CHAPTER 329: CHAPTER 321: WHAT DOES LI XING’AN WANT TO SAY? (5)

The carriage carried no heavy load, running at a brisk pace, it reached the market in just two quarters of an hour.

Li Yuzhu mentioned an address, and Mu Yuanxiu nodded, "I know that village."

He skillfully drove the carriage to the gate of the Tian Family courtyard.

Li Xing’an lifted the curtain, looked around, and helped Li Yuzhu off the carriage.

It was still early morning, and the Tian Family members were having breakfast in the front yard.

They heard the voices of the Tian Family people.

The three of them walked into the courtyard, and Tian Dawang immediately said, "Miss Li, Third Young Master Li, you’re here?" He nodded towards Mu Yuanxiu, "Have you had breakfast? If you don’t mind, please join us?"

Li Yuzhu glanced at the small table, the Tian Family was eating pancakes made with cornmeal and minced shepherd’s purse, accompanied by a kind of meat stew.

Bits of cilantro floated on top of the milky soup, making it quite a delightful sight.

The children each held a piece of pancake, eating with relish.

Uncle Tian didn’t recognize the Li Family, but Tian Dawang, who had visited the Li Family with Chai Eying, heard it was the Li Family and also smiled, nodding, "You came really early, have you eaten? If not, join us for some."

As he spoke, he called for his eldest granddaughter to quickly bring stools for the guests, "Ah Xiang, quickly get some chairs."

Lady Tian turned dark with anger upon hearing Tian Dawang inviting people for breakfast.

Can this food be used to entertain guests?

Each person only has two pancakes and a bowl of soup, and they’re almost finished eating, so what would we have to offer?

Even if they hadn’t started eating yet, the food was still too shabby.

Didn’t he see how the guests were dressed? How could he not feel embarrassed?

These three had not a single patch on their clothes! And they came by carriage! Their family even married the wealthy Miss Chai! Much richer than the Tian Family!

Lady Tian glared at her husband, Tian Dawang, with annoyance.

Tian Dawang didn’t notice his wife’s expression and stepped forward to greet Li Yuzhu and the others.

Seeing Lady Tian’s unfriendly gaze, Li Yuzhu slightly furrowed her brows and said with a smile to Tian Dawang, "Brother Tian, we already had breakfast, no need to serve us, you all go ahead."

The eldest daughter of the Tian Family brought over three small stools, placing them in the courtyard.

She timidly said, "Please sit."

"Thank you." Li Yuzhu smiled.

Mu Yuanxiu also called out his thanks.

Li Xing’an glanced at the Tian Family daughter’s face, then looked at Mu Yuanxiu, secretly thinking that their ages were a good match, and perhaps he should suggest this girl as a wife for Mu Yuanxiu?

The Tian Family daughter, noticing an unfamiliar man was present, blushed and walked away after setting down the stools.

These were the two most handsome young men she had ever seen, especially the older one.

Li Xing’an noticed her blush, feeling even more delighted, ah, this girl blushed at the sight of Mu Yuanxiu, there’s potential here.

He must find a way to matchmake the two of them.

Li Xing’an softly said to Mu Yuanxiu, "Mu Yuanxiu, the Tian Family girl is very polite."

Mu Yuanxiu, "..." Listening to the elders of the family and bringing stools for guests is called politeness? Isn’t that a common thing?

"This girl is so sensible, look, she knows how to take care of her younger brother at the table." Li Xing’an added softly.

Mu Yuanxiu, "..." That didn’t seem like taking care, but rather she was annoyed that her little brother was kicking her stool, so she adjusted his legs to make him sit properly.

"She eats so gracefully, without dropping food on the ground." Li Xing’an said.

Mu Yuanxiu furrowed his eyebrows tightly, "..." Dropping food while eating is something three or five-year-olds do, but she’s twelve or thirteen, how could she still drop food? What is Li Xing’an trying to say?

"Third Brother Li, do you like that girl?" Mu Yuanxiu raised his eyebrows and quietly asked.

Li Xing’an, "..." He’s so angry his face turned black, like hell I do, I’m matchmaking for you! He gritted his teeth, opposing, "No!"

"Then why do you keep talking about her?" Mu Yuanxiu grew even more puzzled.

"We’ll discuss it later." Li Xing’an didn’t want to talk with him anymore and glared at him.

Because Tian Dawang was approaching.

Tian Dawang greeted Li Yuzhu and the others, smiling, "You’ve eaten already? Well, please have a seat then."

It turned out the guests had already eaten before arriving.

He continued eating, realizing it would be discourteous.

Tian Dawang put down the pancake in his hand, wiped his mouth, and came over to speak with Li Yuzhu and the others.

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Brother Tian, you don’t need to worry about us. You eat first, we’ll sit and wait. We still have some other matters to discuss."

Tian Dawang, having received three taels of silver from Chai Eying, felt embarrassed to let Li Yuzhu and the others wait, since they were from Chai Eying’s in-laws’ family.

He smiled and said, "I’m already finished."

There weren’t many stools at home, so he moved a stone the size of a winter melon and sat down in front of Li Yuzhu and the others.

Seeing that he was insistent on not eating, Li Yuzhu didn’t force him further. She took out a paper with the missing characters written on it and handed it to Tian Dawang.

"Brother Tian, we’ve finished drafting the book and organized the character molds. Here are the missing characters now. Take a look, how long will it take to engrave these characters? How much will it cost?"

Tian Dawang waved his hand and said, "There’s no need to mention money. Miss Li gave more than three taels of silver, which is more than enough for the labor."

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Brother Tian, don’t be polite. If it’s not enough, just let us know."

"It’s more than enough. Our family has received a lot of favors from Old Master Chai. Even if there was no payment, I would still help. Besides, Miss Li has already paid, let’s not talk about money anymore," Tian Dawang waved his hand, "The payment is truly ample."

But Lady Tian was not happy.

She said coldly, "This will delay plenty of work, and there’s still work needed in the fields..."

Uncle Tian’s face darkened, "Dawang will handle it, you don’t need to worry."

Tian Dawang quickly gave his wife a glare, "Woman, why so much chatter?"

Lady Tian had been annoyed by debt collectors these past few days, and the family had no money. Tian Dawang wouldn’t give her the three taels of silver he got.

Feeling upset, she shouted, "Where am I wrong? The rice fields need fertilizing and watering, there’s work every day. You engrave for half a day and only a few characters are done. How long will it take to engrave these hundred characters? Who’ll look after the field at home?"

"Enough!" Tian Dawang finally lost it, yelling at Lady Tian.

"Yelling at me first thing in the morning, how can we live like this?" Lady Tian put down her chopsticks and turned her head to wail.

She wasn’t crying, just using a loud mournful tone.

It was very upsetting to hear.

The children couldn’t eat either, looking at her timidly.

Tian Dawang, angered, jumped up.

Seeing a fight about to break out, Li Yuzhu quickly pulled him, "Brother Tian, calm down."

Li Xing’an and Mu Yuanxiu also stood up, placing hands on his shoulders from left and right, pushing him back to sit on the stone.

This finally calmed Tian Dawang down a bit.

Uncle Tian said in a steady voice, "Alright, eat your meals, and after eating, each goes about their own business."

Lady Tian’s voice lowered, but she still wore an unpleasant expression.

Tian Dawang scratched his head awkwardly, saying to Li Xing’an and the others, "Ah, family affairs, it’s like this every day, sorry for making you laugh."

"It’s alright, every family is like this, many things to handle," Li Yuzhu laughed.

Tian Dawang shook the paper and said, "Let’s get back to business."

But just then, there came a barking of dogs outside the courtyard.

And some chaotic sounds of cart wheels and rough voices of several people talking.

Clearly, a vehicle had parked at the Tian family’s gate.

The neighbors around the Tian family were far apart, and the guest at the house across the street wouldn’t park at the back door, as it’s against etiquette, so the visitors were clearly for the Tian family.

Everyone looked curiously towards the gate.

Soon, someone walked to the courtyard gate and shouted loudly, "Dawang, Brother Dawang, are you home?" A few people walked in, "Mrs. Tian Huang?"

They were not from this village, but from the village where Lady Tian’s family lived.

Tian Dawang frowned as he saw the few people approaching, "What’s the matter?"

He recognized these people, but wasn’t familiar with them, never really talked, only knowing their names, what their families did, and where they lived.

However, Lady Tian, upon seeing these people come in, turned pale with fright and began to tremble all over.

The three children of the Tian family also became silent with fear, all sitting quietly, not daring to bite into their pastries.

Even the youngest, Tian Erhu, widened his eyes, clutching his little cake, staring blankly at the people approaching.

Tian Dawang’s daughter, Tian Axiang, turned deathly pale with fear, nervously clutching her skirt, staring intently at the incoming people, eyes wide open, not daring to make a sound.

She quietly leaned her body towards her mother.

But Lady Tian was even more nervous than her.

Mu Yuanxiu’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression cool as he watched those people, only Li Xing’an and Li Yuzhu were bewildered, not knowing who the visitors were or what was happening.