Chapter 1507: Are You All Crazy?
Chapter 1507: Chapter 1507: Are You All Crazy?
"I know a bit more than Uncle Mu Tong, but it’s still surface-level; there aren’t many truly useful pieces of information," Gu Jinli said, furrowing her brows as she began to ponder.
Qin San Lang did not disturb her, instead, he walked over and held her hand. Seeing that her hand was warm, he felt at ease.
In the room, Nanny Tao and Uncle Mu Tong watched with smiles... To them, a good relationship between the master and mistress was more valuable than anything.
After a while, Gu Jinli looked up and asked, "Do you think there might be Rong people among these groups? Or members of the Rongshan Gang?"
She continued, "The iron refining technique in Da Rong is not as advanced as ours, and they don’t have as many iron mines, but the Rong people are warlike. Besides warhorses and provisions, they need a large number of iron weapons to fight. They used to buy iron from Dongqing, but Dongqing is too far, and they just went through a major battle. Although they agreed, their weaponry must be significantly depleted. Could it be that they disguised themselves or sent the fierce bandits of the Rongshan Gang to buy iron from Great Chu posing as civilians?!"
The Rong people’s preference for buying iron from Dongqing was something Qin San Lang had told her.
Qin San Lang nodded upon hearing, "It’s possible."
That’s why he wanted to investigate and find out exactly who these mysterious groups in Beicang Prefecture were.
If they were Rong people or members of the Rongshan Gang, it would be extremely unfortunate for Great Chu.
Gu Jinli added, "Accent, appearance, actions, habits, and diet are key points to distinguish between Rong people and Great Chu people. If you find those groups, you can start investigating from these aspects to identify if they are disguised Rong people."
The bandits from the Rongshan Gang are actually mixed-bloods of Rong and Great Chu people. The Rong people value bloodlines and have always looked down on Great Chu. So even if the father of a Rongshan Gang bandit is a Rong person, Da Rong would not allow them to join the army. Instead, they train them to become bandits and send them to Great Chu as civilian forces to harm Great Chu.
Due to their mixed heritage, and having lived in the territory of Great Chu for many years, the fierce bandits of the Rongshan Gang resemble Great Chu people in appearance. However, with careful discernment, they can still be recognized.
Qin San Lang had learned how to distinguish mixed-blood Rong people from Great Chu people when he was young. He knew he would return to the Northwest, so during the training of You An and the others, he taught them how to identify mixed-blood Rong people.
He looked at Gu Jinli again and said, "Xiao Yu, don’t worry about this, I’ve already sent You Ping into the city to investigate. It shouldn’t take long to find out the background of those people."
Finally finding a place to settle down and rest for a few days, he didn’t want her to exert herself over these issues.
Gu Jinli nodded, gazing at the sky outside, saying, "Our manpower is still too limited. In hindsight, we should have brought You Le and the others. They could accompany Uncle Mu Tong in case something like this happens, You Le could investigate first."
Uncle Mu Tong, however capable, couldn’t match You Ping and the others.
Qin San Lang smiled, "Xiao Yu, don’t worry about that. Having You An, You Ping, and You Xi is sufficient."
The group with You Le cannot be moved; they must stay in He’an Prefecture, otherwise, what if the family encounters trouble and there’s no one to help?
Gu Jinli nodded, looking at Uncle Mu Tong with a smile, "Uncle Mu Tong, you have worked hard these days, go and have some food first, and we’ll organize the personnel to prepare the medicine tomorrow."
Uncle Mu Tong was very efficient, buying a lot of medicinal herbs along the way and taking many from the manors en route, so even if the herbs in Beicang Prefecture were bought out by those groups, they still had enough herbs to prepare medicine.
"Alright," Uncle Mu Tong responded, handing the account book from this period to Gu Jinli before leaving.
"Sir, Madam, I’ll go down and bring you your meal," Nanny Tao said, taking Aunt Xiong with her as she left.
Today is the Dragon Head Raising day on the 2nd of February, a major festival in Great Chu, linked to agriculture, so wealthy families eat lamb, fresh vegetables, noodles, eggs, and other foods.
Moderately wealthy farming families eat "harvest meals," which are meals made of mixed grains.
Poor families make a pot of porridge from mixed grains, but they eat something that symbolizes a good harvest for the year regardless.
Nanny Tao is someone who values rules and rituals, even on the road, she made them tangyuan to celebrate the Lantern Festival. Now that they can rest, she has naturally prepared a sumptuous meal.
"Radish stew with lamb, it’s nourishing; have more to warm yourself," Qin San Lang remembered Gu Jinli’s cold hands earlier that day. When the food was served, he filled a bowl with lamb stew for her.
"Sure, you eat too." Gu Jinli took the lamb stew, scooped two spoonfuls into a bowl of noodles, and handed it to Qin San Lang, saying, "This will fill you up."
Qin San Lang, still growing, had a particularly large appetite, needing to eat much more staple food, or he would soon be hungry again.
Gu Jinli was also growing, but her appetite wasn’t as large as Qin San Lang’s.
Qin San Lang nodded, taking the noodles and quickly finished them before continuing with the lamb. When he noticed her watching him, he smiled and held out his chopsticks with lamb to her lips, "For you to eat."
Gu Jinli opened her mouth, ate the lamb clip with chopsticks, and said after swallowing, "I’m not eyeing your lamb; I just think the way you eat looks good."
Although he ate large mouthfuls quickly, why were the sounds so quiet? And his movements were elegant, without crumbs dropping.
Turns out, that was why. Qin San Lang laughed and said, "Xiao Yu looks good eating too."
Small bites, clean and quick... Indeed, like a little rabbit eating grass.
But he couldn’t say it, Xiao Yu would be angry, since she always fancied herself a wolf, not a rabbit.
Gu Jinli nodded in agreement, "Mm-hmm, we both look good when we eat because we’re naturally good-looking."
Qin San Lang laughed out loud, saying, "Xiao Yu, be quiet; if outsiders hear, they might think we’re thick-skinned."
Complimenting oneself over a meal.
Gu Jinli glanced at the closed outer door, "They can’t hear us; the door is shut."
Just as she finished speaking, someone knocked on the door, "Uncle Qin, Aunt Qin, my brother and I have brought you spring seedlings."
Your two elders?
Gu Jinli’s mouth twitched.
Sister Yu, really, you don’t need to be so respectful to us, Qin brother isn’t even twenty yet, and I’m not even sixteen. Calling us that makes it feel like we’re growing old and about to be buried.
However, Gu Jinli still opened the door for Sister Yu and her siblings.
"Aunt Qin, we brought you and Uncle Qin spring seedlings, please accept them." This was said by Brother Yi, not Sister Yu.
The little guy raised his head, holding two very nice blades of grass, one tied with a black ribbon and the other with a red ribbon.
Gu Jinli was stunned, not understanding this gesture.
Qin San Lang walked out, took the two spring seedlings from Brother Yi, and said, "Good boy."
He then took the seedlings back to the inner room, hung them by the bed, and when he came out again, he gave a boiled egg to each of the brother and sister.
Sister Yu and Brother Yi accepted them cheerfully, saying, "Thank you, Uncle Qin!"
With that, the siblings carried their eggs as they made their way back.
Holding the eggs carefully, as if they were treasures.
Gu Jinli watched, baffled, then closed the door and asked Qin San Lang, "Have you all gone mad?"