Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 275: From the Su family

Lian Fang Zhou worked very hard so that as soon as the cotton was harvested, it could be processed as quickly as possible.

Three days after Cui Shao Xi and Su Xin’er left, people from the Su family arrived.

It turned out to be Li Ma with two ordinary servant women.

When Lian Fang Zhou saw them, her heart rose two points and she hurried to greet them with a smile.

Li Ma smiled and said: “Miss Lian!” before greeting Third Aunt, Lian Fang Qing, and the rest of the family.
The two servants held two gift boxes in each and put them on the table respectfully before walking to sit behind Li Ma.

Li Ma smiled at Lian Fang Zhou: “The young lady specially ordered this old slave to greet Miss.
Just some small gifts, asking Miss to laugh!”

Although the Lian family was not as well off as the Su family, since the gifts had been delivered to their door, Lian Fang Zhou naturally had no reason to refuse.
She smiled and thanked her.

Li Ma hurriedly added: “When this old slave left, the young lady specially prepared an excellent set of the four treasures of the study* and a set of jewelry made of cordyceps and red gold inlaid treasures for your Third Brother and Fourth Sister.
The four treasures are a congratulations for Third son on being accepted as a student and the jewelry is for Fourth girl to wear and play with.”

“Cousin is very kind and I’m too polite!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled, calling Lian Fang Qing to come up and thank her.
She smiled: “Che’er is still in school right now, so I will thank you on his behalf! You have gone through a lot of trouble! When I have free time, I must go and visit my cousin again!”

Li Ma agreed with a smile, praising Lian Fang Qing before saying: “This old slave will report to the young lady when I return, the young lady will be very happy!”

After chatting for a little while, Li Ma smiled again.
“This old slave still has a few words from the young lady to tell Miss…”

Seeing this, Lian Fang Zhou asked Third Aunt to take Lian Fang Qing to the kitchen and boil some water for tea.

Third Aunt really liked to watch people from big families to see how they dressed and behaved.
Except for Xi Que! When she heard Lian Fang Zhou tell her to go boil water, her eyes shifted and she mumbled: “Hot water, there is already hot water, what…”

In comparison, Lian Fang Qing was very clever.
Grinning, she called Third Aunt and forced her away.

The two maidservants who followed Li Ma also retreated and stood guard at the door.

Li Ma stood up and gave polite bow to Lian Fang Zhou: “Miss Lian, what happened with our eldest Miss a few days ago… I am so sorry! Please consider the eldest Miss’ young age and don’t mind her, our eldest miss has always been—”

Li Ma smiled, embarrassed.
She was a servant and Fang Qing was the daughter-in-law of the Su family, so she couldn’t speak of Su Xin’er’s shortcomings.

Didn’t Lian Fang Zhou already know this?

Fang Qing didn’t have much to do with the matter and didn’t need to send anyone, but she had already sent the most important person by her side.

“Li Ma, don’t speak like that!” Lian Fang Zhou hurried to smile: “Young Lady Su is innocent and straightforward; don’t I understand her personality? Why would I care about her?”

Li Ma smiled: “My young lady said the same, saying that Miss Lian is very generous!” After a pause, she added: “The young lady wanted to say a few words to Miss Lian and they are also what our young master said.
Young Master Cui has already told them about the matter you discussed and they also feel that this is an excellent idea.
If Miss is free, it would be good to go to our house in the next few days.
Our young lady said “we can discuss it in more detail when we meet”, she said you would understand.”

Of course Lian Fang Zhou understood what she meant and she couldn’t help but smile widely, very happy in her heart.

The Su family was the richest family in Shuangliu county! If they also joined in, this matter would go very smoothly.

“Cousin and cousin-in-law really think it is a good idea? This is great!” Lian Fang Zhou laughed: “It’s a pity that I haven’t been free these last few days, so I haven’t had much time to think about this.
Li Ma, please go back to my cousin and cousin-in-law.
As my cousin said, its better for us to think about it on our own first.
After a while, we will find some free time to meet.
Wouldn’t it be better for everyone to think of our own ideas before we discuss it? Please reply to my cousin, I will definitely come!”

“Yes, this old slave will return to the young lady and tell her everything according to what Miss Lian has said!” As Lian Fang Zhou spoke, Li Ma hurriedly wrote it down.
She didn’t know exactly what these words meant or what they were referring to her, she only knew what Fang Qing told her to pass on.

Having everything settled clearly, Li Ma stood up and smiled, saying goodbye.

Lian Fang Zhou didn’t say much and politely saw the three servants out.

When Third Aunt and Lian Fang Qing returned with the kettle, Li Ma had been gone for a while.

“She’s already gone? You made me boil the water for nothing!” Third Aunt said, full of regret.
Lian Fang Zhou smiled: “They’re from a big family and are different people, do you dare to underestimate them?”

“That was the most useful older servant around my cousin and her status is naturally unusual.
She says she is a servant, but she had two girls waiting on her and she was more than half a master.”

“No wonder!” Third Aunt suddenly realized.

Sighing, she threw away her thoughts and looked at the gifts that had been sent.
Lian Fang Zhou smiled and opened them together with Lian Fang Qing.
Other than the two gifts for Lian Che and Lian Fang Qing, there was similar gifts to before: cloth, silk flowers, yarn, small purses, etc.
However, this time there was also several good-quality hairpins and white and sapphire jade pendants.

Third Aunt’s eyes brightened when she saw this.
Taking a gold hairpin with a squirrel grape pattern, she kept praising the uniqueness.
“Your cousin is really generous! These things are worth so much! Ah, how much silver?”

Third Aunt couldn’t think of it, so she simply asked Lian Fang Zhou.

Lian Fang Zhou did not know but she was afraid that the total amount was at least seven or eight hundred taels.
She knew exactly why her cousin had given such a heavy gift.

She did not answer Third Aunt but smiled and said: “You like this golden hairpin? I will give it to you! But I have something to say that Third Aunt must remember! That day that the eldest young lady of the Su family spoke in our yard, you have never heard of it before and you are not allowed to speak about it outside, do you understand?”

Although this is Yuhe county, it was not far away from Shuangliu county.
Some words were unpleasant to hear.

“Qing’er too,” Lian Fang Zhou looked at Lian Fang Qing, who was fiddling with the cordyceps jewelry and smiling happily, “Do you understand? What happened that day, you are not allowed to say a word.”

“Don’t worry, sister! That pretty sister was so fierce and disliked our dirty house, I don’t want to talk about her!” Lian Fang Qing pouted.

She was still so young; she didn’t understand Su Xin’er jealous words at all.

Third Aunt thought for a while before suddenly understanding Lian Fang Zhou’s meaning.
She cried out: “Ah, so it’s a hush fee!”

TN: *The four treasures of the study are inkstones, ink, brushes, and paper.

Third Aunt is a riot!