The walnut and spinach dish received unanimous praise from Nanny Su and Ren Dong. This was the first time either of them had eaten anything spicy, and even the mild heat from the prickly ash oil made them break out in a sweat on their foreheads. Yet, they couldn’t stop themselves from taking more bites.
Watching their reactions, Xi Ning chuckled inwardly. Once the chili peppers ripened and she cooked with them, she wondered just how spicy these two would find it.
After the meal, Xi Ning told them about her plan to buy land. Nanny Su and Ren Dong had no objections. A manor and its fields were assets, things that could provide security.
Although they both hoped Xi Ning could enter the Duke’s mansion, they also understood that beauty fades and affection wanes—a man’s favor was the most unreliable thing.
“Then tomorrow we won’t set up the stall. We’ll accompany you to look at the manor.”
Since they would be out for most of the day tomorrow, Xi Ning prepared a pot of vegetable dumplings for their midday meal.
She chopped the blanched spinach into sections, shredded the carrots, diced the mushrooms, and combined them in a white porcelain bowl with scrambled egg crumbles. She added salt and a little sesame oil, then stirred in a large spoonful of flour to bind the mixture.
Originally, adding pepper and five-spice powder would have made it even more delicious, but Xi Ning couldn’t afford them now. She planned to plant all the necessary seasonings after buying the manor, figuring that just selling spices would be enough to make her fortune.
She shaped the well-mixed vegetable mixture into dumplings in her hands, coated them with two layers of flour, and steamed them.
The steamed dumplings had a translucent, chewy skin, with the vegetables inside clearly visible: green spinach, red carrot shreds, white mushrooms, and yellow egg—a feast for the eyes and the palate that whetted the appetite.
Xi Ning ate one while it was still hot. Although the seasonings weren’t complete, the natural freshness of the vegetables was already quite delicious. Moreover, these dumplings were tasty yet not fattening, making them perfect for weight loss.
However, the original owner’s body was already slender, so there was no need for her to lose weight.
Early the next morning, Xi Ning and her two servants boarded the brokerage’s ox cart. The manor was outside the city, and it took a full hour to get there. Fortunately, Aunt Wang was someone they knew well; otherwise, Xi Ning would never have dared to go out with her.
After a bumpy ride, the ox cart finally stopped in front of the manor.
At that time, many people were busy working in the fields. When the ox cart stopped, they all put down their tools to watch.
“How many is this one?”
“At least eight or ten, I’ve lost count. Do you think this one will be willing to keep us?”
“How could they? How many nobles are as kind-hearted as Master Liu? If it really doesn’t work out, we’ll just leave on our own. Master Liu has already done enough for us.”
Because of them, the manor had been difficult to sell, and the long-term laborers were growing anxious.
“We’re here, let’s go in.”
Aunt Wang had been here several times before and wasn’t intimidated by the many laborers. She shielded Xi Ning as they walked inside. It wasn’t until the laborers approached that they realized the person who had stepped down from the ox cart was a delicate young lady. They were momentarily stunned, and by the time they recovered, Xi Ning had already entered the manor.
“Come on, let’s follow and take a look.”
The manor’s steward was surnamed Liu. He was a hereditary servant of the Liu household, and his entire family worked on the manor. He appeared to be around forty years old, with a weathered face from working the land, looking like an honest and simple farmer.
When Xi Ning and the others arrived, Old Man Liu’s eyes showed no flicker of emotion; he seemed already numb to it all.
“Aunt Wang.”
“Old Man Liu, the noble I’ve brought this time is genuinely interested in buying. Take us around the manor. If it’s suitable, we’ll settle the deal.”Aunt Wang had finally come across a suitable buyer and didn’t want this estate to fall through her hands.
Old Man Liu, though honest, was not foolish. Hearing Aunt Wang’s words, he understood that Xi Ning was willing to keep them on as servants. His numb eyes suddenly lit up.
“Yes, yes, I’ll take you around right away.”
The estate wasn’t large, with a total of fifteen households. Each family could only be allotted a little over one mu of land, which was barely enough to get by after paying the rent.
Logically, twenty mu of land shouldn’t require so many people. Old Man Liu, sensing their confusion, explained the reason.
It turned out that everyone on the estate had come from the Liu household. Master Liu had served as a soldier for two years in his youth and had taken in his homeless former comrades, buying this estate specifically to shelter them.
“Miss Xi, rest assured, we are all hardworking and diligent people, with no intention of deceiving our master. To be honest, if no one bought this estate soon, we were all planning to leave.”
Master Liu had shown them great kindness, and they couldn’t repay it with betrayal.
Xi Ning prided herself on having a good eye for judging character. Old Man Liu’s words rang true, and as they walked around, the laborers they encountered all seemed honest and kind. She had already made up her mind.
“Alright, I’ll consider it carefully.”
She left her options open. After touring the estate, she followed Aunt Wang to leave. Old Man Liu had wanted to invite her to stay for a meal, as Xi Ning was the only potential buyer among the many distinguished visitors who had considered purchasing the estate. He hoped to make a good impression on her.
“It’s fine, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. I brought my own food, so you can all go back to your work.”
Hearing this, Old Man Liu understood her meaning, and his wrinkled face broke into a wide smile.
“Very well, take care on your journey, my lady.”
By the time they started back, the sun had already passed noon. The early April weather was somewhat warm. Xi Ning took a few sips of water from her bamboo canteen and shared the prepared vegetable buns with the others. Aunt Wang was pleasantly surprised to receive one as well.
“Thank you, miss.”
Having tasted the thin pancakes the day before, she finally understood why the Xi family’s wonton noodles were so popular. The vegetable buns were round and adorable, bursting with the fragrance of vegetables with each bite. Though cold, they were far from unpleasant—much better for travel provisions than the hard, teeth-grating biscuits.
The group finished their meal with water. Xi Ning had brought plenty, and even after everyone had eaten their fill, there was still a small half-basket left.
Satisfied, Xi Ning leaned back in the oxcart, closing her eyes to rest. On both sides of the road were lush green crops. Winter wheat, commonly grown near the capital, was already knee-high, and people were busy weeding in the fields—a scene she had only ever seen in paintings before.
No matter the era, what people sought was simply enough to eat and wear. Xi Ning didn’t have grand ambitions, but she didn’t want the research achievements of her past life to go to waste either. This estate would be her first step toward improving people’s livelihoods.
Lost in thought as she gazed at the fields, she didn’t notice a carriage approaching from behind.
Though Xi Ning had dressed plainly for her outing today, her captivating beauty ensured she could never blend into the crowd. Chang Lin, driving the carriage, spotted her at a glance.
“Master, it’s Miss Xi.”
Xi Ning?
Hearing his servant’s words, the man inside the carriage lifted a corner of the curtain. The woman in the oxcart ahead wore white clothes and dark hair. Though her appearance was still as enchanting as ever, there was now a touch of freedom in her expression, as if she were merging with the world around her.
Pei Zhao’s heart skipped a beat, and he let the curtain fall, concealing the springtime glow in his eyes.
Chang Lin, facing away from him, didn’t notice his master’s unusual reaction. Still thinking of the food Xi Ning had made, he urged the carriage forward to catch up.”Miss Xi, what a coincidence, you’ve also left the city?”
Generally, women rarely went out, especially since she was Pei Zhao’s mistress, but Xi Ning had no such awareness.
Upon seeing Chang Lin, Xi Ning instinctively glanced toward the carriage. Chang Lin thought she wanted to see Pei Zhao and quickly tried to please her.
“Third Master is in the carriage. Please get in, Miss, we’ll take you back.”
Although Xi Ning had said last time that she would reclaim her deed of indenture in the future, Chang Lin didn’t believe it. Back then, Miss Xi had loved their Third Master to the point of life and death—how could she change so easily? Perhaps it was all part of Miss Xi’s strategy of retreating to advance.
Xi Ning shook her head, intending to refuse, but a voice suddenly sounded from behind the carriage curtain.
“Get in.”