TSWPF -Chapter 364 Helpless

After catching her breath, Li Qingling slowly stood up and went to open the door.

The moment Liu Zhimou saw her, he looked her up and down nervously and asked if she was all right.

Li Qingling gently shook her head. “I’m fine.” After a pause, she added, “Ah Bai gave birth to a tiger cub. I’ve given it a name—Diandian. It’s a very pretty little one.”

As soon as the children heard this, they rushed over and told Li Qingling they wanted to go in and have a look.

Li Qingling reminded them to just take a glance and come back out, not to disturb Ah Bai while she was resting.

The children nodded, saying they understood and that they wouldn’t bother Ah Bai.

Li Qingling gave a soft “mm” and stepped aside to let them in.

Liu Zhimou reached out to support Li Qingling, intending to take her back to rest for a while.

Li Qingling didn’t object and nodded in agreement.

After all, she was pregnant—everything had to be done with her health as the priority. She couldn’t force herself.

Seeing that she didn’t resist, a faint smile appeared on Liu Zhimou’s face. After saying a few words to Mister Luo, he supported Li Qingling and escorted her back to their room.

After waking from a nap, Li Qingling felt refreshed. She got out of bed, dressed, and opened the door, only to see Nianxia dozing off while sitting outside. She softly called her name and told her to go back to her room to rest.

Nianxia groggily opened her eyes. When she saw Li Qingling, she instantly woke up and jumped to her feet. Embarrassed, she scratched her head and said she was just too sleepy and didn’t know when she had fallen asleep.

Li Qingling smiled and said it was fine, telling her to go back and rest instead of forcing herself to stay awake.

Toward Nianxia and Xichun, who stayed by her side, Li Qingling was always very tolerant. She didn’t have many rules for them.

Precisely because of this, Nianxia and Xichun were even more loyal to her. They were stricter with their own conduct and did their best not to embarrass her.

They felt that it wasn’t easy to encounter such a kind mistress, and they absolutely couldn’t let her down.

Nianxia shook her head and said she didn’t need to rest—she’d slept enough.

After speaking, she covered her face in embarrassment. How could she have fallen asleep? What if Madam had needed her?

She must never do this again.

“If you feel sleepy normally, just go back to your room and rest for a bit. I’m asleep anyway, nothing will happen. Don’t force yourself, understand?” Li Qingling said gently.

“Yes, Madam,” Nianxia replied obediently. As for whether she’d actually do it next time—that was another matter.

If she didn’t agree, Madam would just keep persuading her, and she didn’t want Madam to worry about her.

“When I was sleeping, was there anything in the residence that needed me to handle?” Li Qingling asked.

“Madam, Madam Hu came by. When she learned you were resting, she left the gifts and went back.”

Li Qingling gave a soft acknowledgment and told Nianxia to remember to invite Madam Hu and the others over for dinner.

Nianxia agreed.

Li Qingling thought for a moment, then lifted her foot and headed toward the main kitchen to see how the dishes she’d instructed the cooks to prepare were coming along.

She had barely stepped out of the courtyard when she ran into Xichun, who was on her way to find her.

“Madam, you’re awake?”

Li Qingling smiled and nodded, asking what was the matter.

Xichun said with some difficulty that she didn’t know how it happened, but the townspeople had learned that today was Madam’s birthday and had sent over a great many gifts.

Stunned, Li Qingling blinked and asked Xichun whether the names had been properly recorded.

“Other than the gifts from the He, Zhao, Wang, and Lin families, which were registered, everything else was placed directly at the front gate—no names, no surnames. We have no idea who sent them,” Xichun said, sounding troubled. “I don’t even know how we’re supposed to return the courtesy.”

Hearing this, Li Qingling’s mouth twitched. She felt that the people of Ninghua County really… really left her at a loss for words—her heart both sore and deeply moved.

She sighed silently and told Xichun to put the items away for now. When there was an opportunity, she would think of a way to repay them.

Thinking of the huge pile of food, Xichun couldn’t help laughing. “We can’t even finish collecting it—it’s all food.”

“A lot?” Li Qingling asked.

“A lot. More than what they sent to my lord before.”

Li Qingling frowned. After a moment, she spoke, telling them to trouble the cooks to prepare everything the townspeople had sent. Tonight, they would hold an open banquet and invite the townspeople to come eat.

After saying that, she added that everyone in the household should be deployed according to the cooks’ needs.

This was a last-minute decision, so the cooks would have to work extra hard. She just hoped they could manage in time.

Xichun responded with a “yes,” then asked if they should go out and buy some meat—otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough.

“Buy it. Calculate how much silver is needed yourself and just remember to keep the accounts,” Li Qingling said.

Xichun agreed and hurried to the kitchen to pass on Li Qingling’s instructions. Then she took some silver, called two or three guards, and rushed out to buy meat.

While buying meat, she also took the opportunity to spread the news that everyone was invited to eat at the County Magistrate’s residence.

As soon as the townspeople heard this, they were in an uproar, all asking Xichun if it was true.

Xichun nodded and said yes.

The butcher selling pork to Xichun heard this and said he wouldn’t take her silver, insisting on giving the meat for free as a birthday gift to the County Magistrate’s wife.

Xichun put on a stern face and shook her head, saying it wouldn’t do—Madam wouldn’t agree. She insisted that the butcher weigh the meat and that she pay exactly whatever it cost.

With no choice, the butcher weighed the pork, then secretly cut the price in half.

Xichun eyed him suspiciously and asked if he’d miscalculated.

The butcher, his face full of tough lines, shook his head and said he hadn’t—this was the correct amount.

Having no other option, Xichun paid the silver, had the guards carry the pork back, and before leaving, she called out to the butcher again, telling him he must come eat later.

She knew he’d reduced the price by quite a bit, but she didn’t want to argue with him and simply went along with his goodwill.

The butcher replied cheerfully that he would come on time, and even asked if Xichun needed help.

Xichun shook her head. “No need. Just come. And don’t bring any gifts—Madam doesn’t like that sort of thing, understand?” She was really afraid these people would bring more gifts.

The townspeople nodded, saying they understood.

After Xichun left, the townspeople began talking among themselves, exchanging opinions—should they really not bring gifts? Would it be inappropriate to go empty-handed?

Someone who’d caught wind of things spoke up. “I heard the County Magistrate’s wife wanted to keep her birthday low-key. I don’t know how the news got out. After hearing about it, many people quietly sent food over. She didn’t want everyone to spend money, so she decided to invite everyone to eat instead.”

Hearing this, the townspeople fell into thought. After a moment, many found excuses to leave—though in reality, they were running home to see what food they could send to the County Magistrate’s wife. In any case, they felt too embarrassed to go eat empty-handed.

Li Qingling knew nothing about all this. She was standing in the storeroom, frowning as she looked at the items sent by the He, Zhao, Wang, and Lin families: a piece of coral half as tall as a person, a hundred-year-old ginseng, a jade Guanyin, a box of pearls…

She was silent for a long time before turning to Nianxia and saying, “Send them back.”

Such valuable items—she couldn’t accept them.

“Yes, Madam,” Nianxia replied. Looking at those precious things made her heart tremble too; she was afraid she’d break something by accident.

“When returning them, speak tactfully,” Li Qingling instructed. “Just say that I don’t accept gifts and thank them for their kindness. If they have time, they can come eat.” It wouldn’t be right to invite the common people but not them.

Nianxia answered “yes” again, then ran off to find four guards. Each guard carried one item as Nianxia, full of spirit, led them to return the gifts to the four families.

This incident caused another stir in Ninghua County.

When the townspeople heard about it, they felt that the County Magistrate’s wife was a good person—not someone who colluded with the four major wealthy families.

Some people put away the gifts they had prepared. Since the County Magistrate’s wife didn’t accept gifts, sending them anyway would make them seem improper. It was better to send food instead.

After all, the County Magistrate’s wife was inviting them to eat. Sending food over would save her the trouble of spending silver on ingredients.

This line of thinking quickly spread, and everyone tried their best to send food to the County Magistrate’s residence.

Before long, the front gate was piled high with food again. When Li Qingling heard about it, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She simply had guards stand outside the gate to stop people from sending more.

It was just a birthday—there was no need for the townspeople to spend so much.

What she didn’t know was that this decision led to Guard Fifteen, who was stationed at the gate, being scolded mercilessly by the townspeople.

“Hey, hey, it’s really not that I’m stopping you—it’s Madam’s instruction. She says you shouldn’t spend money. She’s already received your goodwill. Please take the items back. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Guard Fifteen earnestly tried to persuade the people who wanted to send things, but they refused, accusing him of having ulterior motives and deliberately stopping them.

Guard Fifteen felt utterly wronged. This truly wasn’t his decision.

Nianxia ran back, laughing as she reported to Li Qingling that if she didn’t go rescue Guard Fifteen soon, he’d be scolded to tears.

Li Qingling smiled helplessly and stood up. “Let’s go take a look.” She really hadn’t expected the townspeople to be so persistent.

When she reached the gate, she heard Guard Fifteen’s pleading voice. Li Qingling couldn’t help laughing—it really was hard on him.

“Everyone, quiet down, quiet down—Madam is here!” Nianxia ran ahead and shouted. Instantly, the noisy crowd fell silent.

Li Qingling walked to the front gate, looked around at the townspeople, and smiled. “I’ve already received everyone’s goodwill. Thank you all.” As she spoke, she bowed slightly to them. “But there’s really no need to spend money. Just come—there’s no need to bring gifts.”

The people of Ninghua County were so honest, so lovable. How could she not want to find a way to help them live better lives?

An idea was already faintly forming in her mind—she was just waiting to put it into action.

Once she fully carried it out, she would announce it.

She hoped the townspeople’s lives could improve—not necessarily to great wealth, but at least so they could eat their fill and stay warm.

“Madam, it’s nothing valuable—just things grown at home. It didn’t cost any money.”

“Yes, Madam, it didn’t cost anything. We grew it ourselves. Please accept it, or we’ll be too embarrassed to come eat.”

As soon as these words were spoken, others echoed them.

“Madam, I’ll just put it here and come eat tonight!” someone clever said, dropping the items on the ground and darting away.

Others followed suit, setting things down and running off.

“…”

Looking at the pile of items on the ground, Li Qingling rubbed her forehead helplessly. She waved her hand, telling Guard Fifteen to take everything back to the kitchen and have the cooks prepare it.