Chef Hua

The next afternoon, Hua Xiaomai indeed hosted a banquet for Elder Xue by the fishpond in Daoxiang Garden. She cooked several dishes herself and didn’t forget to let Wang Zhanrui show off his skills by making two dishes with tea leaves, which left the old gentleman almost too preoccupied to speak until he had tasted all the delicious food on the table, only then did he find the time to heap praise upon them.

It was only then that Hua Xiaomai understood what Wang Zhanrui meant when he said, "There will come a time when you really need my help."

To attend the Eight Treasures Conference, relying solely on Hua Xiaomai was certainly not enough; she definitely needed a good helper, and Wang Zhanrui was undoubtedly the best choice—could it be that he had already known from Song Jingxi that Daoxiang Garden was also participating in this year’s conference? If that was the case, why did he still play coy and refuse to tell? That’s not very brotherly!

Hua Xiaomai silently lambasted Wang Zhanrui in her heart, finished the meal with Elder Xue, and sent him off contentedly. She then immediately set off for Fuzhe County and upon entering the gates of Lianshun Escort Agency, she saw Han Hu leading the newcomers as they trained in the front courtyard.

"Don’t think that being an escort master is a simple task; traveling by land you might encounter bandits, and by water, you could run smack into river pirates. They covet the goods and treasures and won’t be polite about it; they’re ready to use real swords and real spears! Our line of work is a life on the edge of a knife; if you slack off now and end up injured or even lose your life later, I promise you won’t have time to cry!"

Perhaps because of being highly regarded by Meng Yuhuai, Han Hu put on quite a show of authority in front of the newcomers, striding back and forth with hands clasped behind his back and head held high as he lectured them, looking quite imposing.

He was usually all smiles, but today he was solemn. Hua Xiaomai unexpectedly caught sight of this and couldn’t help but laugh, unable to hold it in, she snorted.

Han Hu turned around frowning, but upon seeing her, his expression immediately changed, and he came running over with a cheerful greeting, "Sister-in-law, what brings you here? Brother Yuhuai has gone to the Government Office, he didn’t return at noon, and by the looks of it, he will probably be delayed until late afternoon!"

While speaking, he gestured towards the main gate.

"I know, he told me last night. I’m not looking for him, I’m here to see you," Hua Xiaomai said with a smile, nodding her head. She took out a list and waved it in front of him, "I heard you’re going to Lizhou soon, and I have a favor to ask. Would you help me with something? I just wonder if you’d be willing."

"What are you talking about, sister-in-law?"