My Fantastic Chef Wife

288. Getting Stuffed

He said, “Sis, brother, you look like my parents.”

Jin Xiaoyu asked, “Nonsense, I am so young, so how can I be like your mother?”

Tarico asked, “Why do you say that? Because your parents will also give you meat to eat?”

Little Xun smiled and said, “No, my father and my mother are just like you two when they are chatting and laughing in the room.”

Jin Xiaoyu and Tarico got a little awkward. Jin Xiaoyu said, “LIttle kid, don’t talk nonsense.”

Tarico said, “Little Xun, finish your food quickly and I will take you to buy some stuffs after eating.”

……

Tarico was quite familiar with the people in the market.

He could greet every stall owner, and some of them would look at Jin Xiaoyu and ask Tarico something with a wicked smile. However, Jin Xiaoyu didn’t really understand the local language.

Tarico turned to Jin Xiaoyu. “They all said you look pretty.”

Jin Xiaoyu said, “Of course, it’s a truth that everyone knows.”

“They also said that your nose and eyes are both very beautiful.”

“Of course.”

“Your figure is also great. Many girls don’t have a waist like yours.”

“Of course.”

“They also said that we look perfect for each other.”

“That is…” Jin Xiaoyu was about to answer when she realized she was tricked by Tarico. She punched him, “In which way?”

“Well, in every way, I guess.”

“Tarico, stop talking nonsense. Don’t forget that you’re my underling,” Jin Xiaoyu reminded him seriously.

“That was a one-to-one fight, but you can’t beat me here because they are all acquaintances and friends of mine. If you dare to hit me, they will help me. Next time, you can’t come here for shopping anymore.”

“You’re such an arrogant brat.”

Seeing that Jin Xiaoyu was really getting serious, Tarico immediately pointed to a nearby shop. “Ah, here is Aunt Zayi. Let’s go and buy something from her.”

It was winter soon. The winter clothes and cotton they wanted could be bought in the tribe, but if there was a large demand, they would have to come to the market to buy the ready-made outfits, such as winter boots.

Tarico said, “The winter here is very cold and there will be snow in a while. You have to prepare the winter boots and hats. The things here are not as good as those in Beihui city, but locals have experience in fighting against the winter. You can buy something warmer at the market here. Look, there is fox fur here and also wool.”

Jin Xiaoyu thought so as well. She knew that many people in the tribe were rushing to make winter clothes, but she didn’t know how to do needlework. She didn’t want to trouble Li Hongmei and the rest either, so she might as well buy them.

She thought these winter hats and boots were just as right.

However, she didn’t immediately buy them. Instead, she turned and asked Tarico, “Is your camel team going to the next grass field in a while?”

“Yeah, we’ll head out in a few days,” Tarico said with a smile, “You don’t want me to leave?”

“Are you kidding me? I just want to ask if I can go together.”

“I know it’s because you don’t want me to leave. If not, why do you want to come with me?”

“Because I don’t want to stay in the tribe. If I leave with you, I can help feed the camels. If I stay in the tribe, I really don’t know what to do in the winter.”

“If you want to go, of course I will welcome you. However, the conditions at the second farm are not so good, so it’s not as lively as this place.”

“It’s good enough to have Little Xun with me,” Jin Xiaoyu said.

She wouldn’t stay in the tribe anyway. She couldn’t do anything in the winter and had to face Ye Xiaoxian and Baoshan every day.

It would be better to follow Tarico to the second farm.

Besides, Tarico was too enthusiastic. It would be better to spend more time together, so that he would know they wouldn’t work well together.

Jin Xiaoyu was thinking about it when she turned around and saw that Tarico had already picked the cotton clothes and shoes for Little Xun, and even paid the money.

“Why did you pay?” Jin Xiaoyu asked.

“It’s not for you, pick your own ones,” Tarico said, “The second farm is also cold, so you have to wear a little warmer.”

Jin Xiaoyu, “…”

Forget about it, she really didn’t have much money left. She spent almost all the money she had taken out from Longmen Inn.

……

The items purchased from Beihui city were sold out.

After selling them, Ye Xiaoxian needed to hand over the portion of the money that belonged to Li Chengru.

Because it was the last time she paid this year, Ye Xiaoxian planned to go to Baoning city herself.

That day, during dinner, she told Counselor Liu that she would send the account book over herself and verify it with Li Chengru. If Li Chengru had any questions, she could explain it to him.

Baoshan heard it and he couldn’t help but ask Ye Xiaoxian, “Are you going to Baoning city? About when?”

“The day after tomorrow,” Ye Xiaoxian asked again, “Are you going too?”

She remembered Baoshan saying that he would go to Baoning city very often, especially in the winter.

“Yes,” Baoshan said, “Why don’t we go together? I will also set out the day after tomorrow. I need to meet with Qian Qi.”

“… Okay,” Ye Xiaoxian thought that it was good to go together. Anyway, if he was there, she would not be afraid of encountering bad guys on the road.

Apart from Ye Xiaoxian and Baoshan, Wang Wen and Wang Wu were also going. Ye Xiaoxian also asked Xiao Baozhu and planned to shop around the county with Baozhu to buy some supplies needed for winter after verifying the account book.

……

The five of them were in a carriage carried by a horse. Wang Wu rode the horse while Wang Wen chased the carriage. Behind them were several people from the Xiao family.

This was a small carriage. Baoshan, who was tall and strong, sat inside and the space immediately turned narrow.

Because Baoshan was there, no one talked much. Xiao Baozhu felt awkward and asked, “Is it me here so none of you are talking? Are you dumb or what? Forget it, I’d better go outside.”

Xiao Baozhu climbed to the seat next to the wheeler and sat with Wang Wen.

Baoshan and Ye Xiaoxian were left in the car.

However, the two of them still didn’t talk. Sometimes, there would be eye contact but they would quickly withdrew.

It takes a whole day to get to Baoning city. During the trip, Ye Xiaoxian would give everyone some food she cooked.

She was quite enthusiastic towards everyone besides Baoshan.

Baozhu sat outside and was blushed from the cold. When she saw that Ye Xiaoxian and Baoshan didn’t speak, she couldn’t help but sigh, “Do you want me to tie the two of you together so that you can talk to each other? Jin Xiaoyu was about to go to the second farm with Tarico. See how chill they are! Why are the two of you so stubborn?”

……

It was already midnight when they arrived at Baoning city. They found an inn to stay for the night before going to the Sixth King’s Palace the next day.

The Sixth King had some urgencies, so he asked Li Chengru out to welcome them.

After that, Ye Xiaoxian and Li Chengru checked the accounts together. They were already very familiar with each other, so they laughed and talked while they were checking.

“This is the bill for almost a month. Take a look. If there’s no problem, take the money and make a mark,” Ye Xiaoxian joked.

“I’m not a criminal. Why should I make a mark?”

“Isn’t making a mark just pressing your finger print?”

Li Chengru didn’t look at the bill and pressed the red mud on his hand. Then he asked Feng Sheng to collect the large bag of silver that Ye Xiaoxian brought over.

Feng Sheng could hardly carry that large bag of silver.

There were thousands of pounds inside.

“Thank you for your hard work. I suddenly feel like reap without sowing,” Li Chengru laughed. There were thousands of pounds of silver in a season, so after three seasons, they would be able to receive a whole lot of money.

“If the Seventh King feels sorry, you can return the silver to us,” Ye Xiaoxian laughed.

Li Chengru laughed again, “A gentleman loves money. I am a gentleman so it is impossible for me to return it. You can ask for something else. I have everything here, you can even ask for people, or gifts.”

“Forget it, I’m just joking. Although I’m not a gentleman, I’m a reasonable businessman.”

“…”

Baoshan silently watched Li Chengru and Ye Xiaoxian laugh and talk together, while his face stayed calm throughout.

Little Ye was no ordinary woman. Whoever got in contact with her for some time would like her.

……

After coming out from the Sixth King’s residence, Baoshan led little Ye and the rest to Qian’s house.

Wang Wen and Wang Wu were originally from the Seventh King’s residence, so they didn’t follow. Only the Xiao’s went.

Old Mrs. Qian was very passionate to them. Besides Baoshan, she also asked Ye Xiaoxian about many things – if the clothes in the tribe were enough to wear, if the silver was enough to spend and if she had any plan for the winter.

In short, love me, love my dog, so Ye Xiaoxian was treated by Mrs. Qian as if she was her own daughter.

The group of people sat for a while. Old Mrs. Qian was about to prepare lunch when someone from the Sixth King’s Palace came over and said that the Sixth Imperial Concubine was going to set up a banquet at the mansion tonight, and asked Baoshan and Ye Xiaoxian to come over, and that the Qian’s family should also come together.

Old Mrs. Qian smiled and said, “Then let’s have a quick lunch at my house. Wait until evening then we can have a delicious meal at the Sixth King’s Palace.”

……

During dinner, Old Mrs. Qian and the others praised Baoshan and said to Ye Xiaoxian, “Your husband is really outstanding among people. Not only does he look good, but also is he skillful in martial arts. He’s not stingy neither. He would be a strong man to protect our homes and defend our country. Unfortunately, the situation in the imperial court is not good currently, otherwise he will have a chance to fight for the glory of the country.”

Ye Xiaoxian smiled and nodded.

If it wasn’t for her, Old Mrs. Qian would have kidnapped Baoshan and make him her son-in-law.

The rest of the Qian family also praised Baoshan, and they kept letting Ye Xiaoxian and Baozhu eat more so that Ye Xiaoxian was stuffed.

Thankfully, the Qian family had a habit of taking a nap after lunch, and they also arranged a room for a nap for Ye Xiaoxian. Ye Xiaoxian and Xiao Baozhu slept for a while. When they woke up, they heard that the carriage of the Sixth King’s Palace had arrived, asking them to go over for dinner.

Ye Xiaoxian felt that the lunch in her stomach hadn’t been digested yet. She quickly got up and did several sets of planks. As Xiao Baozhu saw this, she also did it with her.

……

Since the Sixth Imperial Concubine had always been advocating for frugality in Baoning city, the dishes were not very sumptuous and many were home-cooked, despite being a banquet.

However, because these dishes were served in delicate plates, they looked better than those from ordinary restaurants.