Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 389 - 387

Du Yijin looked at the dilapidated carriage with a heavy heart. She had hoped that it could be used for another year or so but now it looked like that wouldn’t be possible anymore.

She sighed. If she had known, she would have gone back to her hometown with her dad a few days later. If she hadn’t been so obsessed with saving the cost of hiring a carriage twice, she wouldn’t have been in this mess. What a terrible deal!

"It’s just a beast. If it’s injured, so be it. It’s freezing out here and I am not walking! The County Lord Rui’an just invited us onto his carriage, why did you have to act all big and refuse?"

He had invited her, not this girl! She was embarrassed to accept a ride from him, let alone this girl, who had insulted and extorted him. Her shamelessness was thicker than a city wall!

Du Yijin sighed in her heart, too lazy to communicate with her. No, it was impossible to communicate with such people. The more you tried to talk to them, the more pissed off you’d be by their words!

"If you refuse to ride, I will!" Gu Hongxia said after speaking for a long while without getting a response from Du Yijin.

"No!" Du Yijin finally had to speak up.

"If I have to walk back and catch a cold, can you afford to compensate?" Gu Hongxia was enraged. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"This horse was bought with my own money. If it’s crippled, can your Gu family afford to compensate?" Du Yijin snapped back without conceding.

She did not mention that Gu family had been feeding off her family, the Du family.

Gu Hongxia blushed at her words.

The Gu family might have fallen, but so what if her family had a high-ranking official? They were still dirt poor!

Without paying any more attention to her, Du Yijin commanded her maid and coachman to walk back via the official road. She bet Gu Hongxia wouldn’t dare not to follow!

Of course, Gu Hongxia wouldn’t dare to stay alone in the deserted wilderness. She stomped her foot angrily but followed them anyway.

Fortunately, they weren’t too far from the town. After walking for more than half a day, they finally reached. But Gu Hongxia’s feet were blistered from the journey. The constant complaints along the way nearly made Du Yijin’s ears calloused.

――

The Post Station

The weather was cold. Shangguan Xuanhao ordered a lamb from a nearby villa, intending to have a barbecue around a fire pit.

Shangguan Xuanhao had been fortunate enough to taste the lamb skewers cooked by Xiao’er. The taste was unforgettable!

But even though the servants at the post station had prepared everything, Shangguan Xuanhao was still waiting for Xiao’er.

Shangguan Xuanhao had gone to the entrance of the post station several times, unable to wait any longer.

It was snowy and the roads slippery, he hoped nothing bad had happened.

"I’m starving. I can’t wait anymore!" Shangguan Xuanjun decided to prepare the barbecue himself.

After years in the military, cooking a barbecue was hardly a challenge for him!

As soon as Shangguan Xuanhao heard this, he quickly stopped him. "Don’t dare ruin this lamb and torment my stomach!"

Di Shaowei, who also missed Xiao’er’s cooking, quickly chimed in. "Let’s wait a little more. We can’t let this lamb die in vain, can we?"

Shangguan Xuanjun didn’t know whether to laugh or get angry at their words!

Since he couldn’t roast the lamb, he decided to roast chicken instead!

Seeing that he was only roasting a chicken, they didn’t try to stop him anymore. There were a few more chickens, as long as he didn’t touch the only lamb, it was fine.

After Shangguan Xuanjun had finished roasting the chicken, eager to share his feast, he broke off a chicken leg and handed them over.

Shangguan Xuanhao gave a disgusted look at the chicken leg that was burnt in several spots. "That’s ugly, I won’t eat it!"

"I’m not hungry yet," said Di Shaowei. Although his words were more subtle, the expression on his face was full of disdain.

Li Mingfang, too, was starving and took a chicken leg to eat.

She found the taste really good!

"If you’re not eating, it’s for the taking!" He ate the remaining roast chicken, and then grilled a fish. Only when his stomach was somewhat filled did he stop eating.

Shangguan Xuanhao had been anxiously waiting to see Shangguan Xuanyi and his companions for a long time.

The group asked them what had happened, and why they were so late.

Xiao’er simply explained the situation.

"That woman is absolutely detestable! She made me go hungry for half a day! I swear, the next time I see her I’m gonna make her lose her teeth!" Shangguan Xuanhao said, fuming with anger.

Xiao’er thought to himself, "So it turns out his concern for them was just a facade to get me to roast a lamb for him earlier? Really shouldn’t have expected much from him!".

"Girl, it’s been a while since I had something barbecued by you. I’ve been starving in anticipation of this meal!" Di Shaowei pouted pitifully.

Being stationed in the military camp, he didn’t get to eat well and had to cope with harrowing conditions on the journey back. He wouldn’t compromise on his meals, even if that meant starving, now that they were finally reaching the Imperial Capital.

Xiao’er resignedly washed his hands, and took out some seasonings from the space. He then started roasting a whole lamb for the ravenous bunch.

Shangguan Xuanjun fancied his barbecue skills to be commendable. Back in the military camp, he would occasionally go hunting and grill some food whenever he couldn’t stomach the food provided.

Relishing the scent wafting towards him, the half-satiated man couldn’t resist coming over. With one hand, he grabbed Shangguan Xuanhao’s collar, lifted the least skillful martial arts man, placed him to one side, and sat down in his spot.

"Shangguan Xuanjun, are you asking for death?"

Shangguan Xuanhao had chosen the best spot to sit down, being able to grab food easily whilst avoiding the smoke from the barbeque.

"This was originally my seat!" Shangguan Xuanjun argued assertively.

"Weren’t you full and supposed to leave?" Shangguan Xuanhao kicked the leg of the stool.

"How about we fight it out, and the winner can have the seat?" Shangguan Xuanjun suggested, taking a deep inhale of the aromatic air.

Shangguan Xuanhao wilted, this was a clear case of the strong bullying the weak!

Xiao’er seasoned the lamb skillfully while Shangguan Xuanyi turned the sheep carcass over and over.

Slowly, the sheep turned golden brown and the aroma intensified.

Everyone couldn’t help but swallow their saliva a few times. It would be so embarrassing if their saliva flowed out!

"Alright, you can eat! Help yourselves," Xiao’er exhaled lightly, sweat beading on the edge of his forehead.

He was hot from the embers!

Shangguan Xuanyi took out a handkerchief and wiped away her sweat as Xiao’er smiled at him.

Zhao Youwei stuffed the handkerchief he had out back into his bosom.

No one noticed his movement as they were all concentrating on their food.

Li Mingfang, sitting across from him, noticed his action and looked up at Shangguan Xuanyi and Xiao’er. Seemingly understanding something, her gaze dimmed momentarily.

Zhao Youwei sat down to eat in silence. Di Shaowei passed him a cup of wine, "Here, drink some wine, it’ll warm you up."

Zhao Youwei lifted the wine cup and downed its contents in one gulp.

He then took the jug and poured himself another cup. He ate the meat and drank the wine, one cup after another.

Li Mingfang was feeling inexplicably irritable. She too, kept drinking cup after cup of fruit wine.