Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 57 Wingman: Qingtang and Ah Man
Yang Yuan spent most of the day in the "Shuiyunjian" restaurant. Only after Mrs. Li was settled and Dan Niang had handed over the matters at the counter did he leave with peace of mind.

"Oh, sir, you are leaving now. It's almost time for dinner. Don't you want to eat before you leave?"

Qingtang was fiddling with the abacus beads behind the counter out of boredom when he suddenly saw Yang Yuan walking out from behind.

Qingtang quickly took a paperweight to hold down the account book, straightened his waist, jumped off the high stool, and ran out skipping.

She looked to the back of the store, but didn't see Dan Niang following her. She couldn't help but feel anxious:
You should be more enthusiastic. How can you win over Mr. Yang if you are so cold?

Do you still need my help for this kind of thing? You are still my master, huh, you are nothing!
Qingtang immediately said sweetly: "It's already past noon, sir, you can't just leave like this.

"Why not let our innkeeper cook something for you? She's a very good cook."

Yang Yuan smiled and said, "Thank you, Miss Qingtang. No need. I have already talked to Dan Niang. I have something else to do and cannot delay."

"Oh... then please wait a moment, sir."

Qingtang lifted her pomegranate skirt and ran to the kitchen.

The chef was busy there and Qingtang didn't disturb him.

Qingtang washed his hands first, then took two freshly baked steamed cakes and broke them open skillfully on the chopping board.

Then she picked out the fat and lean meat dumplings from the braised meat pot and took out two large pieces of steaming hot meat.

Use a knife to chop it into small pieces, add some pepper and salt, and then use chopsticks to stuff it into the steamed bun.

Afterwards, Qingtang pulled out a lotus leaf from the basin of clean water, shook off the water, and wrapped the two steamed buns filled with meat filling into the lotus leaf.

Thinking that Yang Yuan was a grown man and must have a big appetite, Qingtang picked out a few rice balls to wrap the plums from the lacquer box, wrapped them in a lotus leaf, and then came out of the kitchen carrying them.

"Even if you have official business to attend to, you can't skip meals."

Qingtang said with a smile: "I made two steamed cakes and a few plum rice balls for you, sir. I don't know if they suit your taste, sir. You can eat them to fill your stomach on the way.

"If it doesn't taste good, tell me later and I'll change the taste for you next time."

Yang Yuan wanted to give him money, but Qingtang refused to take it. She pushed Yang Yuan by the back and sent him out of the store.

Yang Yuan had no choice but to thank her before leaving.

Qingtang watched Yang Yuan walk away, then he hummed a song and skipped back.

Sister Dan Niang is really something. When she’s not lying, she doesn’t know how to coax men. So I have to step in!

A pockmarked young man who secretly liked Qingtang couldn't help feeling jealous when he saw how attentive she was to Mr. Yang.

Seeing Qingtang coming back with a smile on his face, he began to mock him in a sarcastic way.

"Oh, Miss Qingtang, you are already in love at such a young age? But it's not appropriate for you to use the food in our restaurant to please your lover, right?"

Qingtang's face immediately turned red, and he put his hands on his waist, posing like a fierce big teapot, and cursed back without showing any weakness.

"Bullshit, you idiot! Which eye of yours saw that I was in love? He is not..."

At this point, Qingtang's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

The soil on Manager Fang's grave isn't even dry yet, and now he's publicly saying that he wants to bring Sister Dan Niang and Mr. Yang together, wouldn't that be a topic of gossip among his descendants?

Although there are rumors circulating privately now, as long as I don't say it clearly, they won't dare to speak it out loud.

So, Miss Qingtang puffed out her chest, glared with her almond-shaped eyes, and raised her chin: "Yes, I am in love, and it's quite intense, so what do you think?

"I just used something from the store, so what? I'm willing to deduct it from my salary, what's it to you?"

After Qingtang finished speaking, she walked back to the counter, lifted her pomegranate skirt, and jumped onto the high stool.

She moved her butt, sat down against the counter, picked up the pen and quickly wrote a few lines on the account book.

She grabbed the account book and shook it at the clerk: "Open your eyes and see clearly, everything I took is recorded in the account!"

When Qingtang was shaking the account book, a gust of wind came, causing the row of food and wine labels above her head to jingle.

But Qingtang was also shaking her head, which made her look particularly adorable.

The customers in the store found it funny and started making jokes about Qingtang.

Qingtang can confront the waiter, but he should be more restrained towards the customers.

Besides, she was just a young girl. Even if she was a bit aggressive, how could she win the argument over more than a dozen people?

At first she tried to argue with them, but later she couldn't win the argument and gave up.

Qingtang lay on the counter, puffed up his cheeks, and stared at them angrily like a little frog without saying a word.

The diners were even happier when they saw this, and for a moment the atmosphere inside and outside the store was filled with joy...

……

Yang Yuan left the "Shuiyunjian" restaurant and rented a donkey nearby.

Yang Yuan rode on a donkey, eating stewed meat buns, and rushed to Banjingguan outside the city.

When Yu Jiguang and others saw this, they simply rented a large car.

The three of them sat in the carriage, with only the driver sitting outside, far behind Yang Yuan.

When they arrived at Banjing Hall, Yang Yuan asked someone to report in.

In a moment, Ah Man came out to greet them.

Seeing that Yang Yuan was holding a food box, Ah Man said in a pretentious tone, "Come with me." Ah Man twisted her slender waist and walked ahead, and Yang Yuan hurriedly followed behind.

Because of Wanyan Quxing's previous incident of catching his wife cheating, it was not convenient for Ah Man to take him to the backyard, so she took him to a side room in the front yard.

Yang Yuan put down the food box and said to Ah Man, "Miss Ah Man, how is the situation between Miss Ying Ge and Wanyan Quxing now?"

Ah Man said, "Just as you said. Our girl is willing to give in to Wanyan Quxing, and now the two sides have eased off a lot."

Yang Yuanxi said happily: "That's good. Has the court informed you when you will officially meet the emperor?"

"May 20th is the first day of your Song Emperor's birthday."

"May 20th... Great. The first to fifth and fifteenth to twentieth of every month are the best days to watch the tides in Qiantang.

"Well, have your girl find a chance to invite Wanyan Quxing to Qiantang to watch the tide on May 19th. As for the location, choose the Wanghai Tower on Phoenix Mountain."

"Phoenix Mountain, Wanghai Tower, May 19th. OK, I'll remember it!"

Ah Man agreed readily and warned Yang Yuan, "You must not make any mistakes in this matter.

"Haikou is your boast. If this fails, our girl will get married after we return to the Kingdom of Jin.

"Do you think she will send you away before she is forced to marry?"

Yang Yuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, Miss Ah Man. As long as the money is in place, everything will be fine."

Yang Yuan turned his wrist, and a pair of golden bead bracelets suddenly appeared on his palm.

Clamp-type bracelets were not popular in the Song Dynasty. Instead, bracelets made of gold in the shape of beads, called linked bead bracelets, were popular.

Ah Man was startled by Yang Yuan's miraculous magic tricks, then she opened her eyes wide and stared at the gold bracelet in his hand.

Yang Yuan shook the gold bracelet. This bracelet was made of gold, but the gold beads had two layers, inner and outer.

There is also a small golden bead inside, and when it moves slightly, a pleasant tinkling sound can be heard.

Ah Man suddenly recognized that this was the jewelry she had picked out to give to Yang Yuan, so she put on a stern face and asked, "What are you doing?"

Yang Yuan smiled and said, "It's just a small gift, not a token of respect. I hope you will accept it, Miss Ah Man."

Ah Man was very surprised and asked hesitantly, "You...are you giving this to me?"

"Of course."

Ah Man suddenly became coy: "This...isn't...appropriate?"

Yang Yuan said with a smile: "It fits, it fits. I've seen Miss Ah Man's wrist, and it's just the right size."

Without saying anything, Yang Yuan grabbed Ah Man's little hand and put a pair of gold bracelets on her.

"ah……"

Before Miss A'man could refuse, the bracelet was put on her hand.

Ah Man gently raised one hand, and there was a beautiful bracelet made of golden beads, which looked very beautiful against her slender white wrist.

Ah Man's face flushed slightly: "You... How can you force someone to give you a gift? It's so expensive, it's not appropriate."

Yang Yuan said, "If this matter is to be successful, you will have to go through the trouble of threading needles and taking the trouble to do so. I am just expressing my gratitude. What's the matter?"

Ah Man said shyly: "Well...well, I won't be polite to you."

She touched the gold bracelet on her wrist happily and said happily: "I have kept in mind everything that needs to be done by our girl, and I will never delay your arrangements.

"Don't worry about Deputy Envoy Han. His personal attendant, Nimasa, and I have a very good relationship. You know."

Although Ah Man was Miss Yingge's personal maid, she had never owned such precious jewelry.

Girls are born in the Year of the Dragon, so who can resist the temptation of jewels and precious stones?

What's more, as Yingge's personal maid, Ah Man had never accepted any gifts since she was a child, which made her particularly happy.

Yang Yuan smiled and said, "In that case, thank you for your help, young lady."

The money that should be spent must be spent.

Even though Ah Man is just a maid beside Yingge, her identity makes her influence on Yingge even greater than that of Yingge's parents.

As the saying goes, it is easier to meet the King of Hell than to deal with little devils. Building a good relationship with her will bring you hundreds of benefits and no harm.

Yang Yuan left Banjing Hall carrying the empty lunch box.

Ah Man accompanied him out the door, said goodbye to him warmly, and then returned to Banjing Hall.

Ah Man walked in with restrained temper. After entering Yingge's yard, she finally couldn't hold back and took off her sleeves, happily admiring the gold bracelet on her wrist.

This kid is quite good at handling things.

Ah Man thought with a smile, and suddenly she remembered that the three kinds of gold that were required as a betrothal gift in a Han marriage seemed to include the gold bracelet.

Eh? He wouldn't be...

Pfft! What nonsense are you imagining?

I am Miss Yingge's personal maid, and I will follow her when she gets married and become her maidservant.

He is just an idler who does things as a messenger. How can a pheasant be worthy of a phoenix?
Ah Man dropped her sleeves to cover her golden bracelet and walked forward proudly.

(End of this chapter)