The Wealthy Eldest Sister Rules Supreme

Upon seeing Zhuang Qingning look at him, Ding Gaochang chuckled, “Hanfeng Tower is a restaurant in the county town. I dined there previously and their Kung Pao Tofu was extremely tasty, even more so than the tofu dishes in the capital city. I asked the restaurant manager in jest, how he managed to get such a skilled cook who could make the dish so delicious.”

“The shop manager told me that it was not just the cook’s merit – in reality, the cook only deserves a part of the credit – about thirty percent. The other seventy percent resulted from their use of tofu from a tofu shop he recently discovered. Because the tofu was ground so finely, they were able to make such tasty Kung Pao Tofu.”

“Seeing how much I appreciated this tofu, he even gave me a fresh piece for me to try at home. I took it home and had it made into a home-style tofu dish, which was indeed delightful. Since then, it’s been on my mind.”

“But I was too concerned about appearing overly curious to ask where Hanfeng Tower got its tofu from, even though I was filled with curiosity. Just now, the smell of the tofu seemed somewhat similar, which reminded me of this, so I mentioned it to Miss Zhuang.”

After Ding Gaochang said this, he regretted it, feeling that he had been a bit bold.

Even if he really couldn’t forget about the taste of that tofu, why on earth did he mention it in front of Zhuang Qingning?

People who work in the same field often tend to compare and compete with each other. If the taste of Zhuang’s tofu was better than the one he remembered, or if it was actually from her shop, it would be fine. But if it was not as good, wouldn’t that mean he was purposely boasting about something else to make her embarrassed?

“Miss Zhuang, I was just making casual conversation after seeing the tofu. Please don’t take it to heart,” Ding Gaochang said, appearing embarrassed.

He came here originally to ask her for help. Now he seemed to be embarrassing her, and he was disappointed in himself.

As someone usually quite adept at handling business, he felt awkward that he had made such a blunder over something seemingly trivial as tofu. Ding Gaochang was so embarrassed that he could have wished for a hole to swallow him up.

Zhuang Qingmci noticed Ding Gaochang’s unease and laughed, “Master Ding, do not worry about it. The tofu served at Hanfeng tower is actually from our shop. It’s a good thing that you spoke so highly of it.”

“Really?” Ding Gaochang was overjoyed, and even rubbed his hands together excitedly.

Phew, that was close. It wasn’t as awkward as he thought it would be.

He was indirectly praising Zhuang Qingning after all?

The tofu must be incredibly delicious if it drove him to praise it in an inappropriate setting. And it turned out that this tofu was from Zhuang Qingning’s shop. Was he just flattering her in roundabout way?

Ding Gaochang subconsciously touched his nose. When he looked up again, his face was filled with a cheerful smile, “I didn’t expect such a coincidence.”

“I did not expect that my tofu would catch Master Ding’s eye. If you like it, I can set aside one piece for you. After you finish your business at Cuiwei Lake, you can take it with you,” Zhuang Qingning said, already instructing Mrs. Cao to reserve a piece for him.

“Thank you, Miss Zhuang,” Ding Gaochang thanked her, unable to stop smiling.

This cheerfulness was due to two things. First, he had located the tofu he had been fancying for a while yet couldn’t find. Secondly, he was pleased by the casual way Zhuang Qingning spoke about the issue at Cuiwei Lake. It was like she wasn’t talking about outsmarting a malicious priest and some ignorant commoners, but rather about a leisurely stroll around Cuiwei Lake. If that was the case, did it mean that Zhuang Qingning was confident enough to make it sound as easy as reaching into her bag and pulling out whatever she wanted?

Given that, Ding Gaochang felt more relieved.

“It’s not a big deal, Master Ding. Please, do not be burdened by it.”

Zhuang Qingning picked up a bamboo basket covered with a blue cloth, “Master Ding, I have made the necessary arrangements. We may leave now.”

“Good, good,” Ding Gaochang agreed, quickly having Zhuang Qingning seated in the carriage, and instructed the carter to get moving toward Cuiwei Lake.

On the way, Ding Gaochang handed Zhuang Qingning a face veil that he had prepared, “Miss Zhuang, this trip may cause some inconvenience for you. You might want to wear this to avoid any unnecessary troubles.”

“Thank you, Master Ding,” Zhuang Qingning received it with a smile on her face.

The veil was soft and in a delicate shade of light brown. It could completely cover her face without impeding her breathing.

It seemed that her judgment was right, this Ding Gaochang was indeed a good official. Not only did he consider her feelings, but he also made careful and thoughtful preparations for everything.

“It’s within my duties, Miss Zhuang, so please don’t mention it,” Ding Gaochang hurriedly responded.

Zhuang Qingning smiled and asked some detailed questions about the Water Ghost of Cuiwei Lake. Ding Gaochang answered each question comprehensively, striving to leave no detail out.

Beside Cuiwei Lake, the villagers who had received the news had already gathered.

But because they were afraid of the Water Ghost of the lake, they didn’t dare to stay nearby. Instead, they stood together at a distance, each holding a variety of talismans.

The sun was rising, and the heat began to surge.

After waiting for a while, the villagers began to grow impatient.

“They said that we could watch the capture of the Water Ghost today, but even till now, there’s no one in sight.”

“Exactly, they had us baking in the sun for no reason, it’s such a waste of time.”

“I think they are bullying us. We knelt outside the government office to plead for the release of the priest. The county official must have been holding a grudge, and now he’s just making an excuse to vent on us.”

“People always say that ‘a Prime Minister has a belly full of strategies.’ Even if our county official can’t compare to a Prime Minister, he should be able to hold a bamboo raft in his belly. But I think his heart is even smaller than the eye of a needle.”

“The priest was right, these officials, there’s not a good one among them!” “Exactly, not a single good one!”

Hearing the villagers’ complaints, Shi Bao crinkled his brows.

They had originally agreed to arrive at noontime, but these villagers were fearful of missing out on the excitement and arrived very early. And even though it was their own decision to come early, they then complained about the county government making them wait a long time. What was going on?

And that insult that not a single official was good – this was enough to get them beaten. It’s just that their county official was kind-hearted and forgiving, trying to enlighten these villagers who had been fooled by the so-called ‘real person’, and thus being very patient.

Now, these ungrateful villagers were taking advantage of his leniency..