The Su Household brothers, under Su Wenqian's strict discipline, had never eaten hot pot in the wilderness before, and felt a kind of excitement about doing something naughty.
The glowing charcoal fire made the hot pot bubble and simmer. Jin Shanyao handed Su Jingzhi a bag of mutton, saying, "All the meat... I heard from Madam Su that you like mutton, so I brought extra."
The Su Household brothers looked at the half-bag of mutton slices, their eyes crinkling with laughter, and picked up a few pieces with their chopsticks, putting them into the pot...
The two brothers ate until they were sweating profusely, completely oblivious to the chill outside. Seeing that they enjoyed the food, Jin Shanyao added two more pieces of meat to the pot.
Since reading the book Su Wenqian gave her, she felt like she had been elevated, and now she was incredibly strong... She not only considered herself but also cared about the feelings of others. For example, right now, she handed a large bag of dried mushrooms to Su Jingzhi.
"Put it inside... and eat it..."
Su Jingzhi and Su Shenzhi were already full, but Miss Jin was really hospitable.
"That's enough... no more."
Can't put any more in?? Humility... Humans love humility. "Enough" means it's not enough.
Come on... Jin Shanyao his hand, picked up three chopsticks, and placed them into the hot pot. "Eat..."
Hiccup... The two Su Household brothers exchanged a glance, secretly loosened their belts, picked up two strips of lamb tripe and put them in their mouths. The slightly spicy and savory taste made their mouths water.
"Miss Jin... we really can't keep eating like this, I can't eat anymore, I can't eat anymore..."
"Can't eat anymore? Just being modest..." Jin Shanyao picked up two pieces of frozen tofu and put them in the pot. "Eat..."
Madam Su specifically instructed her to take good care of the two children. The Su Household couple had given her a lot of guidance, and she was also Meng Anci's teacher, so she had to take good care of the two children.
The Su Household brothers ate slower and slower, and in the end, they held their chopsticks, stared at the pot of food, and kept burping.
Jin Shanyao her head for a long time, then thought, "Wait a minute... this doesn't seem like modesty. Could it be that I really can't eat anymore?"
The Su Household brothers felt uneasy under Jin Shanyao's gaze and let out a burp, "Grandma... we really can't eat anymore, and we're not being modest."
Jin Shanyao thought to herself, "Oh no, I've messed up the technique..."
Eating too much made her stomach uncomfortable, Jin Shanyao led several children in circles in the wilderness, ostensibly to aid digestion.
The Su Household brothers were usually holed up in the academy or their study. This was the first time they had taken a walk in such an open space, and they felt incredibly happy, their feet crunching on the dry grass.
Jin Shanyao sharp eyes, spotted a pheasant with its rear end sticking out and its head buried in the grass. She rushed forward, grabbed the pheasant by the tail, and pulled it out...
Their eyes met, the pheasant rolled its eyes, kicked its legs, and fainted. The Su Household brothers curiously gathered around, "Why isn't the chicken moving?"
Jin Shanyao her head and tossed the pheasant to the ground. "It's hibernating."
The pheasants were hibernating. The Su Household brothers looked at each other in bewilderment.
After resting, we continued our journey.
In the evening, the two cars parked at a farmer's house. A plaque hung on the gate of the farmer's house, which read "Tongda Inn".
Jin Shanyao called out loudly through the courtyard gate, " Ma Dani... Sister Ma... Ma..."
"Coming, coming!" the peasant woman called out, pushing open the door. Upon seeing her, she immediately beamed, "Sister, it really is you! I recognized you from your voice!"
With Jin Shanyao asked, "Are there any empty rooms left?"
"Yes, yes, yes... Even if you don't have one, I can make room for you." The peasant woman hurriedly opened the courtyard gate, leading Jin Shanyao and the others into the yard, then turned to call her husband to quickly boil water and heat the kang (a heated brick bed).
Jin Shanyao her eyes and looked around. The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, and the houses had been newly renovated.
The peasant woman blushed slightly and explained with a smile, " Young General Shen gave me some money last time, and since my house is right next to the main road, I decided to open a small inn."
Jin Shanyao nodded, "Very good."
The peasant woman led everyone towards the bedroom, saying along the way, "Girls, please rest first. I'll go prepare some food. Once the water is hot, I'll have the husband bring it to you."
"Thank you for your trouble, just make some porridge." Jin Shanyao smiled and agreed, worried that the children might have indigestion since they had eaten too much at noon.
The peasant woman agreed, smiled, and turned to leave.
Nothing more was said that night.
The next day, they continued their journey. After a day of riding in an unmanned carriage, the Su Household brothers were much more at ease.
Black Grand Marshal was still determined to prove himself, but unfortunately, he didn't know the way to Beijing, so he had no choice but to reluctantly pull the cart behind the oxcart.
They arrived in the capital at noon.
There were no Song Household at the city gate, but there were four or five times more soldiers guarding the city. They were holding a portrait of Xuanjizi and carefully checking the people leaving the city.
"It's been so long, they've long since disappeared..." Su Shenzhi was interrupted by Su Jingzhi, who scolded him, "The capital is not like Qingzhou Prefecture, you mustn't speak recklessly."
After saying this, he turned to Jin Shanyao, "Miss Jin... if you don't have a place to stay, you can come and stay with me at the Song residence."
"Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Su. We can stay at Top Scholar Tower..."
"Alright... whatever you say, young lady. We'll go back together after the wedding banquet."
Jin Shanyao. "Then I'll take you to the Song Household first," she said, gesturing for Su Jingzhi to lead the way.
The two teenagers hadn't returned to the capital for over a year. Following their memories, they headed towards the Song Household. "Miss Jin," one of them said, "My maternal grandfather's house has a row of study rooms, filled with all kinds of books. Why don't you go in and take a look?"
As soon as Su Jingzhi finished speaking, Su Shenzhi chimed in, "My uncle is exceptionally knowledgeable; Anci can ask him anytime if she doesn't understand something."
He was so engrossed in his conversation that he didn't notice and bumped right into a customer coming out of the antique shop with a loud bang.
The moon-white vase fell to the ground and shattered. Su Shenzhi was so frightened that he hurriedly apologized, "I'm so sorry..." Before he could finish speaking, the man grabbed his collar.
"I just bought this top-grade jade bottle... and you smashed it before I even had a chance to enjoy it..."
Su Jingzhi quickly stepped forward, "Big brother, let's talk this out. My brother is still young, please let him go..."
"Little..." The man gritted his teeth and glared angrily, his eyes filled with ferocity. "He's little... Fine, fine, I'll tell you," he said, shoving Su Shenzhi aside and closing in on Su Jingzhi.
"It's only right to compensate for broken items. I won't make things difficult for you. You should pay me back for whatever price I paid."
The man held up three fingers, glancing sideways at Su Jingzhi, "Three hundred taels..."
Three hundred taels... What kind of bottle is so expensive? Jin Shanyao curiously picked up a shard of porcelain and held it up to the sunlight.
Su Jingzhi looked over, and his guilt was instantly replaced by anger. "Your porcelain is grayish and brittle, full of impurities. It's just the cheapest, lowest-quality porcelain you can find on the street, worth only thirty coins?"
The man was surprised by the boy's sharp eyes. His expression darkened slightly, and he carefully examined the group's features and clothing. They were all dressed in the style of people from out of town, and were definitely not from powerful or influential families in the capital. His initial apprehension completely dissipated, and his temper hardened instantly.
"You know nothing! This is a vase from Sheng Kiln; I'd even go short three hundred taels. If you're short a single coin today, don't even think about leaving this street corner."
The man was furious, and his voice gradually attracted a crowd of onlookers.
Everyone looked at the group with sympathy. Fifth Master Dong was notoriously difficult to deal with in the capital. He would stand in front of the antique shop every day with a porcelain vase, keeping an eye on out-of-town carriages to make a living.
These kids are all barely seventeen or eighteen, the oldest is only eight... aren't they easy prey?
Fifth Master Dong would never touch the oxcart; he had his eye on the Su Household brothers' horse-drawn carriage.
The horse was jet black and shiny, with a coat as smooth as satin. Its ears were erect, and its hooves were thick and strong. It was clear at a glance that it was a rare and excellent steed.
Looking at the carriage again, the window seams were sealed with rabbit fur; such a family must be a local tycoon.