Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 436: I am willing to cook for you.

Lu Zheng smiled more gently after hearing this: "That's the case. I think the girl will be back home in a few days."

Shen Yu had never heard Li mention how to plan for the New Year when he returned home, so he was a little unsure.

She could only say, "I haven't discussed the New Year's Eve with my mother yet. I don't know what her plan is, so I dare not give you a random reply."

Lu Zheng nodded: "You should follow your mother's arrangements when you go home. This is what you should do."

"The thing is, during the Chinese New Year, the governor of Ji'an Prefecture, that is, the Lord Yang, whom you know."

"He will be visiting various counties during the New Year, so he will naturally stay in Anping County for a few days."

"He really liked the dish you cooked last time. He praised it highly in his letters several times."

"So, during the New Year, I would like to trouble you to stay and cook for Lord Yang for two days. Do you think it is possible?"

The county magistrate has given an order, so of course we cannot refuse it.

Although Lu Zheng spoke very politely and in a negotiating tone.

But Shen Yu knew that this was actually a notification to himself.

She quickly agreed, "It is my blessing that the governor likes my humble cooking skills."

"Being able to cook for you is something I would love to do, so I'm willing to do it."

Seeing that Shen Yu was so smart and understanding, Lu Zheng nodded with satisfaction.

Shen Yu paused, then continued, "I wonder when the prefect will arrive, and how many days he will stay in Anping County?"

"In winter, food is not plentiful enough, and in a few days, vegetable shops will also close for the New Year."

"If you want to host a banquet during the Chinese New Year, you should prepare the ingredients early."

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "Don't worry about the ingredients. Just make a list and I'll have the people in the county government go and buy them. I guarantee they'll all be the best."

"As for when it will arrive..."

Lu Zheng stroked his beard and pondered for a while before saying, "Well, that Yang Laoliu, uh, no, Lord Yang, he only said that he would come after the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month and the government stamped the seal, but he didn't say the specific date."

"Given his greedy nature, I guess it will arrive in the next two days."

"As for how long he stays here, it depends on whether there is anything else he needs to do."

Shen Yu secretly groaned inwardly when he heard this: "Is this Lord Yang planning to come here to celebrate the New Year?"

"Doesn't this mean I have to wait here for the entire New Year?"

She thought so in her heart, but did not show it on her face. She still responded with a slight smile, as if she was full of anticipation and joy, waiting for Lord Yang to come.

Seeing that the matter was settled, Lu Zheng asked Shen Yu to pick out his specialties and uncommon dishes and report the ingredients used in the next one or two days so that he could order the yamen runners to buy them.

Shen Yu quickly agreed. Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "It would be inappropriate to not let you go to our hometown to pay respects to the dead."

"Well, the carriage in my county government office has been idle these days."

"Go back and discuss with your mother whether you can go home earlier to pay respects to the deceased."

"I've sent a carriage to take your family there, and it will be quicker to go back and forth."

"As for the two uncles' homes, you can go with them and have a look around. It's just for them to meet their families. If they want to stay for a few days, it's up to them. As long as you come back on time, it'll be fine."

"Do you think this is good?"

Shen Yu didn't expect Lu Zheng to be so thoughtful.

If I send her back like this, she can focus on cooking during the New Year.

Shen Yu quickly stood up and thanked him with gratitude.

Lu Zheng said with a smile: "Okay, no need to thank me."

"If you are willing to stay and cook, I wonder how happy Yang Laoliu will be."

"Come to think of it, I should be thanking you."

"Okay, I have nothing else to do here, you can go back first."

Shen Yu originally wanted to ask Lu Lang to pay back the money, but this was not the place to talk.

She had no choice but to say yes, then squatted down, bowed, and walked out.

She stood outside the study and whispered to Qi Xi, "I don't know when your young master will come out. I have something serious to discuss with him today."

Qi Xi made a silent gesture and led Shen Yu back.

After leaving the county magistrate's courtyard, he said, "Miss, go to the young master's study and wait for a while. I think the young master will be out soon."

The two sat down in Lu Lang's study. Qi Xi brought Shen Yu a cup of hot tea, and then Lu Lang came back with Liu Shun.

The two men greeted each other and then sat down to talk.

Lu Lang explained apologetically: "Miss Shen, I am sorry to trouble you again this time."

"Officials in various places are not allowed to leave their posts without orders from above, and they must stay on duty even during the Chinese New Year."

"That's why Lord Yang visited every county town during the New Year, to celebrate with the people."

"Uncle Yang and my father were childhood friends, and our two families have always been on good terms, so Uncle Yang wrote a letter, saying that he had finished his inspection and planned to stay in Anping County for a few more days."

"Father knows that Uncle Yang likes the dishes you cook, and just now he happened to hear Master Qian say that he saw you coming to the county government office when he came to the study."

"That's why I wanted you to cook."

"You're so tired now that you can't even celebrate the New Year.

Seeing Lu Lang's apologetic look, Shen Yu said in a relaxed tone, "Mr. Lu, don't blame yourself. I was just idle and had nothing to do after the restaurant closed during the New Year."

"My family is all in the county town. There are only old houses in Dongxi Village and not many people."

"You won't be able to stay at home for more than a few days if you follow your mother back home."

"In this way, it's just a matter of returning home to pay respects to the ancestors a few days in advance."

"I don't think mom and the others would mind coming."

When Lu Lang heard Shen Yu say this, he felt relieved.

Shen Yu quickly changed the subject and said, "I have something important to discuss with Master Lu today."

As he said this, he took out a note from his small bag and thanked him with a smile, "The inn is well built."

"Everyone said the house was built solidly and neatly. Not only were the walls painted, but even the ground in the yard was paved, which saved a lot of work."

"Then we can just buy the furniture and put up the window paper, and then we can open the inn."

"Thank you, Mr. Lu. If it weren't for you, Master Zhu might not be willing to take on such a small job."

Seeing Shen Yu full of praise and looking extremely satisfied, Lu Lang also became happy.

He waved his hands and said, "Miss Shen is used to praising, but it's not as exaggerated as you say. When Master Zhu got the sketch, he saw that it was a style that had never been covered before, so he was very willing to cover it."

"I've seen the house, and I feel relieved when I hear you say you're satisfied."

"Although it's different from an ordinary yard, it's very practical to use as an inn."

"Even Master Zhu said that building a house this way not only provides good lighting, but also allows for an extra row of rooms to be built. This can be used as a reference for building houses in the future."

"I wonder how you came up with this layout for building a house."