Manager Zheng always felt that when Manbao looked at him, it was as if he were looking at a villainous father, as if he would sell his child for glory. But is he really like that?
Manager Zheng was sure his son had said sothing in front of Manbao, and so he was annoyed and huffed a bit.
Seeing his anger, Manbao quickly comforted him, "Manager, although Zheng Gu has a gentle temper, that’s actually a good thing. As a doctor, it’s best to have a gentle deanor. If you keep searching carefully, you’ll surely find a good daughter-in-law."
Manager Zheng felt even more irritable.
At noon, Zheng Gu and Zheng Shao, carrying gifts, went to pay respects to their teacher with a bitter expression, "I don’t know what happened to my father today. He was fine in the morning, but after you left, he kept finding fault with . I originally planned to bring the gifts after lunchti, but I couldn’t stand my father’s nagging and ca early."
Ms. Doctor Liu arrived half an hour later. The two families were discussing a marriage proposal, so she felt quite embarrassed going there, but delivering food to the teacher on the Winter Solstice was customary.
Manbao happily accepted their gifts, and initially wanted to invite them to stay for lunch, but all three declined.
Because quite a few people ca to the Zhou Family today to deliver good food.
Yin Huo, Liu Huan, and even Feng Zongping personally brought so delicious treats, occupying the family’s courtyard to eat and drink.
Feng Zongping said, "Your family is still the most carefree. The adults at ho don’t monitor much, there are many children, and you have a big yard to play in however you want."
Bai Shan then said to Manbao, "I was planning to visit Senior Brother Tang and Scholarly Senior Brother Yang this afternoon to deliver food, but it looks like it’s impossible now."
Manbao said, "No worries, we still have a day off tomorrow. We’ll go deliver it then."
Winter Solstice is a holiday for exchanging delicious foods.
Everyone has worked hard for a year, and by Winter Solstice, they’ve mostly completed their year’s work and are preparing for the New Year.
So even the poorest families will take out so goods to prepare tasty food to share with relatives and friends.
Even foreign rchants outside will cease operations, allowing everyone to freely exchange and enjoy good food.
Bai Shan rarely had no coursework, and Manbao also took a break from her work. She even paused Teacher Mo’s classes for a few days.
Teacher Mo didn’t quite understand their holiday; Winter Solstice seed to him like sothing only in history books, not celebrated much in his era.
Because as long as they wanted, every day was a holiday; and if they were busy, a holiday was like a workday.
Manbao and a few others joyfully ate all day. The next day, they picked many tasty items from ho, added so specialties to baskets and food boxes, then carried them to deliver gifts to Lord Tang and Lord Yang.
These days, Tang He and Yang Heshu also accompanied friends and relatives in eating and drinking.
Tang He received their gifts first, and after thinking briefly, he picked a basket of stead buns from the kitchen and took a few pieces of smoked at hanging under the kitchen eaves, then went with them to find Yang Heshu.
And thus, everyone spent the day at Yang Heshu’s house, and upon leaving, not only were their bellies full, but they also received plenty of return gifts from the Yang Family.
Old Zhou watched as Lijun pulled items from the basket, curiously opened a box, and asked, "What’s this?"
Manbao glanced and said, "Cubilose."
She said, "This is good stuff. Let sister-in-law cook it; Mother’s stomach and spleen aren’t too good. Eating a small bowl each day can regulate the stomach and spleen. Sister-in-law should eat it too; it’s good for beauty."
Several sisters-in-law nearby couldn’t resist stepping forward to look, curiously saying, "So this is cubilose?"
Junior Ms.Qian looked and asked, "How do you cook cubilose?"
"Just boil it with water," Manbao wasn’t very certain either, "Or I can look it up later and copy so recipes."
Zhou Lijun glanced at the aunts in the room, thinking the family was too large, this little cubilose was only enough for one serving, so he closed the box and directly said, "Let’s save it. After all, cubilose is a dicine too, might be useful soday."
Ms.Qian and Junior Ms.Qian agreed. The stuff is expensive, why eat it without a reason?
A few days later, during another break, Old Zhou said to Manbao that his appetite wasn’t great, didn’t feel like eating, and wanted sothing to regulate the stomach and spleen.
Manbao instantly understood, and thus prescribed a recipe for cubilose porridge to her elder sister-in-law.
She whispered to her elder sister-in-law in the kitchen, "Cook it, make a few more bowls, give them to Father, Mother, and you."
Junior Ms.Qian laughed and tapped her nose, joyfully saying, "You’re just clever like Father; be careful, Mother might spank Father if she finds out."
Manbao giggled, "Not to worry, Mother will be fine in a couple of days."
Although Junior Ms.Qian received the recipe, she only cooked two bowls instead of three, giving one to Old Zhou and one to Ms.Qian.
After eating, Old Zhou said to Ms.Qian, "No wonder people like eating this stuff so much; it’s really quite tasty."
Ms.Qian glared at him, "You’re such an old man, pretending to be sick just for a bite."
Old Zhou shalessly defended, "Who said I was pretending? I genuinely had no appetite, but now I feel much better, have the Eldest make so lamb flatbread tonight."
Ms.Qian ignored him, instead ntioning the Liu family’s marriage proposal, "Manbao said the Liu family has agreed, the two youngsters are getting along well. I think with Manbao off these days, we should invite a matchmaker to speak."
Old Zhou agreed, "Indeed, it’s already twelfth month. If we finalize it before New Year, we can choose a wedding date after the New Year. By the way, how much money do we have at ho?"
Though Lijun managed the accounts now, Ms.Qian was aware. She said, "Rest assured, there’s enough to hold a wedding."
Old Zhou felt relieved.
As Ms.Qian expressed interest in the proposal, Manbao said, "I’ve discussed with Imperial Doctor Liu, and we both think Director Xiao is perfect to be the matchmaker. I ntioned it to Director Xiao a few days ago, and he’s agreed."
She said, "The family should prepare gifts, and tomorrow I’ll take Elder Brother and Elder Sister-in-law to the Xiao Family to invite Director Xiao."
Ms.Qian nodded and imdiately prepared the gifts for her.
Since the marriage wasn’t finalized yet, only gifts to invite the matchmaker were needed now. Plus, with such pre-determined agreents and familiar people as matchmakers, no matchmaker fee was required. Just so food items, making it quite simple.
The next day, Manbao led Elder Brother and Elder Sister-in-law with gifts to the Xiao Family.
Director Xiao received Zhou Man’s invitation the day before and was waiting early at ho. After receiving their family’s gifts, he smiled, "Perfect timing, there’s a destination for lunch."
This implied he planned to go directly for matchmaking at noon.
Zhou Dalang and Junior Ms.Qian quickly thanked him.
Director Xiao courteously saw them off, and as he sent Manbao out the door, he sighed, "My youngest daughter is about the sa age as Ms.Doctor Liu, but she’ll need another two years to leave the palace; by then, if Imperial Doctor Zhou has a suitable candidate, don’t forget to introduce them to ."
Zhou Man: "...Okay."
How did she suddenly beco a matchmaker?
Watching the Zhou Family walk off into the distance, Director Xiao let out a sigh. Madam Xiao, who had approached unwittingly, also sighed, "We once said we’d propose to our family’s child for her..."
"No way," Director Xiao responded, "Your son isn’t suitable for her."
Madam Xiao grumbled, "You say it like he’s not your son."
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