Chapter Seventeen: No Worries About Injustice

  Shu Yao's fondness for the Red Fuji apple was apparently not hidden from Li Zhiqing, "Sixth sister likes to eat apples?" Li Zhiqing seemed to treat her like a child, taking an apple and placing it in Shu Yao's hand. Shu Yao looked down at the Red Fuji apple, then raised her head to look at her cousin, "Did you grow this?"

  The weak 'pfft' sound made the old lady laugh, and seeing Shu Yao's silly appearance, her guard against Shu Yao lessened a lot. She was just like her mother, "Sixth sister said with a smile, how could you plant apples? The mansion sold off the barren land and planted it full of fruit trees, now even in the capital city, everyone knows that our mansion has fruit trees."

  Xiu Yao suddenly realized and looked at her cousin with a hint of apology, "I thought you had someone to take care of the garden, with Hei Shou Wu (a type of herb) and fruit trees."

  Li Ziqing stared at Shu Yao for a while, making Shu Yao feel somewhat uneasy. "Cousin?"

  Li Zhiqin smiled calmly, "Sixth sister has just returned to the capital, if there's anything she doesn't understand, she can come ask me. As a family of sisters, I will take care of Sixth Sister."

  Shu Yao nodded, with a lazy and innocent look, her eyes gleaming with a sleepy mist. She didn't care about the fruit tree seedlings, thinking that they wouldn't grow anyway, as long as she had something to eat. In her past life, Shu Yao's favorite fruit was apples, and she would eat one every day. Since coming here, she hadn't had a proper Red Fuji apple in a long time, so now that she could satisfy her cravings, Shu Yao was content. Even if Li Qinger was from the same hometown, Shu Yao thought it would only be beneficial for herself to have someone who could cultivate fruit trees. For example, take that ancestor of the Shu Mu family, who was known for his elegance and refinement - Shu Yao was certain he must be a time-traveling man, with glass, soap, perfume, and other modern conveniences that would make her life much more comfortable.

  She can enjoy the care of her parents and brother, enjoy the beautiful clothes and delicious food of the Qing Dynasty, sleep until she wakes up naturally, and don't have to study optics all day. She can also enjoy some modern benefits, which makes Shu Yao very satisfied. As for whether Li Ziqing is as at ease as a rice worm like her, Shu Yao doesn't care at all. Living a good life and enjoying the leisurely days is Shu Yao's greatest wish.

  Shu Yao thought she was very calm, but when she heard that Li Ziqing gave the old lady two hundred-year-old ginseng, Shu Yao's eyebrows slightly furrowed. Did she think ginseng was just a type of cabbage, and you could move it however you wanted? Li Ziqing had given Guwalgiya two fifty-year-old ginseng plants, and Shu Yao saw that from the old lady to her uncles and aunts, down to the maidservants, everyone looked like it was nothing out of the ordinary. Shu Yao was shocked - how did she manage to do it? They had all sorts of precious medicinal materials like ginseng and He Shou Wu, but no one seemed surprised?

  Isn't there always a personal maid serving beside the young lady? Li Ziqing is an old lady's most trusted person, who grew up under the flattery and service of maids, surrounded by servants. How could she disappear to take care of the space? Shu Yao herself had experienced it before. At that time in Huizhou, there were fewer maids, and Shu Yao never left her side during the day. Even when Shu Yao took a nap, there would be a little maid fanning her, and Nurse Li would check on her from time to time, fearing that the maid was not serving wholeheartedly and making Shu Yao uncomfortable.

  Shu Xiang could only act at midnight, and had to wait until the maids finished their rounds before daring to enter the space. The sentence "you all go down first" was just a way to get rid of the maids, leaving Shu Xiang alone in the house. The maid would be punished if she found out. Shu Xiang thought about her own thieving experience and wondered why there was such a big difference between people? Shu Xiang secretly raised her middle finger, "Heaven, you're treating us differently!"

  Gua Lijia smiled and handed the ginseng to her nephew, "I'll take it then. Ginseng is a good thing, but it's not suitable for over-supplementation."

  Zhiyuan nodded, seeing the old lady being served ginseng soup by Yatou, and persuaded her: "Time is not forgiving, Mother, you are now physically weak, and often taking ginseng may not be good for your body. When my son was in office in Huizhou, he saw an old lady who only ate coarse grain porridge, she was very healthy, over 70 years old, she could still carry a basket to walk five miles to the city of Huizhou to sell eggs, she was famous in their village for her longevity, many people went to ask for advice, that old lady can still..."

  "Second Uncle, the old lady is the Duchess's elderly lady-in-waiting." Li Zhiqing gently reminded Zhiyuan, taking over the teacup from the old lady's hand and receiving her satisfied glance. Li Zhiqing knew that constantly eating ginseng wasn't a good thing, but the old lady liked precious medicinal materials and only believed in their nourishing effects. She wouldn't go against the old lady's wishes, so with ginseng to prolong her life, the old lady could live until she chose a husband for Li Zhiqing through a marriage arrangement.

  "Elder mother is different from ordinary farmers' wives, elder mother is more precious. Elder mother's body is good, so she can let her son be filial." Zhiyuan talked eloquently and showed great concern for the old lady, no one would doubt that Zhiyuan was being filial to his mother. But the old lady was a person who often wouldn't listen to what Zhiyuan said, sometimes even going against him. The old lady always thought that Zhiyuan just didn't let her have her way."

  "Second sister, Qier is willing to give up the Wu Tong Garden, you and your family can move in. The renovation of Wu Tong Garden was Qier's idea, if you're not satisfied, we can have it modified again."

  Li Zhiyuan's words were suddenly interrupted by his mother-in-law, Mrs. Li, who had been widowed for many years and had always kept a low profile. Shu Yao looked at her, thinking that she should be called "Second Aunt", and couldn't help but feel that the creator was truly amazing - Second Aunt's appearance and temperament were ordinary, yet she had given birth to a beautiful daughter like Li Zhiyuan. According to evolutionary theory and genetics, Shu Yao believed that her late husband must have been a handsome man; even if it was a genetic mutation, there must be some foundation for it.

  Guarjia smiled and said, "Second Auntie may not know, I just told my second brother that it's better to let our niece live in Wutongyuan, and we'll move to Kuaiyuan. The place is bigger, closer to the side door, and more convenient for coming and going."

  Guarjia saw the sisters-in-law showing a hint of disdain, would she let them have their way? She continued: "The Kaiyuan is close to the courtyard where Ama lives, it's convenient for Master to fulfill his filial duties."

  You try to please the old lady, but Zhiyuan does the opposite. The title of the Duke's Mansion was granted by the old master to Emperor Kangxi, and the old lady is not allowed to surpass the old master in writing directly to Emperor Kangxi. Although the old master seems careless, he is actually very clear-minded. Gua Erjia saw that the old master seemed indifferent to Zhiyuan, but was actually very angry and loving. As for how much he loves him, Gua Erjia can't see it yet.

  The three wives and four wives are like eating flies, they can now feel the pain of their husbands. The old lady pursed her lips, what kind of husband there is, what kind of daughter-in-law there is. Zhiyuan and she are really a perfect match, not letting the old lady have her way at all. Looking at Gualjia's behavior, isn't Zhiyuan going back to Beijing to compete for the title? Definitely can't let Zhiyuan have his way, the title must be passed down to the obedient eldest son Zhicheng, even if Zhihao is more filial than Zhiyuan.