Chapter 377: Meeting Master Ding

“Yes!” Relieved, Lian Fang Zhou smiled awkwardly: “Your Brother Ah Jian gets along with our family so well, why would your sister be glaring at him? You, why are you thinking so much and not eating properly?”

Their attitudes were so natural and sweet that no one could pick out a fault.
Satisfied, Third Aunt went back to eating, not forgetting to lightly scold Lian Fang Qing: “You girl, making such a fuss!”

The rest of the table laughed teasingly at Lian Fang Qing and started eating again.

However, Lian Fang Qing was still puzzled.
Thinking about it, she felt that she really must have misunderstood… right?

Since Ah Jian had said that Lian Fang Zhou had something to talk about, naturally Lian Fang Zhou had to find something to say.
Smiling at Ah Jian, she said: “Tomorrow, you and Ah Ze should go to the city to find Brother Liu.
I just remembered that Su Jin’s contract must be signed tomorrow, so I won’t go.”

Ah Jian nodded: “I also wanted to tell you not to go, that I would just take Ah Ze.
You’ve been exhausted these last few days, you should rest!”

He had said these kinds of caring words before but in this moment, they felt completely different than before.

Lian Fang Zhou smiled at him and hummed.

Just like that, the issue disappeared.

After breakfast the next day, Ah Jian and Lian Ze took the bank notes and went out while Lian Fang Zhou put on her nicer clothes and went to find Su Jin at the compound.

The weavers had spent all day discussing their terms in their room and had elected Su Jin as their spokesperson.

“I wonder what Sister Su and these older sisters have decided?” Lian Fang Zhou asked, smiling.
Her gaze was calm as it swept over the small group.

Liu Xia raised her eyes and looked at Lian Fang Zhou while Feng Xi and Cui Ni both looked at Su Jin.

Su Jin smiled: “We sisters have discussed this matter for two or three days and feel that Miss Lian’s requests are not too much! We agree to sign the contract for one year, if we are still satisfied after the end of the contract, we will negotiate and sign again.
We also agree to not spin cotton for three years after the contract is terminated and we will not take the initiative to withdraw within the one year of the contract.
However, we do have our own conditions, if Miss Lian would please consider!”

When Lian Fang Zhou heard that they had agreed to her conditions, she knew that they were not trying to play tricks and would be reasonable, so she let go of her worries.
As for the conditions they requested, they would not be too much.

The main condition proposed by Su Jin was about how the contract may be broken, adding several precautions such as outlining any possibilities they could think of and requesting that the village elders act as intermediaries in the event of a termination.
This was to prevent Lian Fang Zhou from deliberately creating difficulties to force them to withdraw on their own.

This was reasonable and Lian Fang Zhou naturally agreed, sending someone out to invite Zhang Li Zheng over.

Zhang Li Zheng had not suffered this past year and hearing that she wanted him to act as a witness, he happily agreed.

The contract was signed, both parties received a copy, and everyone was satisfied.

Su Jin smiled and said: “It’s not good for us sisters to be idle these few days.
If you need help, Miss Lian, please speak up!”

Lian Fang Zhou looked at Su Zi Ji.

Su Zi Ji smiled, “Originally, I wanted Miss Su and the weavers to help me with some things, please forgive me for the trouble!”

Regarding the various spinning wheels, although Su Zi Ji had studied them for several years, in terms of familiarity, naturally he was inferior to Su Jin and the others who had dealt with spinning wheels every day.

As soon as he spoke, Su Jin understood his thoughts and nodded.
“This is natural, we sisters can’t take wages while doing nothing!”

As she was talking, Madam Li suddenly entered the room with a smile.
“Miss Lian, Wang Er has come from the fields in Shitouping and says that there is a very important matter to discuss with Miss!”

Seeing Lian Fang Zhou’s serious expression, she hurriedly said: “Miss, don’t be anxious! Wang Er said it’s a good thing!”

She hurriedly nodded to Su Zi Ji and the weavers, bowed to Lian Fang Zhou, who had already stood up, and retreated outside.
Lian Fang Zhou followed her, asking: “Good thing?”

If it was a problem, there were one of two things she could think of that would need her attention, but a good thing? This was too vague for her to guess!

“Yes, that is what Wang Er said!”

When he heard that the matter was something good, Su Zi Ji decided to stay with the weavers and did not follow them out.

Inside the resting room, Wang Er was drinking from a stone cup while chatting with Zhang Xiao Jun.
When he saw Lian Fang Zhou enter, he hurriedly put the cup down and raised his hands.
Wiping his mouth quickly, he stepped forward and smile: “Miss, Miss! Master Ding has come to the fields to see the cotton! You should go meet with him!”

“What!” Lian Fang Zhou’s eyes widened in surprise, “What are you talking about?”

“It’s Master Ding, Master Ding has returned to his hometown and come to visit our field!” Wang Er’s eyes were shining brightly and his voice was proud.

“Go, go, let’s speak about it on the road!” No matter what purpose Master Ding had, Lian Fang Zhou must meet him there and take advantage of this opportunity.

Together, Wang ER and Lian Fang Zhou hurried towards Shitouping.

Since Ah Jian and Lian Ze had taken the donkey cart to the city, they had no choice but to go on foot.

Fortunately, if they were walking quickly and didn’t leave the path, it only took a quarter of an hour to arrive.

As they walked, Wang Er explained everything.
He and his brothers had been on patrol when suddenly a carriage had arrived carrying a tall, thin old man in silver-grey robes with bright eyes, a gray beard, and two servants.

When they asked his name, they found out it was Master Ding!

According to Master Ding himself, he had come to visit a friend who lived nearby and had suddenly remembers that he’d heard about the Lian family in Dafang village planting a lot of cotton, so he stopped to take a look.

Wang Er was the fastest of the three, so he ran back to report to Lian Fang Zhou while Wang Da and Wang San stayed to accompany Master Ding.

Hearing this, Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t help but mutter a bit in her heart.
Visiting a friend and wanting to take a look along the way, Lian Fang Zhou felt that this excuse sounded a little awkward.

Although she had always heard that Master Ding cared about agriculture, and had even worked for the crown prince, the usefulness of cotton was not well-known yet, why would he care to stop and look at it?

Could it be that Qin Feng’s friendship with Steward Ding had borne results so quickly?

Lian Fang Zhou thought about it for a long time but couldn’t come up with a reasonable answer.
Deciding to stop worrying about it, she let it go and quickened her pace.

Since he had arrived, it was a good thing, right?

Just before they reached the fields, Lian Fang Zhou slowed to a stop and took a moment to tidy her appearance and let her breath calm down slowly.

Satisfied, she entered the fields.
When they walked up, Master Ding was standing with one hand behind his back and a smile on his face while he studied the cotton fields.
Wang San and Wang Da stood next to him, their smiles much more restrained.

When they saw Lian Fang Zhou arrive, they both let out a sigh of relief.

Such a distinguished guest was really not something they could handle! Even though Master Ding was dressed in ordinary clothes and seemed very pleasant, only speaking in a gentle voice, his identity could not be ignored.
Just thinking of it was enough to make them tremble!

TN: I will have to go back and check but I’m pretty sure Master Ding is a nobleman (?) or wealthy person that LFZ asked Qin Feng to befriend his steward so LFZ could get closer to him.
If anyone remembers, please let me know!

The term ‘master’ here seems to be referring to someone who is the master of something, like a teacher or expert, not master as in the title for the male head of a family.

点击屏幕以使用高级工具 提示:您可以使用左右键盘键在章节之间浏览。

You'll Also Like