The Slender Waist-Chapter 165 - 122: Farewell to Andu

Feng Yun was packing her luggage when Alou entered holding an account book.

"Miss, 125 cases of medicinal herbs have been stocked, and for the remaining ingredients, Doctor Yao said that if we work extra hard tonight, they should be ready by tomorrow morning."

With that said, he handed the account book to Feng Yun.

It detailed the costs of purchasing medicinal herbs these days, the daily production and earnings of the farm tool workshop, as well as the expenses and balance of Changmen Village, all recorded with clarity.

The symbols used were different from the current ways of bookkeeping.

These were techniques taught only to Alou and Xing Dala by Feng Yun.

Now, Alou was also half a teacher; during the teaching sessions at Changmen Village, he taught the residents the counting and arithmetic taught by the miss. The numerical system was easy and clear, quick to grasp even by those who could not read.

Feng Yun glanced over the ledger, signed her name on it, and handed it back to Alou.

"Later, I will have Xing Bing arrange for the medicines to be loaded onto the carts and transported slowly to the dock at Shiguan County."

His admiration for the miss overflowed through Alou’s eyes.

In fact, he really wanted to accompany the miss to Xinzhou.

Just like before, wherever the miss went, he would follow.

But that was no longer possible.

As the main steward of Changmen Village, his responsibilities were growing ever more numerous. Even with two assistants under him, he was still busy running around without a moment’s rest...

Somehow, Alou had become an important personage himself.

But his favorite task was still driving the carriage for the miss.

Feng Yun noticed his gaze fixed on her and raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Is there anything else?"

"Miss," Alou’s face turned red, and after hesitating for a long time, he still didn’t express his thoughts.

It wasn’t that he didn’t dare, but he knew it wasn’t appropriate.

"I will take good care of the estate. You must return safely, miss."

Feng Yun nodded, "I’ve arranged everything for the village. Just follow the procedure and don’t let there be any mistakes."

Alou responded, "I will. Miss, do you want to rest for a while?"

These past few days, everyone had been exhausted, staying up late to keep up, and Feng Yun was no exception.

They would depart before dawn tomorrow, and Alou, looking at her bloodshot eyes, felt a surge of pity, though Feng Yun just smiled.

"I’m not sleepy. I feel very spirited right now."

Everything for the trip to Xinzhou was ready.

Feng Yun’s gaze once again fell on the wind chime in the drawer.

The day Cao Kai came to deliver a message, she handed over both the wind chime and the letter to him.

But she had yet to receive any news from Pei Jue and was uncertain if he had received it...

She furrowed her brows and took a pinecone bell from the wind chime, placing it into her personal luggage...

Alou witnessed her actions.

"Miss..."

Feng Yun, without turning around, instructed him:

"On the desk, there’s a visiting card. Deliver it to the Lord of Pingyuan County at the General Residence."

The room became quiet momentarily as Alou acknowledged her command.

Without time to spare, Feng Yun had Alou bring the visiting card to the General Residence to invite the Lord of Pingyuan County to Huaxi Village to take care of Azuo and Ayou.

While she was present, it was fine to leave the two children at the estate, but once she left Andu, naturally she could not be at ease.

The Ao Family originally intended to entrust them to Puyang Yi; it was only logical for her to return the children.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing the news, Azuo and Ayou started to cry on the spot.

"Auntie..." Ayou hugged Feng Yun’s thigh, tilting her little head upward, tears streaming down her face, yet she pursed her pink lips without speaking.

Such a beautiful and well-behaved little girl had a tremendous impact on Feng Yun.

She couldn’t bear Ayou’s tears and hurriedly picked her up to sit on the round stool, wiping away her tears.

"Why cry? You can come and play again next time."

Ayou’s lips quivered and she cried even harder.

Azuo watched Feng Yun earnestly but did not make a fuss.

"Next time, Ayou and I won’t be able to come."

Their parents wouldn’t allow them to go out again.

Ayou nodded her little head, "Please ask uncle to come pick us up, auntie..."

If uncle came to fetch them, mother would listen to him, and father would have no choice but to agree.

The little one spoke seriously, quite different from her usual devil-may-care demeanor.

Feng Yun smiled and said, "Alright, when I see your uncle, I will certainly let him know."

It was but a way to appease a child, saying whatever sounded nice.

However, Ayou and Azuo were deeply moved.

One on each side, they hugged Feng Yun’s arms, unable to part.

"Auntie, when you see uncle and older cousin, tell them Azuo and Ayou have been very well-behaved, not naughty, not bothering anyone..."

"Yes! And we haven’t been clamoring to go with auntie to Xinzhou..."

Feng Yun gently touched their heads.

"Of course, I have to say it, not just these things, there will be many, many praises of how well-behaved you two are..."

Alou’s little face was slightly shy, unable to act spoiled towards Feng Yun like her sister did, but instead, she bit her lower lip and said with red eyes:

"When aunt returns, my sister and I should be going back to Central Capital. Aunt shouldn’t worry about us. With all the chaos of war outside, Aunt being so pretty should be careful not to be taken away by someone..."

Feng Yun wanted to laugh, the corners of her eyes crinkling...

For some reason, she suddenly thought of Queque, and a wave of sadness surged up, preventing her from laughing anymore.

The way Alou was acting at this moment, the reluctance, the grievance, forcing herself to think like an adult, having to accept the inevitable outcome, and then having to comfort the adult, was so very similar to her Queque...

She hugged Alou, just like she used to hug Queque.

"Okay. I promise you."

"And there’s Ayou too, and there’s Ayou too," Ayou sobbed, wiping her tears on Feng Yun’s body, "I’m also very well-behaved, not noisy, and obedient..."

"Yes, yes, you too," said Feng Yun as she hugged her back.

The little girl was very satisfied.

"Aunt, when the war is over, are you going to marry Uncle? Then we can come to see you often."

How could such a little girl ponder over such matters?

Feng Yun couldn’t help but laugh and say, "I won’t marry. I’ll just live in this village. When you come over to play, I will receive you."

Alou and Ayou, hearing that she wouldn’t marry, were both a bit disappointed.

"Uncle is so pitiful," they said.

"Mother speaks the truth, Uncle is a big block of wood, a big chunk of ice, no lady would want to marry him... Aunt, please take pity on Uncle."

Feng Yun was at her wits’ end.

It was truly more tiring to cajole children than to work.

Fortunately, before noon, Puyang Yi’s carriage arrived.

Cui Zhi alighted from the carriage with her.

Feng Yun thought she might not come after their last parting on unpleasant terms.

Seeing Madam Cui’s slightly furrowed brows, she guessed that Puyang Yi had forcefully dragged her along, and she couldn’t help but smile.

"Lord County, Madam Cui, thank you for your troubles."

The courtyard was bustling. Women gathered together to work, carrying out piles of medicines while the production of new ones continued. It looked busy, yet there was order in the chaos, everything carried out in an orderly fashion.

Puyang Yi, impressed by the scene, said:

"Feng Ji is incredibly capable, to have gathered so many medicinal herbs. Are all of these to be made into medicines?"

Feng Yun replied with a nod, "To take to Xinzhou."

Puyang Yi was raised in luxury, living as one of the wealthiest in this era, with a different understanding of war from Feng Yun.

But at that moment, witnessing the villagers, like busy ants, hustling in the simple courtyard, she felt a swelling, sour emotion in her heart.

She needed to do something.

Puyang Yi thought to herself, and took off her gold hairpin and bracelets from her wrist. After another thought, she also removed her jade pendant from her waist and thrust all of them into Feng Yun’s hands.

"Feng Ji is so noble; I can’t contribute much, so let me contribute some money instead."

Feng Yun looked at the items and accepted them without hesitation.

"Thank you, Lord of Pingyuan County."

Looking back, she told Xing Dala:

"Make a note. Those who have contributed money or effort, I will erect a stele pavilion in the village and inscribe their names."

Who wouldn’t want their name on a stele pavilion, to be remembered for thousands of years?

Puyang Yi’s eyes lit up.

"When I return to the capital, I will report to Grandmother and get the ladies of the capital to contribute, and I will also ask for recognition of Feng Ji’s merits."

Feng Yun gratefully thanked her.

As they chatted and laughed warmly, Cui Zhi felt rather awkward standing beside them, especially with Alou and Ayou watching. If she didn’t do something, she would become the butt of the joke.

But she didn’t share Puyang Yi’s passion for fancy clothes and jewelry; her adornments were not as showy. The most valuable thing on her was the bracelet on her wrist, which was a gift from her mother when she came of age, and a hairpin, given by Madam Ao, that she treasured too much to part with.

After pondering back and forth, her face turned beet red.

"I don’t have any valuable things with me..."

Feng Yun had already noticed her awkwardness and smiled.

"Madam Cui, having such intention is the best support."

Cui Zhi was the niece of Li Sangruo, but Feng Yun usually didn’t hold grudges; as long as the other party didn’t provoke her intentionally, she wouldn’t treat them differently.

Cui Zhi forced a smile and said no more.

Feng Yun saw Puyang Yi looking around curiously and quickly asked Xiaoman to pack up Alou and Ayou’s belongings and hand them to Puyang Yi’s servants.

"I can’t spare time to entertain you right now, so I won’t keep the two esteemed guests."

Puyang Yi had never seen anyone so audacious as to shoo guests away as soon as they arrived.

If it were anyone else, she would have had a huge fight with them.

Puyang Yi glanced at Feng Yun and, seeing how wan she looked, forgave her.

"You don’t need to worry about us; I’ll just walk around. Don’t mind me, I will make myself comfortable."

Feng Yun: ...

This Lord of Pingyuan County truly doesn’t consider herself an outsider.