At the gate of Lin ‘an city, a horse carriage slowly drove in.
Little Lu ang lifted the curtain and said to Qiao jinniang, “Mother, we’re in Lin ‘an city!”
Qiao Jinniang looked up and felt a little homesick. She had left this place for a long time, a full seven years, and brother Tuan, who was still babbling in the past, was now almost at her shoulder, he looked like a handsome young man.
When she entered the city gate, her subordinate handed a notice to the city guard, the Lin ‘an prefect.
After entering the city and hearing the familiar local accent, Qiao Jinniang knew that she had really come back.
After another hour, the carriage finally arrived in front of the Bai Wei building in Lin ‘an city.
Lu Chen got off the carriage first and reached out to help Qiao Jinniang get off the carriage.
The waiters in the Hundred Savory restaurant came forward and helped the coachman to tie the carriage. “Langjun, Madam, are you two from other places? Do you want to eat or stay?”
Qiao jinniang smiled and said, “We do. Are there any other private rooms?”
“Yes, there’s one last private room.”
Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen each held the hands of a child as they entered the restaurant. Qiao Jinniang saw the appearance of the Hundred Savory Restaurant. It was the same as the memories she had of growing up. There were no changes at all.
On the wooden steps, there were also scratches left by her naughty and Sticky Rice when she was young.
There were many familiar neighbors among the diners.
A painter Bai who was eating in the hall was still shouting loudly after getting drunk. “What right do they have to say that my paintings are not good? The Empress is still my student today!”
“Old Man Bai, you’re bragging again. You’ve only gone to the academy to teach the students for a few days!”
Painter Bai said loudly, “Humph, the Empress also has to call me Mister!”
“Will the Empress still remember you?”
Qiao Jinniang saw Tofu Zhang arguing with painter Bai, she smiled and said, “Of course I remember Mister Bai. I also remember tofu old uncle Zhang. I’ve been missing the salty soybean milk in uncle Zhang’s house for the past few years! Chang ‘an doesn’t drink salty soybean milk. Some don’t drink it well either.”
“Jin ‘Niang!”
“Little Jin ‘Niang!”
The neighbors who were eating heard the screams of tofu Zhang and painter Bai. They went up to look at Qiao Jin ‘Niang, and one of the young constable knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty.”
The other neighbors also reacted and bowed.
Lu Chen said, “No.”
Qiao Jin went up to help an old lady up and said, “Aunt Qian, your legs are not good. Get Up quickly.”
Old Lady Qian said with tears in her eyes, “Your Highness, you actually remembered that the old woman’s legs aren’t well.”
Qiao Jinniang smiled faintly and said, “Of course I remember. That year, when those clan uncles of the Qiao family came to the restaurant to look for trouble, it was you who used the crutches to ruthlessly hit those uncles and even broke your crutches.”
Only then did the shop’s waiter know that Qiao Jinniang was the true owner of the Hundred Savory Restaurant.
Seeing that Qiao Jinniang didn’t put on airs like an empress and was still treating them like the little shopkeeper of Hundred Savory Restaurant, the neighbors were no longer nervous and were busy reminiscing.
Doufu Zhang stroked his white beard and said, “If you want to drink my soy milk, I’ll personally grind it first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll make sure you drink it to your heart’s content. I remember that Brother Tuan loved to drink my soy milk when he was young. Brother Tuan should be very old by now, right?”
Lu Xi walked up to doufu Zhang and said, “Grandpa Zhang.”
“Aiyo, Brother Tuan has grown so tall. Your grandparents should rest in peace in heaven. I went to see them just now during the Qingming Festival. I even lamented that they have been gone for ten years.”
“Bah, Bah, Bah, what are you talking about? Brother Tuan is now the crown prince. How can his grandparents still be old Qiao and the others?”
Qiao Jinniang patted Lu Xi’s head and said, “They are also brother Tuan’s grandparents. All these years, I have never come back to pay my respects to my parents. Thank you, neighbors, for helping me visit my parents.”
“They are all from the neighborhood. It’s my duty.”
Lu Chen smiled faintly and said, “Today, the neighbors’meals will be on me and Jinniang. Take your time to eat.”
Qiao Jinniang followed Lu Chen to the private room and ordered a few of the signature dishes of the Bai Wei restaurant. She wanted to try the new chef’s taste.
Little Lu ang knelt on the chair in front of the window and looked at the boats passing by the river. “Mother, this place is so beautiful.”
Qiao jinniang smiled and said, “This is the place where mother grew up. Not only are there many beautiful and fun places, but also many. Let your brother bring you to play to your heart’s content these few days.”
The familiar place did not change in the slightest as she remembered it. The strange thing was that the chefs from Bai Wei restaurant had followed her to Chang ‘an, and the chefs in Bai Wei restaurant were all new recruits, but the taste of the dishes still had the taste of home in Bai Wei restaurant.
Lu Chen said, “The Ministry of Works has already repaired the small courtyard that we stayed in before. Do you want to go and take a look later? Let Xi’er bring Ang’er to Cai City to play.”
Lu Xi:”? ? ?”
Why did he want to bring Ang ‘er, this child, to play? He couldn’t go back to the courtyard he used to live in when he was young, even though Lu Xi didn’t remember much of her childhood memories in Jiangnan.
At that time, she was really too young.
Little Ang ‘er hugged Lu Xi’s arm and said, “Brother, go and Play!”
Lu Xi:”…”
After Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen finished their meal, they went downstairs. The neighbors had all finished their meal and left. When Qiao Jinniang walked to the door, she saw a woman wearing a silk dress that had been washed many times but had lost its color.
Qiao Jinniang saw a familiar face. She recognized the person in front of her when she saw that she was carrying a bamboo basket full of bright red bayberries. “Sister Qian!”
Lady Qian looked at Qiao Jinniang and fell to her knees with a plop. “Your Majesty, at that time, I was a dog biting Lu Dongbin and didn’t recognize the kindness of others. I even hit you and chased you out of my house. I was really stupid to the extreme!”
Lady Qian placed the bamboo basket in her hand on the ground and gave herself a hard slap.
This person was a sister of Lady Qiao’s neighbor when she was young. She was five years older than her and had married an inhuman man. Her husband had abandoned her and her daughter because she couldn’t give birth to a boy. He had even sold her daughter as a slave to get a new wife.
She had told Lu Chen about this when she was in Chang ‘an. Lu Chen had said that he would punish that heartless man, but she didn’t know if he would be punished.
Qiao Jinniang helped Lady Qian up and said, “Sister Qian, I don’t blame you.”
Lady Qian handed the bamboo basket to Qiao jinniang and said, “Do you remember that you loved eating bayberries when you were young? This basket of bayberries was picked from my tree. Thank you for helping me punish that unfaithful man six years ago so that my daughter would not be sold as a slave. Now, my eldest daughter is married, and my second daughter is doing some vegetable and fruit business.
“The third daughter and fourth daughter are embroidering in the embroidery room. The youngest daughter loves to read and says that she wants to become a female official like Lord Hong and Lord Qiao!”
Qiao jinniang smiled and said, “Sister Qian, you can be considered to have come to a bitter end. Your days in the future will be better and better.”
Lady Qian smiled and said, “Yes, you have finally come to a bitter end. It’s all thanks to His Majesty and you treating our female household well.
However, Jin Niang, there’s something I’ve been hiding in my heart for a long time. I Can’t say it out loud. I wonder if I can talk to You Alone?”
