The Lucky Farmgirl

Wei Zhi returned to the governmental office on time, and in the afternoon, he took some official documents to the emperor for processing.

The emperor didn’t show any signs of discomfort, so Wei Zhi had no idea that the emperor, who hadn’t exercised for a long time, was feeling a bit of soreness in his back and waist after suddenly riding for an hour.

After sending the guests off, Manbao and her companions immediately ran to the back to find Princess Mingda and Princess Changyu.

Princess Changyu’s face was a bit flushed, and Manbao teased her, bumping her shoulder with a giggle, "Is it because of Young Lord Wei?"

Changyu blushed, but swept a sidelong glance at Bai Shan next to her, "Stop teasing me."

Who doesn’t have a fiancé? Do you want us to hurt each other?

Manbao then stopped the teasing and said to the two, "Let’s go play."

The group quietly sneaked out from the east side gate.

Once seated in the carriage, Mingda remembered to ask, "What about your guests at home?"

"Most have already left," Manbao said. "We deliberately chose today for the banquet as the adults need to return to the governmental office, and some of the madams have to go home to care for their children. Those who are still at our home either have close ties or are idle old madams."

With Grandma Liu and her mother there, and a few of her sisters-in-law, they had more than enough to take care of the guests without them having to entertain. There are plenty of excuses the family can come up with.

Manbao was right; now only Madam Tang and Second Miss Fu remained at the Zhou Residence, but they were about to leave as well, standing in the front yard ready to get into the carriage.

Due to Zhou Man, Madam Tang had a good relationship with Second Miss Fu. Over the past two years, although not particularly close, they occasionally went out to eat and shop together and were considered a communicative group.

At this moment, Madam Tang wanted to invite Second Miss Fu to visit and make friends with her cousin.

She really liked Second Miss Fu’s intelligence and character. She heard that Second Miss Fu hadn’t lived well before; during childbirth, her husband’s family openly abandoned her in favor of saving the child and wouldn’t let her see a doctor, but now she’s in charge, and her mother-in-law has to ask her for money even to buy half a bolt of cloth, and her father-in-law’s salary bypasses her father-in-law and mother-in-law, going straight into her hands.

Even in this situation, her father-in-law praises her, believing their family married a good daughter-in-law while helping to suppress her parents-in-law and husband.

Madam Tang had seen their couple on the road before; Yue Dalang appeared elegant and seemed to care for his wife, but even he had to gently request to buy an inkstone.

Knowing the background, Madam Tang did not pity Yue Dalang, but secretly scolded: Men are usually such dogs.

Her husband, Tang, was the exception.

County Magistrate Tang, unaware of the secret praise from his wife, sneezed twice in a row upon returning to the governmental office, rubbed his nose, and felt pleased, "Someone must be thinking of me."

Madam Tang hoped her cousin could learn some tactics from Fu Er, though not to be used against the Ma Family, as they were not needed anymore.

But such assertiveness and capability could be learned.

Fu Er suffered due to family background; if the Fu Family’s status had been slightly higher than the Yue Family’s, they wouldn’t have left Fu Er at Yue’s, and they would have parted ways long ago.

In Great Jin, the daughters were still very dignified.

As the carriage moved on, Madam Tang thought the few carriages that just passed around the corner looked familiar, "They seem like the carriages Zhou Man and the others often use, and the guards nearby are Bai Family’s, right?"

Madam Tang furrowed her brow, puzzled, "Weren’t they said to be drunk after toasting and unable to get up?"

Madam Tang’s maid looked closely and uncertainly said, "Maybe they are seeing off someone? Wasn’t it said that many relatives came from Bai Family?"

Madam Tang sneered, "Them? If they don’t stay until night, they probably won’t leave, and stay late, maybe they won’t want to leave at all."

Right, Bai Family’s relatives indeed hadn’t left, still chatting with Old Madam Liu and Ms. Qian.

Bai Family was very satisfied with this marriage alliance, even feeling subtly that Bai Shan’s achievements today were partly due to Zhou Man’s influence.

The Bai Family clan members quietly discussed, thinking Bai Shan wouldn’t have been able to enter the palace or file a lawsuit without Zhou Man, the little famed physician leading him. Otherwise, it would’ve cost him his life hitting the Drum, not to mention directly petitioning the emperor would be more appropriate and sensational.

This accumulated his reputation.

Also, as Zhou Man treated the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Bai Shan entered Chongwen Pavilion, becoming a companion to the Crown Prince;

Even this time’s ennobling was due to following Zhou Man on the Journey to the West in search of medicinal herbs, coincidentally aiding the Western Expedition and capturing Kucha City as an inside agent, or else...

Thus, Zhou Man is truly a blessed person; whoever is close to her benefits.

There’s envy, but more jealousy.

Hence, Bai Family’s relatives and madams were particularly enthusiastic with Ms. Qian and several sisters-in-law of Zhou Family, wishing they could also move into Zhou Residence.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t. Zhou Family didn’t respond, and even Old Madam Liu seemed not to understand their hints about Beijing’s high living cost, instead sighing with them, "Yes, the cost of living in Beijing is very high; housing is expensive, everything is costly."

Ms. Qian added, "If it weren’t for Manbao’s salary and her brothers capable of working for extra household income, we wouldn’t dare to live in Beijing; too costly."

Grandma Liu further sighed, "Indeed, our family relies on those few acres left and collects some shop rent to support Shanbao’s education, otherwise, with us two widows idle, we wouldn’t know how to manage."

Ms. Qian echoed, "Our relatives are also struggling."

Grandma Liu chuckled, "Luckily, Manbao generously let us stay here, saving a rental cost, or else it would be more difficult."

Bai Family’s relatives laughed awkwardly, unaware that Grandma Liu had two houses in Beijing, but knowing Bai Shan rented in Changqing Alley when first came to the city, which White Dalang later purchased.

But it’s said the place is small, just enough for them as a couple, Bai Erlang as a younger brother couldn’t squeeze in and stayed with his teacher at Zhou Man’s.

Indeed, Bai Shan and Bai Erlang living here naturally needed legitimate reasons, and of course, not because Bai Shan is Manbao’s fiancé, as that would sound too opportunistic.

Thus, both Zhou and Bai families publicly stated they lived with Mr. Zhuang.

A teacher living with students is perfectly proper, and one student living with another student is equally proper; it’s not uncommon in other families, so no one found it inappropriate.

However, this time Bai Family’s relatives couldn’t help but quietly remarked to Grandma Liu, "After all, Shanbao is now a Viscount, although he lives with Mr. Zhuang, this is his fiancée’s house, and it wouldn’t be right to keep living here. Better buy another house and move out soon, or otherwise, in front of the Yue Family, he might not be able to hold his ground in the future."

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