Chapter 49: Apology
"Your fifth uncle was a good student and a good official. He was appointed as an imperial censor at a young age. Unfortunately, he was injured by a stray arrow and died when he followed the late emperor on the Eastern Expedition. As for your master and Qi'er's generation, it's even worse. Ask your master, how did he fare in his studies?"
Mr. Bai lowered his head in shame.
"But Bai Qi is a promising scholar. He passed the imperial examination at a young age. If it weren't for bad luck, we would have taken refuge with him now," said Mrs. Bai. "Although Shanbao is young now, he has already shown something special. He is only a few years old this year, but he has memorized the Analects. Ask your son, can he recite the first chapter of the Analects?"
Bai Jilang immediately lowered his head and said nothing.
Mrs. Bai added, "Even if we don't consider these gains and losses, just talking about friendship," Mrs. Bai held Mr. Bai's hand tightly and said with tears in her eyes, "She is not only your aunt, but also your aunt's mother. She and I are cousins. We grew up together and have the same grandparents. We are the only brothers and sisters still alive in the world. You should take care of your mother's family as well and treat them more care."
These words were not spoken to Mr. Bai, but to Mrs. Bai.
Mrs. Bai quickly knelt down to apologize, saying, "Don't worry, mother. My master and I will serve you well in the future."
Then he turned around and scolded Bai Erlang, "Erlang, don't bully your cousin anymore. If I find out that you bully him again, I, I..."
Mrs. Bai gritted her teeth and said, "I will beat you."
Bai Erlang pursed his lips, but didn't dare cry under his father's glare. He felt his butt was hurting.
The family of four talked it out, wiped their tears, and went back to their rooms.
The steward who had gone to Zhou's house to offer apology just came back. He reported to Mr. Bai, "... they sent a bottle of medicinal wine for treating injuries from falls, two pieces of meat, two pieces of fish, and two packages of snacks. Zhou's father-in-law was very easy to talk to. He said the child was fine, just had a few bruises on his body, and would be fine after resting for a while."
Mr. Bai scolded his son again, and then said: "She is a girl, it's good that there is no scar on her body."
The steward lowered his head and said, "It shouldn't be the case. I took a look at the young lady from the Zhou family. The injuries on her body are gone, but her forehead is just bruised and swollen, with no wounds."
Mr. Bai waved his hand and asked him to leave.
At Zhou's house, the children, led by Manbao, were squatting in the yard, watching the two fish, two pieces of meat and two bags of snacks. Everyone couldn't help swallowing.
Datou and the others were extremely envious, "My little aunt is different. When she fights, people always give her meat and fish to eat."
Daya emphasized, "There are also snacks!"
Man Bao touched his forehead and said, "Otherwise, let's find another chance to fight Bai Er next time?"
Old Zhou, who was listening nearby, almost couldn't help but slap his daughter on the head, but thinking that his daughter was injured and might become stupid if she was hit on the head, he changed his tone to verbal reprimand, "Don't talk nonsense, fighting is fun? Not to mention that you are younger than the other person, you can only get beaten, you started this thing, and you still want people to give you gifts, how can such a good thing happen?"
Old Zhou said, "When the time comes, the Bai family will ask us to pay apology, but we won't be able to afford two pieces of meat and two fish."
Manbao felt sorry for a moment, then looked at the snacks and swallowed her saliva, then turned around and threw herself into her sister-in-law's arms and acted coquettishly, "Sister-in-law, let's open some snacks and have some."
Although she doesn't like sweets very much, she likes snacks.
She just smelled it and it smells so nice.
Little Qian didn't hesitate and asked her mother-in-law what she thought. After getting Qian's nod, she opened a packet, gave two pieces to Manbao first, then gave one piece to each of the other children, and then wrapped up the rest, intending to feed it to Manbao slowly.
Manbao rolled her eyes, stuffed the two pieces of dessert to her father and mother respectively, and then looked at her sister-in-law eagerly.
Xiao Qian had no choice but to take out two more pieces and give them to her.
Manbao smiled and followed the same method, stuffing the snacks to his two sisters-in-law, and then continued to look at Xiao Qian.
Seeing that both sisters-in-law had already had some, Xiao Qianshi could not help but get angry. She opened the oil paper and stuffed the remaining two pieces to Manbao, "That's enough, there are no more!"
Manbao put a piece close to Xiao Qianshi 's mouth and said sweetly, "Sister-in-law, eat it too. It smells delicious to me."
Xiao Qian's anger immediately subsided. She couldn't help laughing out loud, "You are so clever."
He didn't eat the snacks, but smiled and said, "Manbao treats his sister-in-law differently. Our snacks didn't even come close to our mouths."
Feng also said, "After all, he grew up drinking the milk of his sister-in-law."
Xiao Qian was a little proud, but she was very modest. "This child treats everyone in the family the same. When she speaks nice things, it's like she's covered in honey. All the other children in the family combined can't compare to her."
The three sisters-in-law stood there and boasted to each other. Qian sat aside and ordered, "Cut the meat and fry it. We don't have a well at home, so it's not good to keep it raw. It can be kept longer if it's cooked."
He added, "Although dinner is ready, take some out and stir-fry it with the vegetables. Manbao is injured and needs to be healed."
Xiao Qian's three daughters-in-law didn't dare to stand there and gossip anymore. They quickly agreed and went about their business.
They did not eat the snacks, but simply handed them to their husbands and gave them to them to eat.
Of course, Zhou Dalang and his friends were not stupid, and they certainly didn't dare to eat it directly. Instead, they took it back into the house and kept it away so that they could divide it again when the family got together in the evening.
Qian also called her daughter to her side, gave her some snacks, and touched the wound on her forehead with a smile, saying, "Eat quickly. Only if you eat well can your wound heal faster."
Manbao pushed the snack back and said, "Mom, you eat it."
Qian shook her head, "Mom is taking medicine and can't eat snacks. You should eat them quickly."
Manbao didn't doubt it because her mother had to follow a diet plan and there were many things she couldn't eat.
Manbao happily took the snack, took a bite, and went to play with Zhou Wulang and the others happily.
Old Zhou, who was sitting nearby, broke off most of the snack in his hand and stuffed it into the mouth of his wife.
Qian smiled and didn't refuse this time.
Manbao was particularly interested in Zhou Wulang and his group's trip to the county town today, and asked about it with great interest.
Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang felt that they had seen a great deal today. Surrounded by their brothers and nephews, they felt extremely excited and told them what had happened today in vivid detail.
Ever since an adult was kidnapped in their area, each village has agreed on rules for entering the city.
Let’s not talk about people from the same village. The village is so small. If someone wants to go to the county town the next day, he can just shout, and those who want to go will agree on a time to meet at the village entrance the next day. If no one else does, then they will go on their own. There are also rules for the time of departure.
Zhou Wulang said, "It would be best if we arrive at the county town at noon. Everyone's walking speed is about the same, so we can work our way back from the county town. If people from each village want to travel together, they all know what time to wait at the village entrance."
