Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 81

The villager’s voice was extremely loud, so even from a distance everyone heard it. Judging from his words, could it be that this important guest had come looking for Shen Cuihua?

Feng Qiufang stared at Cuihua in disbelief. “How could it possibly be her they’re looking for? Unless…”

Her mouth suddenly fell open. She nudged Madam Li with her elbow and whispered, “Eldest Sister-in-law, this… this can’t be her family coming for her, right?”

Madam Li’s lips moved but she said nothing. Still, her expression tensed slightly. Thinking it over carefully, ever since Cuihua’s madness had cleared up, her conduct had been nothing like that of a woman from some backwater. She wasn’t only clever and resourceful, she also feared nothing. Chuncao once mentioned that when she spoke with the county magistrate, she hadn’t shown the slightest fear, like someone used to seeing the world.

Looking deeper, Cuihua’s origins must be unusual. She could hardly be from an ordinary family. What kind of ordinary family could raise such a daughter? Madam Li clutched at her sleeve, staring hard at the approaching figures, her breath caught tight in her chest.

The man on horseback was none other than Officer Zhou. The moment he spotted Cuihua, he patted his horse and quickly advanced ahead of the others, calling out loudly, “Lady Cuihua!”

At once Madam Li and the others drew back a step. That left Cuihua, holding Huzi’s hand with little Bai Lefu beside her, standing a step ahead, immediately conspicuous.

Officer Zhou leapt down from his horse, tossed the reins to an attendant, and strode toward Cuihua with a broad smile. “Lady Cuihua, I finally found you!”

Seeing the visitor really was here for Cuihua, everyone was struck speechless. Even Li Zhi and Wei Ying, hearing the commotion, hurried out from inside. At the sight of so many people gathered in front of their gate, they were startled.

“Officer Zhou, what business do you have with me?” Cuihua cast a glance over the retinue. On one servant’s robe corner she spotted a stitched ‘Bai’ character. So, it must be Bai Lefu’s wealthy father who had sent them.

Officer Zhou laughed. “I came specially to thank you! You helped our county office crack the major case of missing persons.”

Lowering his voice, he added, “We destroyed the kidnappers’ den in the northern mountains. Caught them red-handed and rescued over twenty children and women. You deserve much credit!”

“This wasn’t my doing,” Cuihua replied.

But Officer Zhou raised his voice, “The county magistrate said it was indeed your merit, and awarded you ten taels of silver, on behalf of those families who lost their children, as a token of gratitude!”

The onlookers immediately turned astonished gazes on Cuihua. The county magistrate himself had sent thanks, with a silver reward too! She must have done something tremendous.

Old Master Li also came out. At the sight of Zhou’s official uniform, he nearly fell to his knees to kowtow, barely stopped in time. Flustered, he invited, “Honorable sir, please, come inside and sit!”

Officer Zhou waved it off. “No need for such formality, elder.”

Then he turned to Cuihua again, “Young Master Bai came with me, he’s in the carriage. He’s here to fetch his daughter.”

At the mention of her father, Bai Lefu instantly brightened, her little voice excited, “Daddy? Daddy, have you come?”

The carriage curtain was lifted by a servant, and out stepped a tall young man in a white brocade robe.

He looked about twenty, face handsome as carved jade, his black eyes clear and gentle. A pale green jade coronet bound his hair, highlighting his refined brows. His back was straight as a bamboo stalk, his bearing elegant, his presence so graceful it recalled the verse, “Like jade among the fields, unmatched is this young lord!”

When Bai Lefu saw it was indeed her father, she darted over at once, crying, “Daddy, you finally came to find Fufu!”

Bai Chuyu swept her up in his arms. His gaze passed over her ill-fitting coarse clothes, darkening slightly in the depths of his eyes, but his tone remained gentle, “Fufu, you must never run off so mischievously again.”

Her eyes reddened as she clung to his neck. “Daddy, Fufu won’t ever dare again!”

Bai Chuyu nodded, then carried her back toward the crowd. Stopping before Cuihua, he inclined his head politely, “Many thanks, Madam, for saving my daughter’s life. I, Bai Chuyu, will not forget this grace.”

Turning, he called softly, “Bai San.”

A sharp-eyed attendant stepped forward, carrying a tray draped in red cloth. Bai Chuyu lifted the cloth. Immediately a chorus of gasps rang out. Some couldn’t help crying out in amazement.

The tray glittered with silver ingots. Each weighed fifty taels. Ten ingots in total, five hundred taels, gleamed before their eyes.

The villagers craned their necks, hearts itching with envy. Why hadn’t they been the ones to save this girl? If they had, all that silver would be theirs!

Feng Qiufang, however, went pale with fright. Not long ago, she had cursed Cuihua, and even insulted the little girl now embraced by this nobleman. She remembered Cuihua telling the girl to tell her father, and that her father would avenge her when he came. And now, the father had truly arrived, in the company of officials, and already proved so generous. What should she do?

Old Master Li also seethed inside. If only, during the meal earlier, he had agreed to let Cuihua and her son be entered into the clan genealogy, then she’d be a Li family member, and wouldn’t all this silver rightfully belong to him?

Yet Bai Chuyu’s expression remained warm, his bearing graceful. He smiled, “These five hundred taels are my token of thanks.”

Cuihua merely nodded calmly. Just as she expected, wealthy beyond measure. Not bad at all. It seemed saving people really did pay off.

Then Bai Chuyu drew from his waist a jade token, carved with the character ‘Bai’, and placed it on the tray as well. His lips curved in a gentle smile, “This is my personal token. If you ever need aid, present it at any establishment marked with the ‘Bai’ character, and you will surely have your wish fulfilled.”

He paused, then added, “Of these two items, you may choose whichever you prefer.”

Then he waited patiently for her decision.

Cuihua did not hesitate. She reached out and took the jade token, smiling faintly, “To have one’s wish fulfilled, five hundred taels are nothing in comparison.”

A chorus of regretful murmurs swept through the crowd. To give up five hundred taels of silver! Was this woman mad? Or perhaps her illness had never truly healed?

Only now did Bai Chuyu truly look at Cuihua with new eyes. Inwardly, he thought, ‘This woman is indeed quite extraordinary.’