Time flies, and five days passed in a blink of an eye. Zhulan did not continue to pay attention to Yu, but she did not expect that Ning Ming would come to her house with a lot of live shrimps.
Zhulan smiled and said, "Your mother is too polite. It's not easy to get such a big live shrimp."
Ning Ming knew what his mother was thinking, but he did not agree with her idea. He followed his mother's advice and came to Zhou Houfu to repay her kindness for sending medicine. This was a normal interaction. "My father loves to eat shrimps. He buys a lot of shrimps every year. Over time, he also raised a fishing boat. There is no shortage of shrimps at home. These are the new shrimps delivered today. I specially sent them to you and the Marquis to taste."
Zhulan thought, there is still money. Ning Zhixiang's share of the family wealth is very generous. "Okay, let the kitchen do it today."
Zhulan asked again, "Is your mother feeling better?"
Ning Ming's eyes were dim. His mother had a lot on her mind and loved to nag him, but she was really good to him. "I've been a little more energetic recently, but my appetite is still poor."
Zhulan understood, but Yu still showed no improvement. "This person has a poor appetite after drinking too much medicine. You can try medicinal food."
Ning Ming was stunned for a moment, then said gratefully: "I'll go ask the imperial physician."
Zhulan heard Yujiao's voice outside, looked at the time, and it was time to give her granddaughter a lesson.
Ning Ming naturally heard it, and hurriedly stood up and said, "Madam, I'll go back first."
"good."
Zhulan asked housekeeper Ding to send the person away, but unfortunately the grandchildren were not at home.
Ning Ming followed the housekeeper out. Yujiao and the others made way for him in the yard, but Yuwen was a step slower because the girl was still a little dazed as she had just woken up.
Ning Ming nodded, then walked out of the yard without looking around.
Butler Ding was a little worried about the Fifth Miss, but he would not say a word to outsiders. He glanced at Master Ning out of the corner of his eye, wondering if Master Ning noticed that the Fifth Miss did not wake up yet.
Ning Ming left the mansion and sat back in his own carriage. Thinking about what he had just seen, he shook his head. What happened to Miss Zhou Wu had nothing to do with him. His mother was thinking too well. Even if the Zhou and Ning families had thought of getting married in the past, that was the son of the Ning Marquis's mansion, not him.
Later, the two families failed to get married, but Miss Zhou still had no trouble finding a husband. Even though the Zhou family was very strict in choosing sons-in-law, there were still families willing to give up a son to achieve an alliance. Unlike him, he was neither high nor low. Good families looked down on him, and bad families did not please his mother.
Ning Ming thought about how to explain this to his mother without upsetting her.
In the Hanlin Academy, Chang Zhi walked out of the room with a stiff mouth, patted his cheeks, and saw his eldest nephew drinking tea in the yard. He walked over quickly and asked, "Are you not busy?"
Mingyun, "I just came back from the palace, sit down and rest for a while."
Changzhi poured himself two cups of tea and sighed deeply, "Ah."
Mingyun, "What happened to Fourth Uncle?"
"It's not Mingjia and Yuwen's marriage yet. Since I came back from the grassland, no less than three people have proposed marriage to me."
Mingyun, "There are many people with good family backgrounds in the Hanlin Academy. Is Fourth Uncle not satisfied?"
"I'm worried because you were born too well. Don't you know what your fifth sister is like? Her biggest wish is not to worry about anything. Listen to what she said. She also said that her requirements are not high. Isn't this high? I have never seen anyone with higher requirements than this."
Mingyun smiled, "This girl is really thoughtful."
"Humph, how can you not worry about life when you are married? You still have to worry about life on your own. She is just spoiled by your fourth aunt."
Mingyun twitched his lips, "Fourth Uncle, do you dare to say this to Fourth Aunt?"
Chang Zhi: "... Why wouldn't you dare?"
"The tone was hesitant."
Chang Zhi snorted. Well, he really didn't dare. Since his daughter was like this, he had a bigger responsibility. "Hey, don't look at your fifth sister as lazy. She is not someone who will suffer any loss. If she gets angry, she will have a strong desire for revenge. Do you think I can trust her?"
Mingyun drank his tea slowly, "The girls in the Zhou family really have their own tempers."
Chang Zhi, "She has a strong temper, but that's good, she won't be bullied this way. Yu Shuang's marriages are all good, and Yu Wen will also find someone she likes."
He didn't say anything. His daughter said she was living a good life. He was scared to death after hearing this statement. Fortunately, his daughter later said that she was just thinking about it, and for the sake of the reputation of the girls in the family, she had to get married.
Zhangzhou, Mingteng has seen too many poor places. The lives of the grassland people are even harder, and even eating salt is difficult for them, so Mingteng has always been calm about the poverty in Zhangzhou.
Minghui didn't react much. He had been out with his father and had seen a lot, not to mention Changzhong, who had traveled even further than Minghui.
Liu Jia's reaction was the biggest. He saw that few people had clothes without patches on them, and they were all pale and skinny. "This place is too poor."
Since entering Zhangzhou, she hasn't seen any shepherds, but she could see them a few times in other states.
Ming Teng, "That's why it's called a poor state. Zhangzhou's land is not fertile, and the grain output is very low. The people don't have enough to eat all year round, and they don't have money, so their lives are very difficult."
The days are getting poorer and poorer, and there is no use in having any hope.
Liu Jia sighed, "You wouldn't know until you come out. I thought I was in the same difficulties as the people in Beijing."
Although she is thin, she looks energetic and vigorous. She is still thinking too highly of herself.
"So you have to go out more often and see for yourself. Seeing is believing."
The carriage soon arrived at the county government office, and the letter had already been delivered. Yu Shuang was waiting at the door with a bulging belly. When she saw Ming Teng and the others, she smiled and said, "You've worked hard on the journey. The food is ready. Let's eat first."
Seeing that Yu Shuang was in good spirits, Ming Teng smiled and said, "Grandma and Second Aunt can't prepare anything for you."
Yu Shuang had already seen several carriages, "I'm sorry to have made grandma and mother worried."
Changzhong said, "Then write letters back frequently."
Yu Shuang called out, "Uncle."
Changzhong nodded with a smile, "Let's go inside and talk."
The group went to the backyard. The food was not rich. Yu Shuang was embarrassed and said, "There are not many good things here."
There was fish, chicken, and some dried seafood on the table, but nothing else.
Chang Zhong waited for Yu Shuang's mother-in-law to sit down before he sat down and said, "Now that we are talking about thriftiness, these are already very good."
Yu Shuang said, "Hey, this place is poor to begin with. The officials in the county government have a hard time. They don't have to be frugal to have oil on the table. Liu Feng and I can have fish and chicken because my father raises them on the farm."
Changzhong smiled, "Second brother loves you."
Second brother didn't expect any income from his farm. To put it bluntly, it was all for Yu Shuang. He hoped that Yu Shuang could eat better.
In the capital, Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren took the letter handed over by Jinyan, glanced at it, and then put it aside.