anyone meet you”The middle-aged scholar shook his head, a hint of complexity in his expression. "We were driven into the mountains by barbarians, with nowhere to go and no one to respond. If this plac...To her surprise, after searching for a while, she really found something amiss.

"Master, there's something about this girl's ring," Shui Ling pulled a silver ring off the maid's middle finger and presented it to Li Lao Er.

She excitedly said, "There's an uncle in our village who's skilled at mechanisms. I've seen him make many things like this since I was young. This ring is too thick to be ordinary!"

Li Lao Er took it, examined it carefully, and fiddled with it cautiously. He didn't know where he touched, but suddenly a silver light shot forward from his hand, directly piercing into the branch of a flower tree.

That branch was visibly blackened instantly...

Poisonous!

Everyone was taken aback.

If that maid had seen us and attacked, poisoning Jia Yin with her needle…

Li Lao Er lost his temper with his niece for the first time, glaring at her and scolding, "Go back immediately. Don't meddle in anything. Just take care of yourself and don't cause trouble!"

Jia Yin was also afraid afterwards, she had been a bit too overconfident just now.

Fortunately, this little girl didn't know what her purpose was in wanting to get close to her first. And her medicinal powder was also top-notch, with an extremely fast onset of effects.

Otherwise, she would probably have met Yama now...

"Alright, second uncle, I'll go keep Grandma company right now." Jiayin obediently replied, pulled on her beaded hairpins and water-carrying jug, and immediately dashed off.

In the kitchen, we caught a middle-aged woman. In the garden, we caught a maid. I estimate that this is about all the people they sent.

After all, whose assassins aren't like cabbages and turnips How could it be that every time they are deployed, there are a dozen or so people...

Out of the garden, Jiayin patted her chest, Shui Ling was also wiping cold sweat.

Only Bao Zhu's excited eyes were shining!

"Sister JiaYin, who was that maidservant just now An assassin, or a martial artist!"

"How could she try to assassinate you Is there some misunderstanding Did she mistake you for her father's killer!"

"What kind of drug powder did you throw at her How did she fall down immediately"

Jia Yin heard this and couldn't help but laugh and cry. She tapped her on the forehead, "I told you to read fewer novels, but you wouldn't listen! What kind of things are you thinking about Be careful, I'll tell your mother, and you won't be allowed out anymore."

"Oh, Sister Jia Yin!" Baozhu quickly begged for forgiveness. "I was wrong, I was wrong, I'll never read storybooks again!"

She clung to Jiayin's arm like a koala, acting like a spoiled child.

"Jiao Yin sister, can you give me a bottle of that medicine powder Woooo, if anyone bullies me in the future, I'll sprinkle some on them!"

Jia Yin was overwhelmed and seeing the maidservants brought by the guests looking at her, she helplessly said: "Fine fine, I'll give you one bottle."

"In a few days, I'll have someone send you some fruit, and then we can take them together."

"Haha, that's great!" Bǎozhū was still young and a bit naive because she was spoiled at home.

The shock from earlier was completely tossed to the back of her mind, leaving only the excitement of getting the magical powder.

I don't know how Li Lao Er dealt with those two maidservants, but for the rest of the day, there were no more unexpected incidents.

When the banquet was set, male guests filled four tables in the front courtyard, while female guests occupied more tables in the back, a total of five.

Tao Hongying has brought out five or six apprentices in recent years, all of whom are down-to-earth, hardworking and talented.

Today, two people were transferred here to help with the cold dishes.

The rest of the stews and several large dishes were all made by Tao Hongying and Jia Huan themselves.

It's not that Tao Hongying and Jia Huan don't like working hard, they are just naturally lazybones.

But in the simple minds of the Li family, when someone brought gifts and visited in person to celebrate the full moon of their child, showering blessings for their health and safety as they grow up, the home-cooked meal prepared by the Li family was the most sincere and heartfelt way for them to reciprocate as the hosts.

It's clear that this report was met with widespread approval and praise.

Xiangkeli now boasts the most prosperous business in Xin Du. Its private chef's table on the top floor, with only one serving per day, is booked solid until after the New Year.

People without a certain social status or standing wouldn't even have the chance to taste home-cooked dishes.

But it is said that now the private dishes of Xianquelai are all the apprentices' skills, and Mrs. Li Si has already rarely come forward.

Today's full moon banquet, almost half of the main dishes were personally prepared by Mrs. Li Si.

The tables were laden with dishes favored by women, leaning towards sweet and sour flavors.

For example, squirrel mandarin fish, pineapple pork belly, garlic vermicelli shrimp, twice-cooked pork, egg yolk baked pumpkin, tomato beef brisket, and so on.

All the female guests loved the food so much that they disregarded any etiquette and all took extra bowls of rice.

And Li's rice, I don't know where they bought it from, steamed it up, each grain was distinct, soft, glutinous and sweet.

Look closely, the surface of each grain is still glistening with rice oil, truly a rare and fine quality rice.

While other guests were content to eat as much as they liked, Jia's matriarch was not so polite. She took Li's hand directly and demanded more.

"Auntie, where did you buy this rice When I leave later, could you give me some It's really delicious."

Lao Li laughed when she heard this, but she didn't agree. Instead, she looked at her granddaughter who was accompanying guests at the table next to them.

This rice isn't sold on the market, it was brought out by the granddaughter. If he were to agree rashly, it would put the granddaughter in a difficult position.

Jia Yin had heard the praise before, but seeing her grandmother's gaze, she smiled and said, "Grandma Jia, this rice was bought by our caravan when we were passing through Chuanzhou Prefecture. We stumbled upon it in a small town."

"This is so delicious, it's a surprise at my house too. We still have a hundred pounds at home. Would you like me to give you fifty pounds"

"When the next trading caravan passes through there, I will have them buy more."

"Good, of course," Grandma Jia replied happily. Then she said to Old Madam Li, "Sister-in-law, don't worry about it. I have a few sable pelts at my place. I'll have someone send them to you tomorrow."

"In winter, if you make a quilted jacket, you'll definitely be warm."

Li Laotai burst into laughter, giving her a spoonful of fish meat and scolding, "I said Baozhu's temperament resembled someone's. Looking at this, it's clear you, grandmother, spoiled her rotten."

"Oh, what do you mean spoiled My Baozhu is such a good girl, so happy and well-behaved."

Mrs. Jia protested, which caused Mrs. Li to laugh again.

There were only these two elders at the table, and they were happy, so naturally everyone else was happy too.

Talking and laughing, everyone ate a lot.

The male guests from the outer courtyard were also quite satisfied with today's menu.

Unlike female customers who prefer sweet and sour flavors, the dishes on their table are mostly heavy and savory, perfect for drinking.

For example, cilantro beef, roasted lamb chops, cumin meat slices, stir-fried kidneys, salt and pepper shrimp...

The male guests ate with gusto, their mouths full of oil. After a few sips of wine, they departed feeling satisfied and content.

After a busy day, all the members of the Li family were exhausted after sending off all their guests, especially the old woman.

Many women had inquired about Jia Xi and Jia An's whereabouts, wanting to know where they were now and what they were doing...

But she, as a grandmother, didn't know about it, and was even still concerned about their lives.

Li Zhensheng and Li Laoer were sitting in the outer courtyard, talking with two guests they had specially kept.

These two guests, one is Zheng, a colleague of Li Lao Er's, who they often have dealings with and are quite familiar with. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought his wife to celebrate today.

The other was Chu Yuanwai, a longtime partner of Li Zhensheng.

Back then, before he returned to his ancestral home and changed his name to Wang Xinqiu, the two were very good friends. thoughtful, deserving of praise.To be honest, the Li family saved the academy from a disaster today.Otherwise, it would truly be as Master Li said, that when the exam hall erupts in chaos, regardless...