Xia Li didn't tell the old man much, in front of so many big officials, he definitely couldn't even speak, and he wasn't afraid that he would talk nonsense. He added, "My family still needs a few people to help boil water, cook, pour tea, and some chores." I want to ask my aunt, Dani, and Erni to help. ”

Xia Laohan didn't think about it, and promised, "If you want it, you want it, let all three of them go." Then he asked, "Is it enough?" Not enough words"

Before Xia Laohan's words were finished, Xiao Yang hurriedly said, "If it's not enough, I'll go too." "She's missing a front tooth and can't hold back the wind when she speaks.

Mrs. Xia also said, "I'll go too, my right arm can still move, help light the fire." ”

They all wanted to go to see the provincial and county towns for fear of big officials.

Old Man Xia glanced at them, clicked his lips, and said to Mrs. Xia, "Your injury is not healed yet, why are you going to join in the fun?" He said to Xiao Yang again, "You, just go down to work in the field honestly, don't go out and shout and lose the face of my old Xia family." ”

Xiao Yang's eyes were red with anger, and he raised his voice and shouted, "There are so many lands, I can't do it alone." ”

Xia Laohan said, "If you can't do it, let the three leopards and the old woman help you do it." If it really can't be done, Tiezi won't go to the town and go to work in the fields. ”

Xiao Yang still wanted to speak, but when he saw Xia Tie raise his hand, he had to hold back.

Xia Tie said, "Dad, let's hire a short-term job tomorrow, the money for a short-term job is much less than the money I earn from ironmaking." ”

Xia Laohan nodded in agreement.

Xia Tie was still happy in his heart, this kind of good thing of showing his face, they also had someone in the second room. Look at Erni's clothes are full of patches, so small that they are tied to her body, and she regrets for the first time why she didn't make new clothes for this girl. said, "Erni grew too fast, and her clothes were small. This garment is not good for a distinguished guest."

Xiao Yang hurriedly said, "I have good clothes, I'll go to entertain distinguished guests, and Erni will work in the field." ”

Xia Tie glanced at her, frowned and said, "Go down to the ground honestly, what do you think." He said to Xia Zhu again, "Big brother, borrow Dani a better dress for Erni to wear, and Erni will be disgraced by dressing like this." ”

Old man Xia remembered and scolded Xiao Yang, "I remember that Lan Niang made clothes for Erni several times, what about the cloth?" ”

Xiao Yang was frightened and said, "Oh, I'll look for it." He got up and ran.

Mrs. Xia said angrily, "Still looking for a fart." That loser mother-in-law was either sent back to her parents' house, or she was sold cheaply to stuff her stinky mouth. ”

Old man Xia was also angry, but he couldn't talk about these trivial things at this time, so he stopped Xia Tie, who was going to chase and beat people, and said, "I'll talk about this later." He asked Xia Lidao again, "What else do we need to do?" ”

Xia Li asked Erhu to invite Zhou Lizheng over, and he had to talk to him about it. and asked Xia Zhu to leave three catties of meat, three pork ribs, and two stick bones for her family tomorrow.

Zhou Li is coming, and when he heard that it was this incident, his face turned red with excitement. Officials from the provincial capital and the county seat came to the village at the same time, what an honor it is, the village has never even been to the county magistrate before, and the biggest one is the county lieutenant.

He said that tomorrow he would ask his neighbor to move more tables, chairs, benches, teapots, and chopsticks to Xia Li's house, and asked her if her family needed helpers, and if she needed to buy more good wine to entertain distinguished guests, and the village would pay for it.

Xia Li said that tables, chairs, benches and teapots are needed, and nothing else is needed. In addition, her family can only cook some officials' meals, and the money for these meals is paid for by her family. There are so many followers that they have to be done by other people in the village. And remind again, you can't drink, these are the Qingtian lords who came to the people to do practical things, they came here all the way to "rejuvenate the peasants", and they can't damage their image and official reputation.

Zhou Lizheng nodded again and again, and said that the entourage's meals were cooked by his family and Xia Li's neighbor Hao's family, and they were also eaten at Hao's house. The food money for these people comes from the village

After discussing, Xia Li took Xia Erhu home together. When I passed by Hao's house, I knocked on the door and bought a duck to cook tomorrow.

Back home, Dangdang and Xiong Xiang have returned.

Xia Li happily praised them and said that he would continue to let them play on the mountain tomorrow.

Xia Li made a menu, according to Ye Feng's meaning, he is a small rich farmer, and he can make a few dishes with yapo. It is necessary to show not only the surplus of the peasant households under their rule, but also their incorruptibility.

The menu is that roasted pork ribs with yawra, roasted duck with yawra, fried pork slices with yawlo, roasted beans with carob, and shredded yaw, which are the most homely practices. Get a few boiled caravates, which can be eaten as a staple food. In addition, make a stir-fried pork with chili pepper and a cucumber, and cook a lotus white vermicelli bone broth. More portions are enough.

By the chef of the Zhu two family, she will cook these dishes.

Early the next morning, Xia Li sent Dangdang and Xiong Xiang up the mountain. After eating, as soon as Erhu was sent away, Xia Laohan, Li's family, Dani, and Erni came, and Li's also brought the pork and bones that Xia Li wanted.

Dani was wearing a new cloth dress, smiling and very pleasing. Erni was wearing Dani's clothes, eighty percent new, slightly hypertrophied, and without patches. Her facial features are a little more delicate than Dani's, and it would be better if her demeanor was more generous. The two little girls are tall and strong, have a healthy beauty, and wear makeup. It's just that this makeup is not very good-looking, on the contrary, it covers their natural beauty.

Xia Li called the two little girls into the house, asked them to wash their faces, put on light makeup for them again, and took four beaded flowers for them to wear.

The little girl didn't dislike beauty, Dani and Erni were so happy that they whispered a few more words in the house.

The old man Xia in the courtyard was so anxious that he jumped to his feet and yelled at the upper room, "When is this happening, what are you still doing?" Get out! He added, "Dani, Erni, do you hear that?" What he meant was that he only scolded Dani and Erni, but not Xia Li.

Several little girls smiled at each other and ran out.

The Li family and Zhu Er's family were busy boiling water and killing ducks and vegetables in the kitchen, and Zhu Er had already dug up more than 20 potato.

Then, Zhou Li brought people to bring tables, chairs, benches, and a few teapots. Everyone helped tidy up the house, set up the tables and chairs, and put peanuts and drinking bowls on the tables.

At the end of the day, Master Xia Si and Li Xiucai, who were dressed in decent clothes, also came. Master Xia Si was very excited, his relatives had this dignity, and he also showed up, and his life in the yamen would be better in the future, and even the county lord would look up a few times.

Li Xiucai wanted to contribute a little bit to the imperial court, and he was also very excited to finally contribute today.

At the end of the hour, he sent away all those who had nothing to do with him. Accompanying the guests, there are Zhou Lizheng, Li Xiucai, Xia Si, Xia Laohan, Old Zhou Doctor, and Zhou Carpenter. There are three people who help with the work, the Huang family brothers and the Xia family. These people are without exception the best clothes they wear.

Originally, there was no carpenter Zhou, but he had to stay, so it was up to him.

Everyone was nervous and frightened waiting for the arrival of the nobleman.