With only half a box of fresh meat mooncakes left in her hands, she leaned over and shared a few with Lu An. After he took a bite and said it was delicious, she smiled and looked up at Lu Zhenniang, asking, "Mr. Lu, please teach my sister and me how to make fresh meat mooncakes. Oh, we also had crab shell pastries, pine nut candy, and zongzi candy on Guanqian Street, and they were all delicious. We also had Fengzhen noodles, beggar's chicken, Taihu silver fish, and Biluo shrimp for lunch..." She counted each dish on her tender, bamboo shoot-like fingers, saying, "Mr. Lu, please teach us all of these."
Lu Zhenniang chuckled and patted Wushuang's head. There was so much to learn, and it was a big question whether Wuxia could learn it all. This little guy, who wasn't even as tall as the stove, definitely couldn't learn it. He was just craving food.
She didn't expose Wushuang's little scheme, and simply said "okay" as a sign of agreement.
Looking at Lu An again, he had finished a fresh meat mooncake and was being fed zongzi candy by Chu Wan holding up her little hand.
"Isn't it super sweet?" Chu Wan smiled, her eyes crinkling. She was used to spending every day with the Seventh Prince, Chu Xu, so she naturally felt close to a boy of similar age.
Lu An felt that the smiling little girl in front of him was sweeter than candy, and he smiled along with her.
The atmosphere was just right when a sob came from behind them.
As the sun began to set, it cast long, thin shadows of people and objects. Lu An saw someone rushing towards Chu Wan from behind. Having experienced hardship since childhood, he was highly alert and quick to react. He turned around, reached out, and pulled Chu Wan behind him to protect her. The two actions were executed in one smooth and graceful motion.
However, the newcomer was not a fierce demon; it was merely a young girl dressed in patched, coarse cloth. [Read Tianhuo Avenue online: http://wWw.qiushu.cc/]
She knelt down and held up the silver ingot in her hand to Chu Wan: "My little benefactor, I've finally found you. I've come to return the silver to you."
Children don't have long memories, and after playing all day, Chu Wan had long forgotten about Qi Lan, whom she had just met that morning. She was biting her fingertips and staring blankly at the silver ingot.
Wushuang scurried over to her and said, "Hey, didn't I say I'd give it to you? Why are you returning it? Doesn't your brother need to eat?"
Qi Lan choked up and said, "I... I received help from my little benefactor and went home happily. Who knew that my younger brother was so young and I was out unattended when I fell into the mountain pond and drowned."
"How could it be so tragic?" Wushuang couldn't help but sigh, and felt a pang of sympathy for Qi Lan.
"If that's the case, then take the money to pay for his funeral. What's the point of thinking about returning the money now? We've given it to you, so we don't care what you use it for. You can decide for yourself." Chu Yao was a step behind Wu Shuang, standing further away. "Stand up and talk. Kneeling on the ground is not proper."
Qi Lan wiped away her tears, stood up as instructed, and continued, "My benefactor, I have already finished arranging my brother's funeral. Here, the custom is different for children than for adults; they are not mourned or held in mourning, and are buried on the day they die."
Perhaps due to the consecutive deaths of two relatives, she was overwhelmed with grief. She would pause for a few breaths after each sentence, turn her face slightly away, and gently bite her lower lip, as if she was trying her best to restrain herself and hold back her tears so that she could finish what she needed to say and not be interrupted.
"My benefactor, I wish to serve you as your slave..."
Chu Yao was a little impatient when she brought up the old matter again, and interrupted her, saying, "Did you see the soldiers near those big ships? Let me tell you the truth, we are not ordinary people, and we will never take people of unknown origin as servants, so you'd better give up on that idea. Take the money and do whatever you want; making a living is never difficult."
Moreover, according to common sense, no one would willingly sell themselves into slavery unless they were desperate. The silver ingots he gave them were a good ten taels; even if they just sat around and did nothing, as long as they didn't squander them recklessly, it wouldn't be difficult for them to live comfortably for two or three years. In that long, they could find any way out. Their current actions either indicate that they've lost their minds due to the pain, or that they have ulterior motives.
He doesn't have much compassion for the former, and he must be wary of the latter, so he can't keep them.
Upon hearing this, Qi Lan seemed to have suffered a great blow, and her face turned deathly pale instantly.
"I..." she stammered, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face, "I'm all alone, I don't know how to make a living..."
"That's your business, it has nothing to do with us," Chu Yao said coldly.
After saying that, he squatted down, picked up Chu Wan with one arm and Wu Shuang with the other, and said to Lu Zhenniang, "Mr. Lu, it's getting late, let's go back to the boat."
Lu Zhenniang led Lu An behind her, walking quickly toward where the treasure ship was docked.
Wushuang rested on Chu Yao's shoulder, her face turned away from his, so she could see Qi Lan standing there.
Her bewildered and helpless expression reminded Wushuang of the day she ran away from home in her previous life.
At that time, she was three or four years older than Qi Lan is now, and she had a lot of private money and some travel and jewelry that Wuyou had temporarily given her. No matter where she went, she could at least guarantee a comfortable life for the rest of her life. However, she could not help but feel lost and confused, as if she didn't know where her home was in this vast world.
Logically, Wushuang understood that Chu Yao's decision was correct.
However, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Qi Lan emotionally.
Wu Shuang twisted and turned a few times, demanding that Chu Yao put her down.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, he immediately took off his short legs and ran to Qi Lan, taking off the small pouch from his waist and stuffing it into her hand.
The small purse was stuffed with gold beans and melon seeds, all of which were the lucky money she received during the Lunar New Year. Anyway, at her age, she hardly ever needed to spend money herself, so she might as well give it to Qi Lan to give her more financial security.
When Qi Lan saw her coming, hope immediately shone in her dazed eyes. After receiving the purse, she knelt down again, hugged Wu Shuang's short legs, and kept kowtowing, begging Wu Shuang to accept her.
Wu Shuang lacked the strength to move her legs, so she could only puff out her cheeks and turn back to Chu Yao for help.
Chu Yao shook his head and walked over, unceremoniously prying Qi Lan's arms off and picking Wu Shuang up again.
"This is all we can do for you." Wushuang waved her little hand and said goodbye to Qilan. "You can cook, right? If all else fails, you can set up a small stall to sell food."
Perhaps, like Lu Zhenniang, she will suffer for a while at first, but then have a wonderful encounter.
As Qi Lan watched them walk further and further away, her expression grew increasingly desperate.
That childish yet vicious voice, like that of a demon, echoed repeatedly in my ears: "The ship will set sail tomorrow. If you can get her to take you in, you'll be able to see your brother again. If not, go to the canal and wait to collect your brother's body."
We can't leave like this, defeated...
Qi Lan suddenly jumped up, ran to the riverbank without hesitation, and jumped in with a splash.
Things happened so fast that Chu Wan, whose back was to the spot she had run past, had no idea what was going on. Wu Shuang also had time to open her mouth in surprise, but before she could utter a sound, Qi Lan had already sunk down.
Lu Zhenniang led Lu An to the riverbank, looked around a few times, told her son to wait where he was, and then jumped into the river to save the person.
Qi Lan could be ignored, but Lu Zhenniang could not be left alone. Helpless, Chu Yao summoned several Lingguang Guards and ordered them to go with Lu Zhenniang to rescue people, and to ensure her safety.
The canal was artificially excavated, unlike natural rivers which have undulating slopes on the riverbed; the water is tens of meters deep from the banks.
After a long commotion, the crowd finally managed to pull Qi Lan out of the water. She had choked badly on the water and was completely unconscious.
Knowing that the people were still alive, Chu Yao carried the two little girls and boarded the imperial ship without looking back.
The Prince of Ying's residence also occupied two cabins on the helm of the imperial ship, which were shared by the brother and sister Chu Yao and Chu Wan.