Chapter 642: Chapter 642: Witnessing a House Raid
"This isn’t our own house after all, we’re just staying here temporarily to transition, so we won’t bother with the backyard. We’ll just stay in the front yard."
Qin Yao just started speaking when two sighs were heard.
Si Niang and Liu Ji exchanged a glance, both father and daughter weakly replied with an "oh," their hopes of living in the attic dashed, they quickly became as deflated as eggplants hit by frost.
But soon, Liu Ji perked up again. The front yard had a total of four rooms. Ah Wang would take one, the three boys one, and if Si Niang and Yin Le took another, could he sleep in the same room with his wife?
As for the two rooms by the main gate used by the guards, Liu Ji didn’t even consider them. Those rooms were dark, narrow, and small, not a place for the family elders and young ladies.
Under everyone’s expectant gaze, Qin Yao arranged, "Si Niang is grown up, when we have better conditions, Mother will prepare a room just for you. For now, sleep with your Senior Sister Le in the left east wing room."
Si Niang immediately ran happily to Yin Le’s side, holding her hand. They exchanged a glance and were immensely satisfied with their new roommate.
Thinking about having someone help comb her hair when she wakes up, Si Niang immediately put the attic out of her mind and thought only about impressing her Senior Sister Le.
Qin Yao looked at the three young lads in the family, "The right west wing room is big, so the three of you will stay together for now. Just squeeze in for tonight; I’ll go out tomorrow and buy two small beds for you so that each of you has your own."
The three brothers of Da Lang had no objections. Whatever Mother arranged was how they would settle in, and they immediately took their luggage inside to tidy up.
They were all old enough to sweep the floor and wipe the table on their own, so Qin Yao nodded reassuringly, then turned to the nearly eye-twitching Liu Ji and the seemingly indifferent but entirely resistant Ah Wang.
She pointed at the two and then at the room next to the brothers, "Could you guys manage together for a while?"
Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, they responded in unison, "I don’t want to sleep with him!"
Ah Wang: "Madam, I’ll stay in the guardhouse room."
Fearing rejection, Ah Wang quickly grabbed his meager belongings and tossed them into the small room to the left of the main gate. He would rather sleep in the dark, cramped side room than share a space with the unproperly gentleman, worried about being corrupted.
Liu Ji: "..."
"Then you can have the left west wing room to yourself," Qin Yao decided, not comprehending the meaning behind Liu Ji’s twitching eyes.
As the head of the family, it only made sense for her to have the best, biggest room on the right east wing to herself!
The attic wasn’t available, nor could he cuddle with his wife, so the grievance within Liu Ji was about to overflow.
But life gave him no time to breathe. As soon as someone said they were hungry, he had to roll up his sleeves and head to the kitchen to prepare dinner for the whole family.
This task should have fallen to Ah Wang, but since he had run off to the backyard stable, Liu Ji had to take over.
He found along the way to Yongtong House that there were vendors selling vegetables, and Ah Wang had bought quite a lot. This benefited Liu Ji, as he had the ingredients, firewood stocked in the storage, and quickly whipped up five dishes and a soup along with a pot of rice. The family of eight dined in the spacious but sparkling clean hall thanks to Yin Le.
After dinner, night had fully fallen. The neighbors had all turned off their lights and gone to bed, leaving the area in silence, though faint sounds of singing and shouting could be heard from afar at Jixian Square.
Ah Wang boiled two large pots of water, and everyone washed up simply before heading to bed.
There was no proper way to bathe here; in Qin Feng’s house, there was no bathroom. Bathing was done using a tub filled with water and incense was burned for a bath every half month or so.
After a long journey, they finally reached their destination. Although there were no comfortable sheets and bedding, as soon as they relaxed, the family quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Qin Yao slept comfortably, waking naturally with the dawn. In her ears were barks and children’s mischievous scoldings.
The familiar hustle and bustle made Qin Yao briefly wonder if she was still in Liu Family Village.
But soon, Yin Le’s voice from outside brought her thoughts back to reality.
"Master! Ah Wang and I are back from the market with breakfast for everyone. Hurry up and eat; these are the Capital City’s famous donkey meat buns. They won’t taste as good when they’re cold!"
Yin Le brought the packed buns to the hall, turned, and knocked on each room door, then went back to pull the still sleepy Si Niang out of bed.
The little girl, still groggy and unsure where she was, yawned while putting on clothes and shoes. "Senior Sister Le, how long till we get to the Capital City?"
Yin Le laughed and poked her nose, "We’re already in the Capital City; we arrived last night. Did you forget?"
Si Niang tilted her head, oh right, they arrived at the Capital City last evening.
"Hurry up and wash, it’s time for meat buns. Ah Wang recommends these, and they’re really delicious," Yin Le carried a basin outside to fetch water, reminding Si Niang to dress quickly, or she’d miss out on the hot buns.
At Qin Feng’s house, many essentials were missing. Liu Ji searched both the front and rear yards, only finding three basins.
One was kept in the kitchen for washing vegetables and dishes, one for feet, and the remaining one for faces, shared by the whole family.
Yin Le drew water, and the four children took turns washing up.
Liu Ji, always meticulous, unlike Qin Yao, would dump his face into the water, splash, then shake his head in style.
Near Yongtong Square, there was a well where market folks fetched water every morning. But Qin Feng’s house had its own, saving them this trouble.
After the kids washed, Liu Ji fetched fresh water, did a quick rinse, dried his face with a towel, brushed his teeth with salt, shaved stubble, feeling refreshed.
Finishing up, the family of six tried the donkey meat buns highly recommended by Yin Le and Ah Wang. True to their word, they were delicious, and Qin Yao alone ate five, polishing off all the buns Yin Le brought.
With full bellies and the sun just rising, the yard sorely lacking essentials, Qin Yao gathered the family to head out, familiarize themselves with their new surroundings, and plan further.
Liu Ji, thinking of his teacher, was eager to go out too.
The family, once tidying up, headed out. Qin Yao and Liu Ji leading, Da Lang and Second Lang in the middle, the two younger ones led by Ah Wang and Yin Le in the rear. The family locked up and excitedly headed toward the bustling South Market.
The Capital City was vast, and crossing districts required a carriage or sedan chair. Walking from Yongtong Square to South Market took half an hour.
Horses couldn’t gallop on the main roads of the city, so most traffic consisted of carriages and sedan chairs, with pedestrians on the side.
Heading towards South Market, the crowds gradually thickened.
Suddenly, several carriages sped by, prompting people to move aside for safety.
To protect the kids, Ah Wang and Liu Ji hoisted Sanlang and Si Niang onto their shoulders, avoiding the shoving crowd.
Following the carriages, a group of riders dressed in dark official uniforms rushed out, quickly surrounding a mansion ahead.
The stern atmosphere sparked discussions among the surrounding folks, drawing the attention of Qin Yao’s entire family.
Liu Ji nudged his brother and whispered, "Brother, what’s happening?"
The brother, appearing seasoned, clicked his tongue twice, "Those are officials from the Imperial City Department. This setup is likely a house raid."
A house raid?
The family of eight exchanged looks. Their first day in the Capital City, witnessing a house raid, how thrilling!
