Miao Chu

Chapter 339 Hehe
Madam Xu subconsciously took two steps back, rubbed her eyes, glanced at them again, and turned to go to the backyard.

She hadn't gone more than a few steps when she bumped into Cheng Erniang, who was carrying a lantern.

For no apparent reason, and without knowing what she was thinking, Madam Xu suddenly reached out and stopped the person.

Cheng Erniang was taken aback. She looked up and craned her neck to see Song and Han standing at the door, and immediately realized what was going on.

Han Li acted without regard for others, and Song Miao did the same. Cheng Erniang noticed that Song Miao's attitude was becoming clearer, so she gradually followed suit and stopped avoiding people.

She said, "They have important matters to discuss, we should just focus on our own things!" With that, she took a lantern in one hand and a chair in the other and went to the front hall to set it up.

The tables and chairs in the backyard were moved from the front hall. Now that we're closing the doors to rest, everything should naturally be put back in its place.

Although Madam Xu was only on night duty at the escort agency, she was always alert and always had something to do. She ate delicious food and carried great worries. At this moment, she was unwilling to sit idly. When she saw Second Madam Cheng moving a chair, she turned around and glanced at it before following her to the backyard to move things.

Since it was difficult for one person to lift the long table, she moved a chair instead.

Those who practice martial arts have strong arms and great strength, so Madam Xu didn't need a lamp; she simply held one under each arm.

As soon as she picked up the chairs, she felt that something was off. She looked down and took a closer look. Although it was dark, with the light coming through the room and the moonlight, she could see that the two chairs were almost identical in appearance and the tung oil they were coated with was also similar in color. But when she put them back on the ground and picked them up again, one was indeed heavier than the other. The difference was actually quite significant.

As the accountant in charge of money, Madam Xu immediately became alert.

She knew that Songji had just made a batch of tables and chairs. Not only that, but all the furnishings in the front hall, as well as many doors and windows in the back, were almost all newly added.

Every industry has good people and bad people. If you don't know how deep the water is, you'll be taken advantage of and still have nothing to say.

Although I don't know which carpenter made Song's table and chairs, the fact that one of the same batch of items is light and the other is heavy indicates that there must be something wrong with it—you know, different woods can have vastly different prices!
Madam Xu was immediately filled with emotion and righteous indignation. She strode confidently to the front hall with two chairs, intending to find an opportunity to quickly inform Madam Song, lest she be deceived without even realizing it.

Just as Cheng Erniang had said, Song Miao and Han Li were discussing important matters by the front door.

"There were outsiders present, so I couldn't say much. The gambling case has been closed by the Kyoto Prefectural Government. I went to the Criminal Investigation Department this morning and heard that the Ministry of Revenue is urging them to expedite the trial. The Criminal Investigation Department has been busy trying out these property cases lately, and other matters have been put aside. They haven't even had time to deal with the internal personnel selection and the legal examinations."

"This time they are in a hurry themselves, so it shouldn't take too long to finish the trial."

After explaining the progress, Han Li, though knowing that Song Miao already had a plan, still explained it carefully again, saying, "Once the case is over, the various properties will be sent to their destinations. The house across the street will be given to the Housing Affairs Department. The Housing Affairs Department is directly under the Ministry of Revenue. They are like your own father and mother, and you can order them around and scold them as you please. Just be patient and wait a little longer. If things go quickly, it might be ready to be sold by autumn."

Hearing his words, Song Miao was overjoyed. Forgetting to thank him, she immediately asked, "How did it happen so quickly? What method did you use, young master?"

Han Li looked up and saw that Cheng Erniang was arranging chairs in the hall, not looking at them at all. He was quite satisfied—although he wasn't afraid of being seen, it was always better if no one was watching.

He took a half step forward and whispered, "What method can I use?"

This man didn't mention his three plans, the superior, the middle, and the inferior, but only said: "This time, our Miss Song was lucky and happened to be in the right place at the right time. Before I could even lend a hand, the Ministry of Revenue was already in a hurry to raise money."

He then recounted how various departments and offices in the court, along with the Six Towers River, were fighting tooth and nail over money and supplies, and how the Ministry of Revenue was scrambling to raise funds in a frenzy to shirk responsibility.

Song Miao said, "No wonder there have been notices posted everywhere lately saying they want to buy land, and many houses and fields have been put up for rent or sale. It's all to raise money for Liutahe—but relying on this alone, they can't actually raise much..."

She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized something and laughed, "However, it doesn't matter how much or how little we raise. As long as we raise enough money, the Ministry of Revenue can get the job done. When the argument starts, we can just lay it all out and say how much property we sold and how much we bought and sold. Even if we're wrong, we'll still have a reason to back it up, not to mention that we are indeed right."

However, after saying that, she glanced at Han Li again and smiled slightly, "I really don't believe that you said you didn't use any methods—is it true or false?"

Han Lixian didn't say anything, just looked at her and smiled, his expression showing a rare hint of pride, but mostly gentleness. After a while, he said, "I'm also lucky—just like Miss Song."

The door was open, and the two talked through the door frame. They both felt that the distance was both comfortable and uncomfortable. They just smiled at each other. In fact, they had a lot to say, but when the words came to their lips, they didn't know which sentence to say first.

The two remained silent for a while before Song Miao finally spoke.

She glanced at the sky and said, "It's getting late, young master. You should head back soon. Isn't tomorrow the last day of the handover?"

Then he asked, "Would you like to come for dinner?"

Han Li said, "The handover was supposed to be completed by tomorrow, but I didn't expect the flood to suddenly occur a few days ago. The Water Conservancy Bureau is short-handed right now. I'll go and guard the dike for a few nights first, and then I'll leave later. I won't be able to come back for meals for the next two days. After I'm done with this, I'll have a few days off. Let's discuss in detail how to buy that house, shall we?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Recently, there have been people eyeing your restaurant. I imagine it won't be so easy to buy the house across the street. There might be someone who tries to trip you up or even try to snatch it away. I'll send someone to investigate and see if we can ask the building management office to release it as soon as possible, the sooner the better, to avoid any unforeseen complications."

Song Miao responded, but said, "I won't thank you this time, and I'd like to thank you less in the future too—just come back for dinner after you've finished your business, young master, how about that?"

These words were quite ordinary, but when Han Li heard them, he felt a surge of joy. His heart and head tingled slightly, as if he had accidentally touched a piece of metal on a dry winter day and heard a soft "snap" that snapped him back to reality.

At this moment, he felt a mix of sour, bitter, and sweet emotions, with even a hint of bitterness that made the sweetness seem even sweeter. He didn't want to leave at all and instead took two steps forward involuntarily.

Han Li was holding the reins with one hand, but when he wanted to move the horse forward a little more, he forgot that he still had the reins in his hand. So he pulled on them, and the horse following behind obeyed and followed forward. But it kept moving forward and went a little further—almost half of its body—and its head was already next to Song Miao.

Song Miao had fed it broiler wheat, hay, and beans. This horse was all about grass, so it snorted affectionately and opened its big, bell-like eyes. It touched Song Miao with its mane and ears, then turned around and rubbed against Han Li, bustling back and forth between the two of them. Finally, it touched their hands with its mouth, clearly looking for food.

Carried by the horse, Han Li took two more steps forward. Seeing that they were too close, he had no choice but to stop. Before he could stand still, he couldn't help but look at Song Miao again.

At that moment, Song Miao was also looking over.

Their eyes met, and after three or four breaths, or perhaps longer, they each turned their heads slightly away. After a while, they looked at each other again and couldn't help but laugh.

At this moment, the only sounds in the room were Cheng Erniang moving stools and chairs, but almost immediately another sound rang out.

It was Madam Xu who spoke.

She was a loud and energetic woman. As soon as she came out of the second gate, she asked in a clear voice, "Second Madam Cheng, where should I put these two chairs?" Song Miao lowered her head in response to her voice, looked at the horse beside her, stroked its mane, and finally looked up at Han Li, saying, "Young Master, it's time to go."

Han Li grunted an "Mmm," which had a hint of a "humph" in it, but he stood there for a few more moments watching her before taking the reins of his horse. He grunted again, but didn't mount the horse and slowly led it away.

He took a few steps, then looked back and saw Song Miao closing the door, also looking in this direction.

Despite the darkness of night, Song Miao did not light a lamp. Whether it was a feeling he had created in his mind or something more real, he felt that those eyes were incredibly bright, making his heart and spirit feel dignified. He felt as if a divine platform, as described by Taoists, had spontaneously formed within it. Within this platform, it seemed as if there were wind, clouds, and the sun, yet it also seemed as if there was nothing at all.

Only after leaving Suanzao Lane did Han Li finally mount his horse.

He rode his horse at a slow pace, but there was a constant gust of wind, and he could hear a thumping sound in his ears. He couldn't tell if the sound was the wind or his heartbeat.

This time, without even looking in a mirror, he knew that the corners of his mouth must be slightly upturned.

The main road was lined with stalls, pedestrians, and restaurants, just like before, and lights were lit everywhere.

But today the lights are exceptionally bright, the light is beautiful and soft, and even the sounds of vendors hawking their wares along the street are as pleasant as they have been every day before.

There's also the weather.

The weather is so nice...

***
In Suanzao Alley, Song Miao bolted the door and put the door frame back on. When she turned around, the tables and chairs in the front hall had been put back in their places.

Seeing her come over, Cheng Erniang pointed to the stove in front of the hall and said, "Madam, drink the goat milk quickly, it will get cold and smelly - I just put a lid on it."

Song Miao thanked her, took the goat milk out of the pot, tested the temperature of the bowl, and found it to be just right, neither too hot nor too cold. Just as she was about to drink it, she suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, "Have you all drunk it? Madam Xu has some too, right?"

Madam Xu laughed and said, "I've got it! I drank a whole cup—thanks to you and Madam Cheng, this is the first time I've ever drunk goat's milk. It's not goaty at all, and it's quite fragrant!"

Cheng Erniang said, "I just boiled some milk, and I only benefited from it. I didn't put in any effort. If you want to thank me, just thank Madam and Young Master Han. Please don't include me in this. It's embarrassing to be praised when I haven't done anything!"

After exchanging a few jokes, Madam Xu saw that Song Miao had drunk most of the goat's milk before saying, "I was just about to say something, but with Young Master Han here, it wasn't easy to ask—Madam, I know that the tables, chairs, doors, and windows here were recently made. Did you hire someone to do it?"

Song Miao didn't think much of it, nodded, and said, "Yes, it was made by Liu the carpenter on Shipan Street."

"What kind of person is he?" Madam Xu asked again.

Song Miao knew that the Xu family martial arts school had just bought the house to use as a storeroom, and assumed that it was going to be renovated and they didn't have a good carpenter, so she said, "It's very good. The person is very meticulous, the craftsmanship is also good, and he is particularly solid in his work."

Cheng Erniang also praised, "We didn't even rush him. The construction period wasn't even over yet, and he had already made the tables and chairs. The price was fair too. There was even a window in the backyard that was made for free; he only charged for the wood!"

Seeing that Song Miao and Cheng Erniang both agreed so readily, like two fish blowing bubbles together, Xu Niangzi, seeing injustice, couldn't stand it any longer and immediately said, "I was just about to ask, are the prices he charged for these chairs the same? Logically speaking, if they were made by the same person, are the same size, and are made of the same wood, even if the weight is different, the price difference shouldn't be too great—you two weigh them, how come these two are so different!"

As she spoke, she moved out the few chairs that had just been brought out, along with another chair from the side, and laid them flat.

"At first I thought they were all different weights, but after comparing them one by one, I found that this one is different. It's three or four times heavier than the others. I weighed it in my hand, but that's not very accurate. If you don't believe me, you can weigh it yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Song Miao stepped forward and first glanced at the different chair that Madam Xu had mentioned. Then she tested the weight of each chair one by one. After testing them, she said, "I know that Madam is afraid that we will be cheated and suffer losses, but this time, we really can't blame that carpenter Liu."

"It's my fault for not being clear. Most of the tables and chairs in the front hall were made by carpenter Liu, except for this one..." Song Miao pointed to the one that Madam Xu was holding, "...it was made with the help of that young master Han."

Madam Xu, who was originally indignant, was completely stunned upon hearing these words.

"That scholar, sitting in a chair??"

Although she didn't say it explicitly, the expression on her face conveyed four distinct words: "Don't lie to me!!!"
"Actually, we made more than just this one. The two large tables and chairs outside were originally made by Young Master Han. Now that the restaurant is about to open, we can't just have two tables, so we added new ones—they were delivered in the last two days."

"I took one of the old ones back to the room. There was a little chair for Xiaolian with her name on it, so I moved that to the back. The rest are mixed together. Since there aren't many, my wife probably won't be able to find them when she's looking for them."

As Song Miao spoke, she held up the lantern and circled the two tables on the side, and sure enough, she found a folding chair.

She said, “You know my family has had some bad experiences. All the original furniture, as long as it was usable, was taken away to pay off debts. What’s left is either broken or rotten. But we had a lot of resources back then, and we used good wood. The original few pieces were made by Mr. Han by piecing together old chairs from my family.”

"The new timber we're using is the new wood that my second wife and I chose. Since we're in debt, we can't be too picky about the wood we use; it's much less expensive, hence the lighter weight..."

Upon hearing this, Madam Xu picked up the chair she had taken earlier and stepped forward. She weighed it against the two chairs she had found later, one on each side. Sure enough, they were both made by that Young Master Han. The materials were the same, and the weight was similar. She stood there for a moment, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

Song Miao thanked her, saying, "My lady is so kind to help you with this—you are so meticulous. They look exactly the same, only their weights are slightly different, yet you were able to tell the difference so quickly. I hope that you will be as perceptive as me when we make purchases for our restaurant in the future."

Madam Xu chuckled awkwardly and said, "Oh! That young master Han is really something... a mere scholar who can also be a carpenter, tell me! Oh!"

She kept sighing and groaning, while simultaneously moving the chair back to its original position.

Seeing this, Cheng Erniang, who was standing nearby, had no choice but to step forward to help.

When she moved the chair, she happened to move the one that Xu Niangzi had just weighed and found to be different—this chair had a small tree ring on the upper right corner of the seat, which was very easy to identify.

In this situation, Cheng Erniang couldn't help but glance at Xu Niangzi again.

Xu Erlang was sitting in the same chair that day. She was lucky that she managed to hold back and didn't let slip that "the chair you're sitting in is the one that Young Master Han made."

It's the same thing again today.

It has to be said, this aunt and nephew are truly family!
hehe~~
(End of this chapter)