Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 274 - 26: Sister-in-Law Arrives (Part 2) (Second Update)

Yang Xiaoshan, who ran to the gate to tell the guard to let them pass, watched as the curtain of the carriage was lifted. Even with a veil on, it was easy to recognize Susu. He finally breathed a sigh of relief. If he had given false military information, a dissatisfied Boss Hong would truly train him to death.

"Little Sister-in-law, the boss is at the training ground; let me take you to your place to stay first."

The residential area is about two li from the training ground; you can hear the shouts clearly from here, but since the terrain is higher, it won’t be so stifling hot!

Susu looked at Yang Xiaoshan, nodded, and said with a smile, "I’ll make you guys a special dinner tonight, but I’ve only brought Aunt Lin and two women to cook and light fires, and we don’t have such large cookware. You’ll need to let your superior know to borrow the camp kitchen and some kitchen soldiers."

Hearing about the special dinner, Yang Xiaoshan nodded vigorously, "In our camp, Boss Hong is the biggest. Now that Sister-in-law is here, naturally, we listen to Sister-in-law for everything!"

Susu quickly waved her hand, "I wouldn’t dare say that, otherwise my husband would be angry!"

Yang Xiaoshan, who was lost in the fantasy of delicious food a moment ago, almost bulged his eyes out upon hearing this. You are afraid of the boss getting angry? It’d be good enough if the boss doesn’t kneel on a washboard tonight! 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Yang Xiaoshan used his hand to fan himself vigorously, "It’s too hot today!"

The topic was switched so abruptly that even the two guards nearby felt a weird awkwardness!

Susu said with a half-smile, "Is it? I don’t feel too hot. But if Brother Yang feels hot, I’m afraid you won’t be able to drink the mutton soup tonight; it’s too warming!"

Yang Xiaoshan instantly changed, "Not hot, not hot, it gets really cool on the mountain at night, and I might have to wrap up in a sheepskin vest."

The two guards looked at Yang Xiaoshan like this and felt it was very off-putting. This is supposed to be the most remarkable elite scout of the Hami Guard, and his image was instantly shattered!

Susu waved her hand, smiling, "Alright, alright, stop joking around and take us to settle in first."

The training ground for the soldiers is in the mountain ravine, while the accommodations for the army family members are built along the mountain.

Blue bricks and red tiles, surrounded by green hills and clear waters, you can see the snow on the mountain top at a glance, and even the air has a hint of coolness.

As the command center for the Hami Guard, there are around fifteen hundred soldiers in the post, plus five hundred Vanguard Soldiers managed by Hong Sheng and the accompanying family members, totaling about eight to ten thousand people in the entire camp.

The buildings are arranged in a hierarchical order, and the closer to the training ground, the better the houses and courtyards!

About two li from the training ground is the residential area for the high-ranking officers. Although some high-ranking officers’ family members do not live in the mountains, the houses are still there.

The house allocated to Hong Sheng is not the best but not bad either, being a two-courtyard residence, occupying quite a large area with over twenty rooms.

The first courtyard includes gatehouse, living room, and carriage house; the second courtyard has three main rooms, three side rooms each to the east and west, and a row of inverted rooms.

The backyard has a row of houses used as a kitchen, woodshed, and storage room.

Susu had only planned to come and stay for a few days to investigate, so she didn’t prepare any large, heavy furniture, only bringing some small kang tables, chairs, stools, and some chests, along with rice, flour, and food.

But now looking at the empty courtyard, it felt too plain.

Susu was pondering whether to call for some large furniture to be sent over, and Yang Xiaoshan, being observant, noticed this issue too, and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, there’s plenty of furniture in the military supplies depot. Just send someone with some silver to come with me, and I’ll get a few carts over for you in no time."

Susu was surprised, "Why would the military supplies depot have furniture?"

Yang Xiaoshan chuckled, "Our Commander is frugal and hates waste. Every time we go to suppress bandits, no one wants the cumbersome furniture, and it’s a shame to throw it away, so they just haul it back to the depot. If someone needs it, they can pick it up for a few coins. Some of the good wood furniture is naturally more expensive, but luckily Sister-in-law isn’t strapped for cash."

Hearing this, Susu was a bit flabbergasted. She only heard Hong Sheng say that Uncle Liu liked money, but she didn’t expect him to already be at the point of valuing even a mosquito’s leg as meat.

She thought about the things Aunt Qin gave her, wondering if Uncle Liu knew about them. If he overthinks it, it wouldn’t be good.

As Susu thought about what nice things were in her dowry, planning to pick some out to give to the Liu family’s kids, to make up for Aunt Qin,

she said, "Then let Uncle Wei go with Brother Yang. Uncle Wei is good at carpentry, he won’t be fooled; Shuimo, give Uncle Wei five hundred silver notes and another one hundred silver."

Yang Xiaoshan knew Susu had money, but he hadn’t expected her to offer six hundred taels so readily. He quickly waved his hand, "It doesn’t need so much. Originally, Commander Liu prepared this as a benefit for everyone, fearing that some greedy ones might move everything home, so it’s only meaningful to charge a bit of silver. Even if you fill this entire yard, it won’t cost six hundred taels."

Susu laughed, "You already said I’m not short on money; Sister-in-law can’t be stingy. Besides, my husband just took over as the Deputy Commander; I’d rather spend a little more silver than give people something to talk about. It’s fine, just spend it; if there’s really good furniture, then I’ve lucked out!"

Just as they were talking, Hong Sheng’s four trusted aides brought over five or six soldiers, and they saluted Susu, "Hello, Sister-in-law, Boss Hong sent us over to see if there’s anything we can help with!"

Susu naturally recognized the four trusted aides, and the rest were all underlings of Hong Sheng when he was the Left Thousand Households.

Susu returned the greeting, "Then I won’t be polite. Brother Yang was just saying there are some good furnishings in your camp’s depot, which can be bought for a bit of silver. Please trouble a few of you to go with him to move the furniture, and leave two to help point out where to draw water. I’d also like one person to go back and report to your Deputy Commander that I brought a pig and two sheep, and I’ll be borrowing your kitchen. Tonight, Aunt Lin and I will cook and make you all a special meal!"

The four trusted aides had already spotted Aunt Lin and were thinking about coming over for dinner in the evening. When they heard this, they cheered. Aunt Lin’s cooking skills were naturally excellent, and Sister-in-law Hong’s cooking was also top-notch, with new and aromatic dishes that perfectly suited the soldiers’ tastes. It’s just that she rarely cooked.

One trusted aide, named Qu Qi, ran off in a flash, "I’ll go tell the boss and maybe catch some wild pheasants and rabbits on the mountain so Sister-in-law can make stew!"

Leng Xiao looked at Sister-in-law Hong, who always used sweet words and gifts to win people over, feeling that she was just like Boss Hong, cut from the same sly fox cloth. Truly, birds of a feather flock together.

If Susu knew what Leng Xiao was thinking, she would probably tell him, "Dear, you are overthinking. I just want my brother to eat well. You guys are just benefiting incidentally."

But those words can’t be said, so alright, if it’s sweet words and gifts, so be it. When you’ve got the money, you’re allowed to be capricious!