Chapter 828: Kowtow
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This morning, as soon as it was four o’clock, Hong’er got up and changed into the clean cotton clothes that Steward Qian had prepared for her.
Along the way, Steward Qian explained a lot more. “When you reach the Moon Pavilion, listen to the experiences of the other retail investors in raising silkworms. If you have any questions, you can ask on the spot. The silkworm farmers who taught you the technique of raising silkworms will also be there…”
Those who could be chosen by Steward Qian were all generous and straightforward people even if they had not seen much of the world. There was no need to worry about them being timid.
When Hong’er thought about how Princess Shaoyi was in the city, her heart skipped a beat. She looked at Steward Qian, who was walking in front of her, and hesitated for a long time. Finally, she couldn’t help but say, “Steward Qian, is the Princess still in the courier station?”
They did not expect Hong’er to be so bold as to inquire about Princess Shaoyi’s whereabouts. Auntie Mei and Yu An were also shocked and broke out in a cold sweat.
Steward Qian’s tone immediately became a little stricter. “Do your own thing and don’t ask about the Princess.”
Hong’er was shocked, and her hands and feet immediately turned cold. She quickly said, “I— I didn’t mean to offend the Princess. I— I just wanted to go to the entrance of the courier station and kowtow to the Princess.”
She stammered as she explained, kneeling on the ground with a thud. “In October of last year, our family fled to the outskirts of the capital and were so hungry that we were about to die. It was— It was the steward of the Rogue Manor who pulled a few carts of sweet potatoes to help the pa.s.sing refugees. We heard that the Rogue Manor was the residence of the princess. At the end of last year, my younger brother fell seriously ill. It was the princess’s medicinal herbs that saved his life. It was also the lord of Shao County who arranged for us to raise silkworms…”
At this point, tears streamed down her face.
Auntie Mei and Yu An felt the same way and also knelt on the ground.
“We commoners can’t repay the Princess’s kindness in our lives. I only want to kowtow to her at the entrance of the courier station and wish her a long life. Steward Qian, please agree!”
“Please agree…”
“…”
The three of them knelt on the ground and begged bitterly. Steward Qian sighed slightly. “The Princess is kind-hearted and has always been kind to others. She doesn’t care about this. All of you, get up!”
The three of them refused to get up and insisted on kowtowing to their benefactor.
Seeing their sincerity, Steward Qian couldn’t bear to refuse. He could only say, “Let’s make it clear first. We’ll kowtow outside the courier station.”
The three of them were overjoyed and quickly agreed.
After Yin Huaixi went to Dandong, he still had to go to other areas to settle the refugees and would not return to Liancheng.
He had arranged for Huang Wenxian to come over. Other than liaising with foreign merchants and discussing cooperation with the Xie family, the most important thing was to escort Yu Youyao to Xiangping City.
After the matters in Liancheng were over, Yu Youyao made arrangements to leave.
At this moment, Xia Tao rushed in. “Young Miss, Steward Qian is bringing the three refugees who have been chosen to enter the city to kowtow to you outside the courier station.”
Yu Youyao frowned. “I don’t care about this.”
Xia Tao also said, “Steward Qian has also explained, but they’ve all received Young Miss’s kindness and insisted on coming over to kowtow to you. Steward Qian saw that they were also sincere, so he brought them over.”
Yu Youyao slowly put down her teacup and said nothing.
Xia Tao knew that Young Miss was very concerned about the refugees, so she asked, “Do you want to summon them?”
Yu Youyao gently fiddled with the agarwood prayer beads on her wrist. When an elder pa.s.sed away, their filial descendants had to often wear the items of their elders when they were alive to show their sorrow and filial piety.
After a while, she finally said, “There’s no need to summon them. It’s not appropriate.”
Xia Tao was deep in thought. Young Miss was right. It wasn’t that it wasn’t suitable. Why wasn’t it suitable?
In the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, almost all of the tens of millions of refugees had received relief from Young Miss.
Young Miss was also kind-hearted when she helped the refugees. She did not ask anyone to be grateful to her. It was their own business for the refugees to remember her kindness.
She was originally just an ordinary person. In the future, living a peaceful life would be the best repayment to Young Miss.
“It’s still their respect after all.” Yu Youyao wouldn’t ignore it. She pondered for a moment and instructed, “I remember that a few days ago, the four families of the city sent over generous gifts, including two pieces of tussar silk. Go and cut three pieces of material. Do as I say…”
Hong’er and the other two knelt respectfully at the entrance of the courier station and bowed three times.
Although the courier station was built in a quieter place and was heavily guarded, no one usually dared to stroll around. However, as it was a courier station of the Imperial Court, the guests and merchants who came to Liancheng would first come to the vicinity of the courier station to rest after entering the city.
Therefore, many people still saw the commotion outside the courier station.
They were also a little confused.
At this moment, a woman dressed very well led an old woman with a wooden tray out of the courier station. She exuded an aura.
Steward Qian hurriedly stepped forward. “Miss Xia Tao, does Young Miss have any instructions?”
Hong’er and the others were stunned for a moment before they reacted. The “Young Miss” that Steward Qian was talking about was Princess Shaoyi.
They had only wanted to kowtow to the princess a few times, but they did not expect to alarm her. For a moment, they were a little terrified.
Xia Tao smiled. “When the princess found out that Steward Qian had brought someone over to greet her, she asked me to…” She glanced at Chun Xiao and the other two, who were kneeling respectfully on the ground. “She asked me to pa.s.s on a few words.”
Steward Qian heaved a sigh of relief.
Hong’er and the other two were in fear and trepidation. They quickly knelt on the ground again, not even daring to say anything.
In their opinion, Steward Qian was already a dignified person, but he was still so polite to Miss Xia Tao. It was obvious that she was someone who served the princess.
The princess had specially sent someone to pa.s.s on a message. She was flattering them.
Xia Tao’s smile deepened. “Get up and talk!”
Hong’er and the other two quickly stood up.
Xia Tao gestured for the old woman standing behind her to step forward and gently pick up the wild silk in the wooden tray. “Do you know what kind of silk this is? The silk that’s spat out, the silk that has been formed, or the silk that has been woven?”
Hong’er was stunned for a moment before she quickly looked at the tray.
The silk was the size of a handkerchief and had a l.u.s.trous green color, as if it was worn by a n.o.ble. The sparkling emerald was elegant and luxurious, almost dazzling them.
The silkworm farmers who had taught them how to raise silkworms would show them the coc.o.o.ns formed by each type of silk. They would explain the characteristics of the silk so that they could distinguish them.
Hong’er thought that the princess was testing her, but after thinking about it, she couldn’t think of what kind of silk it was. She could only try her best to recognize it.
After a while, she was so anxious that she was sweating profusely.
Auntie Mei and Yu An’s faces also turned pale, and their bodies trembled.
Uneasiness and fear spread silently.