The first time Jiang Yuqing saw Qin Jue, Qin was secretly shocked.
She saw that the baby in the swaddling clothes had a red lotus on her forehead that looked like she was made of pink jade. She was the very picture of a remarkable and cute child. As expected for the only girl born in the Jiang clan in 200 years, she really had the look of fortune.
Jiang Yuqing was also curious as she looked at the county magistrate in front of her. Although only in his twenties, he already possessed an air of authority, likely cultivated from long years spent in high office.
Thinking that her own family were his subjects, Jiang Yuqing reflexively showed him a smile.
There's a saying that a county magistrate can ruin a family, and a prefect can destroy a whole clan. Whether to fawn on him or not, at least she shouldn't offend him. "Ah--County Magistrate, hello!"
Qin County Magistrate was taken aback, as he didn't expect this baby to speak to him.
But her baby talk was unintelligible, so he gently said, "Little one, what are you trying to say to me?"
"Ah--nothing much, just welcoming you to my family's full month celebration banquet."
"Hehe. Do you know who I am?"
"Ah--" Of course, of course I know you're the biggest official in our Qingzhou County."
After Qin County Magistrate teased Jiang Yuqing a little, he casually took off the jade pendant at his waist and put it in the baby's swaddling clothes.
He smiled at Jiang Wenyuan, "Your child is truly beautiful as jade in snow. I came impolitely today without any gifts on hand. Let this jade pendant be a toy for the child."
Jiang Wenyuan quickly declined, "Sir, this is too valuable, we can't accept!"
Qin laughed heartily, "It's nothing. I heard that women are rare in your Jiang clan, with only one precious girl born in generations.
Meeting her full month banquet today must be fate.
By age, she can call me Uncle. Elders' gifts cannot be declined, so please don't refuse again."
With the County Magistrate speaking to this point, it would be rude for Jiang Wenyuan to continue refusing. He could only bow and say, "I humbly thank you on my daughter's behalf for your generosity!"
Just then, the little boy who had been quietly standing to the side suddenly tugged on Jiang Wenyuan's clothes and looked up to ask him, "Can I see her?"
Jiang Wenyuan was a little surprised but said, "Of course you can!" Then he bent down and lifted his daughter closer.
Jiang Yuqing looked at the boy who seemed to be only five or six years old, with chubby cheeks set in a serious expression. Now seeing her, he looked rather surprised.
"Can I touch her?" he asked again. Jiang Wenyuan looked at his daughter in his arms, then at the little boy, feeling somewhat conflicted.
He didn't want to refuse and offend them, but was worried the child may injure his precious daughter unintentionally.
The little boy seemed to sense his dilemma and said earnestly, "I'll just gently touch her, I won't hurt her."
"Alright then. She's young, so please be very careful, Young Master!"
"I will be careful."
With approval, the little boy first stretched out a finger and gingerly touched Jiang Yuqing's soft, tender, chubby little face, seeming to find it satisfactory.
He also gently stroked the red lotus birthmark on her forehead, exclaiming "It's real!"
He said, "You're so pretty! The prettiest little child I've seen."
"Ah--thank you, you're also the most handsome and cute little boy I've seen!"
Jiang Yuqing smiled toothlessly. To the little boy, it was as if this pretty little sister was smiling at him, liking him.
So the little boy took off a blood-red warm jade pendant from his neck and put it in Jiang Yuqing's swaddling clothes.
"My father gave me this on my third birthday. Now I'm giving it to you. I hope you grow up safe and happy."
"Ah--thank you little boy. Although I really like it, it's your birthday gift from your father. I can't accept it."
Qin Yu was quite surprised to see that jade pendant.
But in the end he didn't say anything, only patting the boy's head, seeming to acquiesce.
It was Jiang Wenyuan who wanted to return it, but finally let it remain under the little boy's insistence.
That night after the busy day, the Jiang family could finally rest. As they chatted, the topic turned to the jade pendants.
The Jiangs were just commoners. The highest official they usually saw was the village tutor like Uncle Lu.
They never expected that their granddaughter's full month banquet actually attracted the County Magistrate to drink with them.
The County Magistrate and the little boy even gifted two jade pendants that were clearly valuable at a glance, which pleasantly surprised the Jiang family and made them feel honored.
After all, which family's child could invite the County Magistrate himself to attend their full month banquet? Only their good child accomplished this.
It was unbelievable that someone who they didn't even dare dream would visit had taken the initiative to come on his own. This fortune was not something ordinary people could have.
Old Man Jiang felt he could brag about this for the rest of his life.
The news that the County Magistrate attended the full month banquet of the Jiang family's young lady quickly spread throughout the surrounding villages.
The few elders who were fortunate to dine with the County Magistrate that day felt especially honored.
No matter who asked, they tirelessly recounted the events of that day in detail, even down to how many bites the County Magistrate took of each dish.
Who knows how the old man, who couldn't even remember how many grandsons he had, could remember so clearly.
A few days after Jiang Yuqing's full month celebration, the rice seedlings in the fields had grown over a chi tall. Spring plowing officially began.
At this time, whether due to inferior seeds or lack of techniques, rice could only be planted once a year.
Seedlings were raised in late March or early April, transplanted in mid or late April, and harvested in August. The yield was also pitifully low.
Thinking of the vast expanses of mature high-yield rice in Ling Realm, Jiang Yuqing felt it would be very worthwhile to improve the seeds once conditions allowed in the future.
But for now...just drink milk and sleep!
After over ten days of hard work, the adults finally finished transplanting all the seedlings into the fields.
Spring plowing was officially complete. It was now early May.
The weather grew warmer day by day, and the little milk doll also grew a bit bigger.
At least she no longer needed to be wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes every day. The feeling of her limbs free of restraint was heavenly.
In late June when the village dogs were panting from the heat, school was also let out for summer break.
The Jiang boys were finally liberated.
Taking off their stuffy scholarly clothes, they only wore thin coarse linen or tattered short jackets.
Every day they gathered the village ragamuffins to fool around everywhere.
Going to the riverside willow woods to catch cicadas; catching dragonflies and frogs on the sandbank; swimming and fishing in the river; foraging for mushrooms on the mountain.
A farm kid's happiness was just this simple.
Oh right, add hugging their sister.
But there was only one sister. So the Jiang boys often fought over who got to hug their sister first and who she liked more, fighting endlessly until she got a headache.
What a sweet burden!
Amidst her noisy brothers' squabbles, Jiang Yuqing also reached her hundred days.
The current Jiang Yuqing, though still with barely any hair, had arms and legs as thick as lotus roots. Big eyes, double chin, chubby and milky.
As it was hot, she only wore a red bellyband with fish and lotus patterns along with thin, breathable cotton pants.
At first glance, she looked just like a big white rice dumpling wrapped in rouge, extremely cute.
Having already held a full month banquet, her hundred days was just celebrated at home with immediate family and maternal grandparents, very warm and lively.
There's a saying that "flip at three months, sit at six, crawl at seven, and walk at eight". On her hundred days, Jiang Yuqing succeeded in flipping over, surprising the elders.
When the dishes were served, the aroma filled the room.
After everyone sat down and had just picked up their chopsticks, a rather grating female voice rang out from outside.
"Oh, so the head of the household really moved up in the world, looking down on us poor relatives.
You didn't even send word about your granddaughter's full month celebration, let alone her hundred days!"
Listening to these sarcastic words, everyone's faces darkened.
Old Lady Hu pressed down her daughter-in-law Zhu who wanted to get up and coldly said, "Oh, who else but my sister-in-law?
What wicked wind blew your family here today?"
The newcomer was none other than Zhu's maternal aunt and uncle's family.
Back then, Zhu's sister-in-law Luo wanted to sell Zhu to a fifty-some year old man as a concubine for twenty taels of silver.
Thanks to Uncle Zhu's desperate efforts, even mobilizing the Zhu family's power, the Luo family was unable to succeed.
Later, when Uncle Zhu happened to see Jiang Wenxi who was learning craftsmanship from his cousin, he entrusted his cousin to mediate with the Zhu family.
Although the Jiang family was a little poorer, everyone in the family was upright in character. Old Lady Hu was not the kind of person who liked to pester people either. Naturally, such a family would not be too bad.
When proposing the marriage, Jiang Wenxi's master did not conceal the conditions of the bride's side, saying that the young lady might not have a dowry when she gets married.
At that time, Old Lady Hu said, "As long as the young lady is kind-hearted and willing to live in our family wholeheartedly, not having a dowry is nothing."
Thus, Jiang Wenxi was engaged to Zhu.
On the day Zhu left to get married, Luo angrily threw out a big basin of water, cursing, "You don't want to be a rich madame, but insist on marrying a country bumpkin. Don't bother coming back in the future.
I don't want to be pestered by poor relatives all the time asking for help. "
Zhu wiped her tears and said resentfully, "Rest assured. After leaving this house today, I will no longer be a Zhu family member.
Even if I come back, I will never set foot in your house again."
Her words were still vivid in memory.
But today it was Luo who came to make trouble. It would be strange if Old Lady Hu was polite to her.
Zhu's brother was a self-righteous yet cowardly and silly man. People nicknamed him Blind Zhu.
But he had skin thicker than city walls. Seeing that it was difficult to handle the Jiang family, he immediately changed his attitude.
He fawned, "Mother-in-law, don't mind. My sister-in-law has a foul mouth and can't speak properly. If she said anything unpleasant, don't take it to heart. Just let it go.
Look, it's noon already. We've traveled a long way and haven't even had a sip of water. Shall we... Hehe!"
There is a saying that goes, "Don't hit a smiling face with your hand stretched out." Since Blind Zhu spoke like this, Old Lady Hu naturally could not stop him anymore.
She just said in a cold face to her second son, "Set out bowls and chopsticks for the Luo family!"
Soon, Blind Zhu sat down at the dinner table, and Luo also sat at the women's table.
As soon as they picked up their chopsticks, they only picked the meat and vegetables, turning the dishes upside down. Oil was dripping from their mouths as they ate.
The women at the table frowned at this behavior. Zhu blushed with shame.
At the other table, Blind Zhu and his precious son Zhu Jinbao were no better.
The child had been spoiled by his parents. At four or five years old, he still held a bowl and was fed while chasing after them. Now six years old, he still couldn't properly use chopsticks.
Unable to use chopsticks well, he couldn't pick up food neatly, so he simply abandoned the chopsticks and reached into the dishes to grab food directly with his hands.
There was even undried snot on the back of his grabbing hand, which was very disgusting.
The other children at the table were already in school. When had they seen such rude rogues before? They angrily threw down their chopsticks and were about to cause a scene.
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