646: Chapter 635: Group Fight 646: Chapter 635: Group Fight Daji poured two bags of stones into two basins of water; these were stones that had been initially cut and polished by artisans.
They already looked quite good, certainly better than when they were first picked, but that was far from enough.
Daji taught them how to wash and individually polish the chess pieces going forward.
Knowing that Manbao was helping make the chess pieces, Ms.
Liu had specially prepared two sets of tools for them, one for each person.
Manbao grabbed a brush and, imitating Daji, scrubbed it against the cut surface and slowly smoothed it out.
Daji said, “These stones are like jade, the more they are handled and the longer the ti, the more polished they beco.”
He paused before adding, “These stones are the finest for stone chess pieces, with enough use, they will beco as polished as jade.”
Bai Shan, curious, asked, “If there are stone chess pieces, does that an there are also wooden and jade pieces among others?”
“That’s correct, but wooden pieces easily deform when cut too small, and jade pieces are too precious and rare, so stone chess pieces remain dominant,” Daji said.
“In our Bai Family, aside from the old master who polished a set of jade pieces once, the rest of the masters all use stone chess pieces.”
Manbao clicked his tongue and said to Bai Shan, “Your family really is wealthy.”
For two days now, she had learned that a basketful of these stones was not cheap; the cost for two baskets could buy a set of chess pieces at the bookstore.
She hadn’t quite understood it at first, but now, feeling the roughly polished stones, she realized they were different from the ones sold at the bookstore.
Bai Shan naturally felt the sa, he and Manbao both reached into the water to rub the stones, following Daji’s instructions to change the water and add so materials for soaking.
They were having a blast when Sanya ran over to find her, “Auntie Manbao, Grandma wants to call you back ho.
Your eldest sister has returned for a visit.”
Manbao imdiately ran ho, with Bai Shan only managing to shout, “Rember to pack the things up; we’re setting off early tomorrow to return to Yizhou City.”
“Got it!”
Manbao raced back ho with Sanya like a gust of wind.
The Zhou household was bustling; a group of kids was surrounding Guan Xin asking for candy.
Guan Xin, nearly unable to see from smiling so much, kept pulling candies from his person to give to them, soon depleting his entire supply.
Manbao stretched out her hand to greet Guan Xin, then turned and darted into her eldest sister’s room, where Ms.Qian and Junior Ms.Qian were both present, whispering privately with Zhou Xi.
Seeing Manbao enter, they stopped their whispering.
Manbao rushed over and asked, “Eldest sister, does your husband treat you well?”
Zhou Xi smiled and said, “Quite well, you’re still young; don’t worry about these things all the ti.”
“Yeah, your sister lives right in the county town, not far from the shop, and she’s looked after by your elder brother and sister-in-law, how could Guan Xin dare to bully her?” Ms.Qian said.
“But what about you?
You’re going to Yizhou City, and we don’t know when you’ll be back.”
She whispered, “That place is full of rich people; you need to keep your temper in check around those two young masters from the Bai Family, don’t be too mischievous, it’s different from the village.”
Manbao nodded repeatedly, “I know, Mother, we behaved very well while in Yizhou City.”
“Then how co you’ve stopped being good since returning to the village?
I heard you led Datou and others to fight with kids from Dali Village the other day, didn’t you?”
“No,” Manbao denied categorically, “We didn’t fight them; we were just protecting our fruit trees.”
Ms.Qian tapped her forehead and said, “You just babble on; the people from Dali Village have even gone to Old Master Bai over this, how many apologies have they had to make for you?”
Manbao humphed, “We didn’t hit them hard, just bruised them a bit.
They were too annoying.
If they had only picked so fruit, we wouldn’t have said anything, but Manor Head Bai said they even picked so of the unripe fruit from the mountain, which they couldn’t eat and just used to play war gas with.
It took us so many years to grow so many fruits, every year there’s watering and fertilizing…”
Manbao was still feeling wronged about this, “They just pick and throw away casually, not knowing how much effort people have put in behind the scenes.”
Junior Ms.Qian also said, “Mother, it’s also those Dali Village kids who have gone too far.
The kids in our village all know that those are Manbao’s trees and wouldn’t harm them.
If the children didn’t know, shouldn’t the adults be aware?”
She added, “It’s soone else’s hard-earned fruit that their children have spoiled.
Those who understand manners naturally co to apologize, yet they had the nerve to co over and demand justice, aren’t they ashad?”
Manbao nodded repeatedly.
Ms.Qian glared at her and said, “No matter what, you should not fight.
And you even fought on a steep hillside, with stones and tree stumps everywhere.
What if you accidentally hit soone in the head, would we have to go apologize to their family?”
“Furthermore, what if you got hurt?
Who would I cry to then?”
Manbao confidently said, “That won’t happen; at that ti, Daji was with us, and besides, I have the Heaven Master’s protection.”
Ms.Qian: …
She rubbed her forehead and said, “You’re still not allowed to fight, understand?”
Manbao nodded, “Don’t worry, Mother, I’ve grown up and won’t fight anymore.”
She agreed for the sake of agreent.
Ms.Qian then said, “Alright, go pack your bags since you’re departing early tomorrow.
You’re not allowed to go out and play anymore today.”
Manbao secretly stuck out her tongue and agreed.
Seeing her walk away obediently, Ms.Qian turned to Junior Ms.Qian and said, “Don’t spoil her too much.
Things are different now; she’s grown up but still getting into fights, what kind of behavior is that?”
Junior Ms.Qian bowed her head and acknowledged, while Zhou Xi hastily said, “Mother, it’s not big sister’s fault.
Manbao has always been raised like this; it might not be easy to change her behavior.”
She paused, then smiled, “Besides, I think it’s not bad to be a bit fierce; at least she won’t be bullied, right?”
Junior Ms.Qian quietly nodded in agreent.
Ms.Qian said, “Do you think I don’t know that?
But there are many ways to be fierce, fighting is the last resort.”
The day before yesterday, Manbao ca ho covered in mud with Datou and the others, nearly causing Ms.Qian to pass out.
They’d said they were going to Xiaotian Manor to check on the fruit trees early in the morning.
Considering that there was still much work to be done at ho after the wedding, Ms.Qian left the kids who usually played with Manbao, only allowing Datou and the others to go with her.
To her surprise, they ca back covered in mud by mid-afternoon, even their hair and faces; Datou even had a swollen spot on his forehead.
Upon inquiry, she learned they had encountered children from Dali Village who had co to steal fruit.
With the two young masters from the Bai Family on Manbao’s side, accompanied by so kids from the village who got along well with them, there was already so tension between the two groups.
As soon as they t, they clashed, erupting into a fight.
The two groups brawled from halfway up the mountain down to the base, tumbling into the ditch dug by laborers, and almost rolling into the canal.
In the end, it was Daji who separated them, and the fight ceased.
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