily lounging in the armchair, lifted his eyes to see him, then sank back down, waving his hand and said, "You’re back? Put down your book basket and come over here, tell me what you learned today?"

Bai Erlang’s gaze swept around the house, noticing some activity in the kitchen, he ran up and asked, "Teacher, where are Manbao and Shanbao?"

"Hmm?" Mr. Zhuang seemed to ponder for a moment before slowly saying, "Your Senior Sister and Senior Brother are busy with some matters, you first recite your lessons to me."

A chill ran down Bai Erlang’s spine, although dominated by the fear of recitation, he couldn’t help asking, "What are they busy with?"

Mr. Zhuang shook his head and said, "I don’t know; children grow up and can’t be managed any longer."

Bai Erlang grumbled to himself, "I’m even older than them."

Mr. Zhuang then opened his eyes to look at him, "So you don’t want me to manage you either?"

Bai Erlang shivered and immediately shook his head, "No."

Mr. Zhuang glared at him, "Then come recite now!"

Bai Erlang put down his book basket and approached with a sullen face, feeling victimized on someone else’s behalf, sure that Bai Shan and Manbao had angered the teacher who was now taking it out on him.

At this moment, Bai Shan and Manbao were sitting together in a carriage, led by Daji into a teahouse. They booked a private room, then left through the back door, boarding another carriage.

Daji was also with them in the carriage, driven by the teahouse’s regular coachman, who normally made deliveries for the teahouse.

Manbao had just returned from the Guan family’s residence outside the city that day when Daji quietly told her, "Erji is here."

Manbao found herself unable to focus on her book or her studies anymore.

Daji, too, was somewhat distracted, and although Mr. Zhuang didn’t know what the matter was exactly, after watching the two for a long while, he gestured for Manbao to go free.

Still, he felt a vague melancholy; his son had managed to keep secrets from him until he was eighteen, and that was when he realized that as children grow up, parents must learn to turn a deaf ear, the only way forward to live smoothly.

Could it be that these children, only twelve or thirteen, were already grown?

Mr. Zhuang was deeply saddened and wandered off in sorrow.

Manbao urged Daji to go to the government school to find Bai Shan, using the excuse of a family emergency to get him early leave, and then the two of them stealthily went out with Daji to meet Erji.

If it had been any other matter, Daji would have refused to act this way, but this time it was his own younger brother arriving, and since protecting the young master after arriving in Qili Village, he hadn’t seen Erji again, so impulsively, he went to fetch the young master.

In fact, he regretted leading them out the moment they had left.

The Old Madam was not very keen on the young master getting too involved in this matter, he had even consulted her about whether the young master and Miss Man could meet Erji.

But with people already out, Daji could hardly go back on his word, so he resolutely led them onward.

The further they traveled, the busier the streets became, turning more crowded and narrower, someone called out to the coachman, "You’re back so early today?"

"Yes, the manager settled accounts quickly today."

When they arrived in front of a residence, the coachman jumped down, dismantled the threshold, and led the horse carriage inside. He turned around to close the gate, exchanging a laugh with someone, then finally secured the gate and said softly to those in the carriage, "We’re here, come on down."

Daji lifted the curtain and hopped down from the carriage, helping Bai Shan and Manbao down, and frowned as he asked, "Why choose such a place?"