Chapter 501: Chapter 259: Seeing Shen Liu Again_1
"People from the Prefecture City Shen Family..." Lian Manman couldn’t help but silently repeat to herself.
"Still not sure who is coming... I hear it’s someone who manages household affairs," Old Huang added one last sentence before hurrying off. He had to arrange for the welcoming. For them, any member of the Shen Family visiting was a major event, let alone someone who managed household affairs; that was even more significant.
Lian Manman felt a slight stir in her heart, wondering if anyone she knew was among the visitors from the Shen Family. Shen Liu, the plump Shen Jiu, or even Steward Zhong. She only knew these few people from the Shen Family. However, the Shen Family was a large clan with many members; who knew who would be coming. Besides, they were here to inspect the progress of the project in the mountains, which had nothing to do with their breakfast shop.
Thinking this, Lian Manman chuckled softly and continued with her work.
The breakfast shop opened its doors and business was as prosperous as usual. Only today, the customers seemed more hurried.
"... An important person from the Shen Family is coming. I heard if they’re satisfied with what they see, there might be a reward," Shi Wazi shared the news he had heard from the customers with Lian Manman, "Even if the big shots take the lion’s share, the rest of us should get a bit of the spoils."
Lian Manman nodded. No wonder the people who came for breakfast today were somewhat excited. Getting a reward was good news, and even without a reward, just the psychology of the common people was such that seeing a rarely seen important person was a fresh and exciting experience. At the very least, one could boast in casual conversations later, "I saw such and such a person on that day," then reap a number of envious glances.
Initially thinking that the Shen Family’s visit had nothing to do with their shop, she was surprised that after Old Huang came down from the mountain, he gave them some tasks. To welcome the significant person from the Shen Family, Old Huang and others led a group to clean the road from the town up to the mountain. Since Lian Manman’s breakfast shop was right by the official road, Old Huang specifically instructed them to clean the open space outside the shop and freshen up the facade.
Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin were both diligent and loved cleanliness, maintaining the cleanliness of the shop inside and out every day. But since Old Huang had spoken, Lian Shouxin still took a broom outside, not only sweeping the open space in front of their own shop but also helping the people Old Huang had brought with them to clean a section of the official road.
Merely sweeping wasn’t enough; Old Huang brought a few people to transport water in big carts, splashing it onto the official road to prevent dust from being stirred up when the Shen Family’s carriages passed by. Naturally, this stretch of the official road was temporarily closed off to pedestrians. Wu Lang and Xiao Qi, on their way to school in town, had to take a side path.
It really was a grand preparation, Lian Manman thought to herself.
Probably around the beginning of the si hour, the whole official road had been completely refurbished, and then a few constables were seen riding horses out of the town entrance, patrolling back and forth on the road.
It was said that the County Yamen had dispatched all its constables and Quick Hand constables to patrol back and forth along the official road from the county town to Thirty Mile Camp, passing messages to ensure a proper welcome for the Shen Family’s people and to guarantee safety.
With such a display, even the most out-of-loop villagers knew that an important person was coming. Old and young from the village who weren’t too preoccupied with urgent chores came out from their homes and gathered near or far along the sides of the official road, craning their necks in the direction of Qingyang Town. Some young wives were holding children in their arms, others had their hands full with needlework, and some even brought along washbasins and stools, washing clothes while doing their chores and waiting to see the commotion.
All that was missing was a hawker selling tea and seeds!
Lian Manman watched with amusement; whoever from the Shen Family was coming couldn’t escape being the center of attention, as the entertainment options for tenant farmers were too scarce.
By the si hour exactly, the patrolling constables on the official road seemed to have received some information that the visitors had arrived.
Lian Manman, sitting on the kang inside the shop, simply pushed open the window facing the street and peered out to enjoy the spectacle. She saw a procession of carriages emerge at the entrance of Qingyang Town; they didn’t appear to be moving very fast but reached her vicinity in a short while.
Leading the group was the Government Officials clearing the way, followed by the horse team and then several large wagons. In the middle of the procession, there were about a dozen riders in bright attire crowding around two handsome horses.
Having just acquired an ox cart, Lian Manman’s mind was set on "BMW, even something of a Ferrari-level sports car," so with such aspirations, her gaze lingered more on those horses.
