Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Minghe and Yu Tongtong joined in shouting, "Lift its tail feathers, quick!"

Tail, tail feathers?

Where?

Pei Yanli was confused by what the children were saying.

Lu Ming, reacting quickly, lifted the hen's tail feathers, revealing a freshly laid egg that began to fall.

"Ah! It's falling!" the children yelled.

Xiao Yu was also startled.

Lu Ming, skilled in martial arts, swiftly caught the egg with a swift hand movement.

Xiao Yu and the three children let out a sigh of relief.

Pei Yanli, who had been rigorously trained in rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and arithmetic from a young age and later conducted himself with strict discipline in the court and on the battlefield, never imagined he would one day be catching chickens and eggs.

"To touch a freshly laid egg and find it warm, that's really astonishing," Lu Ming expressed his surprise.

Pei Yanli was momentarily at a loss for words.

The three children ran up to Pei Yanli and Lu Ming, with Danzi saying, "Big brother, second brother, thank you."

Minghe and Yu Tongtong followed with their thanks.

Danzi asked, "Can you give us back the hen and the egg?"

Naturally, Pei Yanli and Lu Ming had no intention of keeping a chicken and an egg.

Minghe reached out to take the egg.

Yu Tongtong cautioned from the side, "Be careful, Minghe, be very careful."

Danzi hugged the hen, gently patting it, "Cluck cluck, don't be afraid, don't be shy, I’ll take you back home."

The three children returned to Little River Tavern with the chicken and egg.

Xiao Yu approached Pei Yanli and Lu Ming to express his gratitude.

"It's a small matter," Lu Ming responded.

As Xiao Yu was about to say something more, he noticed Pei Yanli looking at his own hand with distaste, as if he had a bit of a cleanliness obsession, and quickly suggested, "Why not come into the tavern to wash your hands?"

Lu Ming turned to Pei Yanli, asking, "What do you think?"

Pei Yanli nodded in agreement.

After washing their hands at Little River Tavern, Xiao Yu asked, "Would you like to have lunch here today? I'll cook for you."

"Sure," Lu Ming was keen on having a meal.

Xiao Yu then inquired, "Do you have any dietary restrictions?"

"No," Lu Ming replied. In the frontier, where they had to make do with coarse food, there was no room for being picky.

Xiao Yu further asked, "Any preferences?"

Lu Ming responded, "Anything is fine."

Finding him easy-going, Xiao Yu smiled, "Alright, then please take a seat. I'll go and prepare the food."

Lu Ming nodded.

Xiao Yu left to cook.

Lu Ming and Pei Yanli sat at a window seat on the second floor.

The ground floor was bustling with people coming and going.

Lu Ming couldn't help but sigh, "If we could also live such ordinary lives, it would be nice."

Pei Yanli picked up his teacup, took a gentle sip, and set it down, remarking, "Someone has to bear the burdens to ensure that others can live these ordinary lives."

Every time Lu Ming was tempted to indulge in pleasure, Pei Yanli had a way of bringing him back to reality with just a word or two. He said, "You're right."

Pei Yanli said no more.

Lu Ming asked, "Where shall we go this afternoon?"

Pei Yanli replied, "Continue inquiring at the docks."

In addition to a major official dock, Qingshi Town had two smaller docks used by locals for leisure, visiting relatives, and transporting goods. If Hua Momo and Yang Gonggong brought the child to Qingshi Town, they would likely have disembarked at one of these smaller docks. With many small traders around, who must have seen many people and events, by asking around, they hoped to find some trace of Hua Momo and her group.

"Okay."

As they spoke, Zhang Wu brought over a dish of fried peanuts and a dish of mixed cold strips, saying, "The hot dishes will take a bit longer, please start with these."

Lu Ming nodded.

Though they were told to wait a bit, dishes like steamed pork ribs, roasted pepper with eggplant, chestnut braised chicken, Dongpo pork, and tender scrambled eggs were served one after the other.

Soon, the table was full.

"Xiao Yu is really generous," Lu Ming commented.

Pei Yanli remarked calmly, "You'll pay for it later."

Lu Ming, cheerfully said, "He invited us to eat."

"You really feel okay with that?"

"I have no problem with it!" Lu Ming's face was indeed thick-skinned.

Just then, Xiao Yu arrived with two pots of wine, saying, "This is our famous Peach Blossom Wine from Qingshi Town. Everyone loves it. Please, give it a try."

"This is too generous of you," Lu Ming said, though his hand was already reaching out to take the wine.

"Master Xiao, why don’t you sit and eat with us?" Pei Yanli invited.

Xiao Yu was surprised to hear Kong Eleven, Pei Yanli, say such words. Looking up, he saw the natural ease in Pei Yanli's posture – a demeanor nurtured by a good family background and wealth, effortlessly polite and comforting.

He smiled, "No, thank you. The shop will get busy soon. Please enjoy your meal, this is my way of thanking you for your help."

"Eradicating corrupt officials is the duty of those in office," Pei Yanli said, focused on finding the child and not wanting to be involved in "trivial matters." But now, aware of Fu Huai’s misdeeds, he couldn't just stand by.

"Exactly," agreed Lu Ming.

"Being grateful and repaying kindness is my principle in life," Xiao Yu added.

Pei Yanli recalled the day of heavy snow when Xiao Yu sent a dish of dumplings to thank him for his regular patronage at Little River Early Breakfast Shop. He slightly smiled, looking into Xiao Yu’s clear eyes, and nodded, "You are right."

Xiao Yu smiled, "Then, please take your time. I need to get back to work."

Pei Yanli and Lu Ming nodded.

Xiao Yu went downstairs, instructing Zhang Wu, Liao, and others not to charge Kong Eleven and Lu Twelve.

Pei Yanli and Lu Ming began to eat.

Suddenly, Lu Ming covered his mouth and exclaimed.

"What's the matter?" asked Pei Yanli.

"Yanli, this tender scrambled eggs dish is absolutely delicious! The customers were right; Xiao Yu’s cooking is even better than Chef Yu's. It's softer, crispier, more flavorful – just amazing." After a few bites, Lu Ming continued to excitedly praise each dish.

Pei Yanli, ignoring Lu Ming's enthusiasm, methodically tasted each dish, thinking to himself, "Indeed, it's delicious."

As they were eating, more customers started to arrive.

Not wanting to occupy the seats any longer, the two quickly left the table.

Zhang Wu came upstairs to clear the dishes and found a silver ingot left on the table. He immediately brought it to Xiao Yu, saying, "This is left by Kong Eleven and Lu Twelve."

So, they did leave payment after all.

Xiao Yu, unsure how long the two would be conducting their inspection or whether they would return, decided to accept the payment for now, saying, "Next time I see them, I'll return it."

"Alright, I'll get back to work then."

"Go ahead."

With Xiao Yu and Chef Yu there, business at Little River Tavern picked up significantly until the lunch rush passed, and the tavern finally quieted down. The staff busied themselves with clearing tables, sweeping, and washing dishes.

The two swill buckets in the kitchen were full.

Xiao Yu said to Zhang Wu, "Let’s take the swill to Hong San Niang together." Hong San Niang, the only person in Shuiqing Alley who kept pigs, usually received the swill from Xiao Yu to feed her animals.

Zhang Wu agreed.

The three children also wanted to come along.

"What are you going to do?" Xiao Yu asked.

"See the piggies!" the three children answered in unison.

Knowing how much children love animals, Xiao Yu didn't stop them.

The group, leaving from the back of the tavern, made their way to Hong San Niang’s place.

Hong San Niang greeted Xiao Yu with a smile, "Master Xiao, you're here."

Xiao Yu glanced at the two pigs in the pen, "San Niang, I see your pigs have grown."

"In two more months, they'll be ready for sale. After that, I won't raise pigs anymore. I'll be taking care of my grandson," Hong San Niang said, cheerfully taking the swill bucket from Xiao Yu and pouring it into the pig trough.

"What about our swill when your pigs are gone?" asked Zhang Wu.

Standing upright, Hong San Niang suggested cheerfully, "Why don’t you raise pigs? To be honest, your tavern is doing so well, you have too much swill. My two big pigs can't eat it all. You should raise your own pigs. If you have questions, just ask me."

"Raise pigs!" Xiao Yu and Zhang Wu were slightly taken aback.

Hong San Niang explained, "It's simple. Fence off the woods behind your tavern and let the pigs roam and forage. After mealtime, bring them the swill. They grow quickly if they’re happy and well-fed. If they get sick, just call a vet."

Xiao Yu had never considered raising pigs before.

Hong San Niang continued, "Then your tavern won’t lack pork, be it boar, sow, or piglet, right?"

"But that requires extra hands," Zhang Wu noted.

"Hire someone! Careful raising pays off," advised Hong San Niang.

Zhang Wu looked at Xiao Yu, seeking his opinion.

Xiao Yu, already contemplating expanding the tavern, was tempted by Hong San Niang's suggestion. However, currently preoccupied with his lawsuit, he replied, "Thank you, San Niang. I'll think about it. For now, we'll continue to bring our swill to your pigs."

"I should be thanking you! Look how healthy my pigs are thanks to you," Hong San Niang said with a laugh.

On the way back, Minghe excitedly asked, "Uncle, are we going to raise pigs?"

"Yay!" Yu Tongtong cheered.

Danzi eagerly added, "Uncle, let me do it! I’ll raise them big and fat, then we can eat them!"

Xiao Yu, who had never raised pigs but had read 'Postnatal Care of Sows,' felt there were many things to consider, "Raising pigs is hard work."

"We're not afraid!" the three children said in unison.

Seeing their enthusiasm, Xiao Yu smiled, "Then Uncle will consider it."

"Okay!"

The group returned to the tavern, washed their hands, and took a nap in various beds. When Xiao Yu woke up in the afternoon, the children were still sleeping and the staff had already started preparing vegetables. He too began to get busy.

By evening, the number of customers in the tavern gradually increased.

Xiao Yu was pleasantly surprised to see Kong Eleven and Lu Twelve again, exclaiming, "Eleven, Twelve, you’re back."

"Came for dinner," Pei Yanli felt a bit awkward eating all three meals at Little River Tavern, but Lu Ming, with his thick skin, had grown fond of Xiao Yu and Chef Yu’s cooking and insisted on eating there daily, dragging Pei Yanli along.

"Welcome," Xiao Yu curiously asked, "Do you live nearby?"

Lu Ming pointed behind him, "Over there."

"You're staying at Shuiqing Inn?"

"Right," nodded Lu Ming.

"That's close," Xiao Yu was about to say more when he felt a bump on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Lawyer Li sneaking a glance at him before hurriedly heading towards the backyard.

What's going on?

Without time to return Kong and Lu's money, Xiao Yu apologized to them and then followed Lawyer Li into the backyard.

Lawyer Li stood in the darkness.

Xiao Yu called out softly, "Lawyer Li—"

"Shh," Lawyer Li gestured for silence.

Xiao Yu cautiously looked around and approached Lawyer Li.

Lawyer Li took something from his pocket and thrust it into Xiao Yu’s arms, whispering, "Shopkeeper Yao’s people came to me."

"Shopkeeper Yao?" Xiao Yu, holding the papers to his chest, asked in shock, "What did he want with you?"

Lawyer Li spoke candidly, "He wanted me to pretend to defend you."

Xiao Yu, puzzled, asked, "What do you mean?"

Lawyer Li revealed without any concealment, "He wanted me to appear to be helping you, but during the court trial, I would pretend to be persuaded by the opposing lawyer, leading to your defeat."

Xiao Yu was astonished, "Such things happen!" He had only seen such deceptive legal tactics in TV dramas and never expected to encounter them in reality.

"If I refused, they would target my family. So I sneaked here to give you the legal documents. You should find a lawyer with a strong background. I'm sorry, I've let you down, and Brother Sanwu too." Lawyer Li was caught in a dilemma, not wanting to endanger his family or harm Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu then realized that what he held was a roll of paper, "What about you—"

Lawyer Li hastily interrupted, "Tomorrow, I'll come to discuss the legal documents with you. Act unsatisfied with me and dismiss me."

"Will that satisfy Shopkeeper Yao?" Xiao Yu inquired.