The Lucky Farmgirl

Changyu immediately asked, "Why aren’t you making pills for treating coughs and colds and stuff? That pill the Imperial Hospital prescribed me last time actually tasted pretty good."

Manbao said, "...That was because they put in honey. To treat a cough, decoctions are still the best; pills are somewhat less effective."

She glanced over and said, "Changyu, stop eating whatever you like. The human stomach and intestines aren’t as tough as you think. At your age you should start taking good care of them."

Changyu said, "My stomach’s great. I can digest anything I eat."

Of course it is, you’re in your prime now; of course you can digest whatever you eat.

Manbao said, "Check again in twenty years."

She said, "The better something is, the more carefully you should protect it. Slow and steady is the right way."

Mingda nodded in deep agreement and also said to her, "Sister, binge eating is bad. You can’t do whatever you want just because no one’s supervising you after you left the palace. I think you’ve been putting on weight a bit too quickly lately."

Changyu stopped talking. She even reached up to touch her own face, then turned to ask her maid, "Did I get fatter?"

The maid, under her gaze, silently nodded.

Changyu was sad for a moment, but soon pulled herself together and lifted her chin high. "What’s the big deal? I’ll just give a hundred lashes tonight and it’ll be fine."

Thinking of those ugly fake mountains in her estate, Changyu ground her teeth. "I’m going to whip every ugly rock in that Odd Stones Garden to pieces."

Manbao and Mingda immediately didn’t dare make a sound. Before the Princess’s residence was built, they were the ones who kept telling her it would look nice, that once they washed it with water it would be fine. But after so much washing, those rocks were still just as ugly.

So there really is a reason why Taihu rocks are expensive and beautiful?

Sure enough, things that are born that way are like people’s natural talents. No amount of envy or jealousy can change them.

Sigh—

Manbao let out a sigh in her heart and silently mourned for those rocks for a moment.

"Come on, I’ll get you a few jars of medicinal cream."

Manbao took them to pick things out. "This one is a whitening cream, this one is a moisturizing cream. The wind was strong the last couple of days and it’s cold, lots of people’s faces cracked. Using this one is better than the whitening cream. You two don’t need it right now. This one is for acne, this one is for spots. Mm, this acne cream is for you."

Manbao took one for Changyu, stared at her face and said, "You’ve had excess heat lately, you’ve got a pimple."

Changyu was surprised. "I already covered it up and you can still see it?"

Mingda also leaned over to look. After quite a while she finally spotted it. "It’s already going down, right?"

"I’m a doctor. Reading the complexion is basic skill. You use this as it’s going down; dabbing it like this will make it disappear faster."

The three of them each took a few jars of medicinal cream, handed them to the servants, and then went home.

The next day Manbao ran over to look for Mingda, dragging her along to go meet the County Magistrate of Liyang County.

In the next residence, when she heard that Zhou Man had come calling, Changyu immediately sent someone to climb up the wall and pass on a message. "Our Princess says she’s going too. Tell the Princess and Lord Zhou to wait for our Princess."

The palace staff of Princess Mingda’s residence heard this and passed the message into the inner courtyard, and Mingda agreed.

The matron at the side was tying Mingda’s waist belt as she said to Manbao, "Ever since she left the palace, Princess Changyu has gone completely wild. I heard the days when her estate’s kitchen actually lights its fire can be counted on one hand. Three meals a day plus a late-night snack, and she eats five of those outside."

She said, "Our Princess has tried to persuade her, but Princess Changyu agrees nicely to her face and then turns around and still eats outside. No matter how tasty things are outside, they’re not as clean as what you make at home. Lord Zhou is good at persuading people—if possible, please also talk to Princess Changyu a bit. There’s a long road ahead; she can’t keep indulging herself like this."

Manbao, however, froze and asked blankly, "Then what about the remaining one meal?"

The matron paused, not expecting Zhou Man to latch onto that point. She said helplessly, "Isn’t there still afternoon tea?"

Mingda couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Manbao then asked, "What does Prince Consort Wei say?"

Mingda said, "My brother‑in‑law seems to quite enjoy it too. It’s not like she’s being extravagant. She’ll eat at big places like Primus Pavilion, and she also loves wontons from a little street stall. That much of a hobby, my brother‑in‑law can still afford to indulge."

Manbao nodded. "Then just let her eat. Once she’s eaten out for a while, she’ll go back to eating at home."

Mingda asked curiously, "Why?"

"No matter how good the food outside is, it’s just a momentary novelty. It’s fine once in a while, but when it comes to refinement and suiting one’s taste, the cooks at home are naturally better." Manbao said, "The cooks in both your houses are all ones used to palace standards and were brought out from the palace. Just wait and see—no one is more anxious and panicked than they are. They’ll definitely find a way to win Changyu’s stomach back."

The matron: ...

She carefully looked Zhou Man over and almost thought she knew something. Who would’ve thought it was all pure guesswork from that seemingly innocent face.

The matron silently finished tying the Princess’s belt and didn’t dare underestimate this grown‑up.

As expected, anyone who can navigate the court, even if they look completely naive and natural, doesn’t have weak wits. She doesn’t know anything yet and has already guessed this much. If she actually knew more, the foundations of all of them would probably be laid bare by her.

The matron lowered her eyes and meekly stood to the side, smiling as she said, "Your Highness, do you want to take some food onto the carriage?"

"Let’s bring some," Manbao answered before Mingda. "Her spleen and stomach are weak. I brought some things today. After we meet the County Magistrate of Liyang County, we can go out of the city to enjoy the spring and cook outdoors. You shouldn’t eat too much from outside. You can bring some delicate congee and dishes; later you can just steam them hot and eat."

The matron understood and quickly withdrew to make arrangements.

Today neither Bai Erlang nor the others came along. Bai Erlang had to prepare for the upcoming Ministry of Personnel exam, and Bai Shan was coaching him with his review.

As for Wei Yu, he naturally had his own things to do, so everyone happily went their separate ways.

Mingda rode her own little horse alongside Manbao and Changyu. After they exited the East City Gate, they could finally let their horses run.

With the spring breeze brushing her face, she took a deep breath, held the reins in her right hand and lightly touched the bracelet on her left wrist, unable to keep from smiling. She turned her head and said to Manbao, "I’ve never gone out in spring to enjoy the scenery before."

In spring, if she could avoid stepping outside the doors of her own palace hall, she would.

Manbao said with a smile, "If you like it, once Bai Er finishes his Ministry of Personnel exam, ask him to come out with us."

Changyu immediately said, "Invite me, invite me too."

She pouted a little. "I just don’t know whether Wei Yu likes going out to play."

Spring outings and climbing hills—what scholar doesn’t like that?

Manbao said, "If you invite him, he’ll definitely like it."

Manbao had already had someone send a visiting card to the County Magistrate of Liyang County in advance. Although today was a rest day, County Magistrate Xun of Liyang still came early to the County Governmental Office to wait.

After all, he lived just behind the County Governmental Office. Mm, to a certain extent, a county magistrate actually has no real rest days.

County Magistrate Xun was still pondering why Zhou Man wanted to see him when a yamen runner came racing in from outside and shouted, "My Lord, My Lord, the Princess’s carriage has arrived."

County Magistrate Xun lifted his eyelids to look at him. "Who?"

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