Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 261 - 260: Drinking, Gambling, and Swearing

Chapter 261: Chapter 260: Drinking, Gambling, and Swearing

The guards hesitated, causing Qi Xian to feel vexed.

However, Qin Yao had helped him out, and Liu Ji was her husband, so he had to give them face.

He forced back his anger and reminded Liu Ji that he would not be shortchanged on the gratitude gifts, urging him not to make such unreasonable requests about becoming his apprentice.

But Liu Ji didn’t care; the little brat didn’t have the final say.

He just stared eagerly at Gongliang Liao, who hadn’t said a word and continued sipping his porridge, as his own apprentice ranted and raged.

Qi Xian was certain that his master wouldn’t be interested in a rough village bumpkin like Liu Ji, confidently puffing out his chest.

Gongliang Liao unhurriedly finished his porridge, put down the bowl, and then finally raised his eyes to look at the two before him, one big, one small, suppressing the amusement in his eyes as he spoke: "You guys..."

"Liu Ji!"

A chilly questioning voice suddenly rang out from outside the tent: "Where’s the breakfast I asked you to make?!"

Everyone in the tent turned to look at Liu Ji, who was stubbornly clutching Gongliang Liao’s sleeve, only to see the previously shameless man instantly release his grip as if facing a formidable enemy, lift up his cumbersome Confucian scholar robes, and dash outside in a hurry.

He moved so fast that only a blur was seen, fearing that if he delayed even a moment, a disaster would befall.

Gongliang Liao felt a gust of wind brush past him, and when he opened his eyes again, the person was gone, taking the fun with him.

From outside came the sound of Liu Ji’s earnest and ingratiating voice: "Wife, here’s breakfast, here it is! I took the pot to Brother Shi Tou to learn some cooking skills, the bone broth is simmering, have the kids woken up yet?"

"Oh yes, they’ve woken up, I’ll serve breakfast right now. Wife, eat more so we’re full for our journey."

"But you know, wife, you look the best when you’re angry..."

Qi Xian raised an eyebrow, not expecting Liu Ji to be henpecked as well.

He had thought Liu Ji’s flattery towards his master was already intolerable, but he hadn’t anticipated Liu Ji’s obsequiousness in front of his wife.

It was both satisfying and amusing!

His master hated spineless men the most, and with that thought, Qi Xian immediately glanced at his master’s expression.

He expected his master to look disgusted.

Unbelievably, his master’s lips slightly curled, as if discovering something amusing?

Impossible!

He must have seen it wrong!

Qi Xian shook his head vigorously and looked again at his master’s face, seeing it now sullen and indifferent, disdainful of everything, which was the master he recognized. Indeed, he had seen it wrong earlier.

Patting his chest, the young boy secretly let out a breath of relief.

The corner of the Daoist Temple’s courtyard.

Qin Yao and her family of six sat around the entrance of their tent eating breakfast, with roasted flatbread and bone soup, smelling deliciously fragrant.

Sanlang liked his food soft, so he tore the flatbread into pieces and dunked them in the soup, using a wooden spoon to shovel it into his mouth, perspiring from eating, yet even the sight was appetizing.

"What did you go over there for?" Qin Yao asked softly.

While chewing on flatbread, Liu Ji kept his eyes fixed on the opposite tent, not blinking.

Liu Li and Ding Shi had just tried to meet Gongliang Liao, but they hadn’t been allowed inside, making him feel that his chances of becoming a scholar’s apprentice were very promising.

"We saved them, right? Can’t just let it be for nothing, I’ve got to get some benefits," Liu Ji mumbled quietly.

Qin Yao glared at him, about to lecture him that people shouldn’t be too greedy, as Qi Xian had already promised gratitude gifts, which should be enough.

But then Liu Ji continued mumbling, "It’s the renowned scholar Gongliang Liao, if I can be his apprentice, I won’t have trouble passing the civil service exam, will I?"

Qin Yao slowly put the last piece of flatbread into her mouth, turned her head, and looked at Liu Ji in disbelief. Her vision had been too small!

She thought Liu Ji just wanted some gold and silver, but he actually had ambitions like this!

"You go, help the elder organize things, no sense of judgement," Qin Yao swiftly pushed the eager Liu Ji out.

Liu Ji was flabbergasted, almost dropping the bowl of soup in his hand from the shock, hurriedly setting it down, pointing at their still-unpacked tent, wagon, pots and pans, "Wife, our family’s things aren’t packed yet, leaving you alone isn’t right, is it?"

Though he asked this, his left foot had already stepped backward, ready to turn and head to the other side at any moment.

Seeing Qin Yao patting her chest, saying it was fine with her, he wasted no time hesitating, laughing "haha" as he walked to the other side, seizing any chance to get close to Gongliang Liao.

Liu Li saw everything from beside the family of six, glancing at Liu Ji, then at the smiling, willingly tidying up Qin Yao, and tightly clenched his fist, cursing his own cowardice.

But Qin Yao didn’t have much work left; the Da Lang Brothers and Sisters finished breakfast and took the pots and pans to the spring to wash them clean. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Their luggage was packed as soon as they woke up; now they just had to haul it into the wagon, take down the tent, hitch the horse to the cart, and they were done.

The sun gradually climbed up, and seeing that Qin Yao was packed, the Ding Family and the Liu Li’s master and servant sped up their actions.

Over at the Qi Family, with many hands, they had long since packed up the wagons and tents, just waiting for their master to finish breakfast to set off.

When the sunlight fully spread, every family was ready, setting out together.

The Qi Family led, followed by the Ding Family, and then the families of Qin Yao and Liu Li.

Their group, with five wagons and over thirty people, looked formidable, deterring any refugees from daring to come near and rob, though a few holding children or helping the elderly approached to beg.

Ever since Qin Yao sent Liu Ji out, he had not returned to his family’s wagon. Since departure, he squeezed onto Gongliang Liao’s wagon.

The reason he came up with was flawless.

"Sir quite likes me serving him in the lavatory, and it’s inconvenient to stop on this journey. You guards, just ensure the gentleman’s safety, leave the rest to me."

As Liu Ji said this, he had a proud expression as if serving the gentleman in the lavatory completed his life’s purpose, making even Qi Xian feel that rejecting him would be too cruel for this uncultured village bumpkin.

After all, he just wanted to serve in the lavatory, what harm could there be in that!

And thus, Liu Ji sat on Gongliang Liao’s wagon.

Along the way, Liu Ji’s hearty "haha" would spill out from the wagon, with occasional coughs from Gongliang Liao, suppressing laughter, making everyone curious about what exactly he was talking to the gentleman about.

It wasn’t until the midday break that Liu Ji came down from the carriage briefly, prepared lunch for his family, and returned to the carriage to serve Gongliang Liao.

Before he left, Liu Ji leaned into Qin Yao’s ear and shared clandestinely, "Wife, do you know why the gentleman is nicknamed the ’Eccentric Hard-Nosed Scholar’?"

Perhaps because Liu Ji had just cleaned the chamber pot, Qin Yao felt there was a peculiar smell as he leaned in. Holding back her instinct to recoil, she asked breathlessly, "Why?"

Liu Ji wasn’t bothered by Qin Yao’s disdain, as it wasn’t the first or second time, and without thinking much, gave a cheeky laugh and replied, "Gongliang Liao drinks, gambles, and curses!"