The Lucky Farmgirl

Once everyone had left, Manbao and Imperial Doctor Lu let out a sigh of relief. After exchanging a glance, they immediately turned back to keep an eye on people cleaning out the trash inside. After confirming everything was fine, they took the medical records back to the Imperial Hospital to report back, and successfully got a three-day holiday.

That’s right, Director Xiao is so stingy. He only gives them a maximum of three days off, including today, so they have to return to work on the fourth day of the month.

Manbao insists that they only have two and a half days off. How is that three days?

Muttering to herself, Manbao left the palace and parted ways with Imperial Doctor Lu at the palace gates, planning to go home for a good sleep.

When she got home, there was no one there.

Only Xi Bing, who was left to guard the house, came over and said, "Madam, the lord and madam have all gone to Pu Village."

Manbao was curious, "What are they doing in Pu Village?" And they all went.

Xi Bing said, "Second Aunt has set up a workshop near Liyang, not very far from Pu Village, so everyone went over to see the excitement. Oh, and the First Aunt and Uncle came to the capital with the Second Master, Second Madam, Third Master, and Third Madam from home..."

Manbao was dumbfounded and only after a while did she understand, "Daya? No, Lixin?"

Xi Bing grinned widely and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, they said they’re here to take the Jinshi exam this year, and that if they don’t pass, they’ll take another exam in the spring next year. I don’t quite understand it either."

Manbao closed her mouth and nodded, "Quickly heat some water for me, I want to take a bath."

Xi Bing agreed, carried Manbao’s medicine box back to the house, and then went to the kitchen to fetch hot water.

After washing her hair and taking a bath, Manbao sat on the couch and dozed off. Xi Bing gently dried her hair for her. When she woke up, it was already dark, which startled her. She immediately jumped up to see a patient, but when she got down from the couch, she remembered she was already out of the palace.

Manbao let out a breath, glanced at the pitch-black sky outside, and sat back on the couch in a daze.

She didn’t know how long she sat there when she heard footsteps outside. She tilted her head slightly and heard Bai Shan asking, "Is she still sleeping?"

Xi Bing’s sleepy voice responded, "No, she’s not asleep."

Manbao thought to herself:... She was sure that Xi Bing had also dozed off just now.

Manbao set aside the small blanket on her, dragged her shoes haphazardly, and went to the door. As soon as she opened it, the people outside looked up at her.

In the moonlight, Bai Shan smiled at Zhou Man when he saw her, raising the lantern he was holding. He asked with a smile, "You’re awake. Are you hungry?"

Manbao nodded repeatedly, lowered her head, lifted her foot to put on her shoes, and asked, "Why are there no lights in the courtyard?"

Xi Bing immediately went back inside to get Manbao’s outer garment for her to put on.

Bai Shan smiled, and Xi Bing explained, "The lord won’t light them, saying it’s too expensive. Whoever goes out should carry a lantern themselves, so even Old Madam Liu’s place doesn’t have lights on."

Bai Shan also said, "Grandmother said this saves a lot of money, it’s quite wonderful."

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the days get shorter. Before, everyone would go back to their own rooms to sleep before it was completely dark, so it didn’t matter whether the courtyard had lights or not.

But after the days get shorter, it usually gets dark with things still unfinished, so many households would light lamps.

During this time, Manbao lived in the palace, where the day and night were completely reversed. The two palaces in the Daming Palace that were sealed off never had their night lights out, so Manbao hadn’t adjusted yet.

She snapped out of it, nodded, and walked forward with Bai Shan.

Bai Shan kept looking at her, "You look more exhausted than when you were at the royal estate."

Manbao sighed, "The royal descendants are too pampered."

Bai Shan laughed, "The Emperor said the same today. When the royal descendants left the Daming Palace, there was crying all over the palace. The emperor was so annoyed he brought all the princes to him for a scolding, telling them not to spoil the royal descendants too much."

The kitchen prepared a bowl of noodles for Manbao, filled with many ingredients, which she ate happily.

She looked around and asked, "Where’s Bai Er?"

"Studying in the palace," Bai Shan said, "exams are in just a few days. The teacher forbids us from disturbing him and our cousin. They must stay indoors to study even for the Double Ninth.

Manbao nodded in understanding, "Then let’s keep it quiet for Double Ninth this year and not go out."

Bai Shan nodded.

Manbao still had some complaints, "In previous years the Jinshi exams were before the Double Ninth, so after the exams it was just in time for the festival. Why did they schedule it for after this year?"

Bai Shan answered, "The Astronomical Bureau chose the date, saying it’s very likely to rain these few days, but after the Double Ninth it’ll be sunny."

The Astronomical Bureau’s prediction was accurate. It indeed rained the next day, not heavily, but a fine drizzle, almost like spring rain.

Manbao stood under the corridor watching the rain. Bai Shan went to work, and Bai Dalang was temporarily staying at the Imperial Academy burning the midnight oil, so Manbao was the only master at home.

Xi Bing came running to find her, "Madam, what would you like for breakfast?"

Manbao said, "That’s a very good question because I don’t know either."

She said, "Go tell the kitchen to bring me whatever they have. Oh, and send it to the open pavilion in the garden, I want to enjoy the rain while I eat."

Xi Bing was startled and asked, "Aren’t you going to find the lord and madam to play with?"

She wanted to follow and play too. This time they took several districts including Xi Hua, even May and Jiu Lan went, but she had to stay home to wait for Madam. The reason given was that Madam was used to having her around.

Manbao shook her head, a serious expression on her face, "It’s raining. Since childhood, my mother didn’t let me get drenched."

But you’re still going to enjoy the rain.

Manbao found a very sufficient reason to enjoy her alone time, leisurely enjoying the rain and having a meal at the open pavilion. She also took an umbrella and walked on the stone slabs, visiting half the garden.

The rain wasn’t heavy, coming in intervals, so it didn’t hinder her sightseeing. She even took scissors and cut a lot of flowers, so when Bai Shan came back for lunch, he saw her holding an umbrella in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other.

Behind her was Xi Bing, also holding a bunch of flowers, showing how many flowers she destroyed today.

Manbao grinned when she saw Bai Shan, asking, "What brings you back?"

Bai Shan stood under the moon gate with an umbrella, smiling, "It’s not my turn at the palace today. There’s not much at the Hanlin Academy, so I came back for lunch. What are you doing? When my mother sees you cut so many flowers, she’ll be heartbroken."

Manbao laughed, "I’m arranging flowers, and when I pick the prettiest vase, I’ll give it to Auntie Zheng."

Bai Shan stepped forward, took her umbrella, closed it, and put his own over them. The two of them huddled under one umbrella. He looked around and asked, "Still cutting?"

Manbao shook her head, "Cut enough."

They went back, and Manbao asked Xi Bing to find some nice vases. While she gently arranged the flowers, she said, "It’s strange this year, it’s raining before Double Ninth."

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