"Mother, I want to eat a meat bun, just one bite." Seeing his mother's eyes red, Meng Yulin lowered his head, afraid to look at her face, and mumbled again, "Just one bite is enough."
Tao Shi couldn't bear to watch any longer and pleaded, "Madam, please buy the young master a bun."
After speaking, Tao Shi bowed to Officer Jiang, "Officer, this servant will take our young master to buy a bun. We'll be back soon."
With that, Tao Shi pulled Meng Yulin and ran towards the bun vendor. When they reached the vendor, Tao Shi tremblingly took out a silver earring from her clothing and handed it over.
"Boss, I'll buy two meat buns."
"Oh my, this earring is silver. How much change should I give you back?"
Tao Shi didn't know the price and said casually, "Just charge me what you think is fair."
The bun vendor was an honest man. He looked at the woman's clothes, which seemed not to have been washed for a long time and gave off a strange smell.
However, the woman's demeanor and bearing revealed the etiquette of a wealthy family, so he guessed she was a woman from a fallen noble family.
Although Tao Shi was a concubine, she had grown up in a prominent household. Being scrutinized so openly by an outsider made her blush with shame. If she hadn't been focused on buying meat buns for the young master, she would have run away long ago.
The bun vendor also noticed Tao Shi's discomfort. He wasn't foolish and knew he had been staring at her and had offended her. With an apologetic smile, he said, "Sister, I'll give you two meat buns and return forty copper coins to you."
After speaking, the vendor handed over two meat buns.
Tao Shi took the buns and first gave them to Meng Yulin. However, she didn't know what to do with the forty copper coins the vendor handed her!
She feared that if she took the coins back, the clan members would target them. Stealing them would be a minor issue; she feared they would be beaten.
Currently, the only male heir of their second branch was the young master, who was still too young. The remaining madam, three young ladies, and herself were all women. How could they fight against those red-eyed men?
While she hesitated, the bun vendor, seeing her not taking the coins, thought she found them insufficient. He explained awkwardly, "Sister, I've only made this much money today. How about I add two vegetable buns for you?"
"Ah? Alright." Tao Shi hadn't expected to receive two more buns just for hesitating. Although they were vegetable buns, they were still good considering their current situation.
Tao Shi wouldn't eat them herself and gave both vegetable buns to the young master. Meng Yulin couldn't remember how long it had been since he last ate his fill. He shoveled the large meat bun into his mouth in a few bites, choking so much that his eyes rolled back, but he refused to spit out the bun.
"Young master, young master!" Tao Shi, frightened, patted his back forcefully. "Young master, quickly spit out the bun, it'll be fine."
Meng Yulin: He had finally managed to eat a bun today; he wouldn't spit it out, even if he were beaten to death.
"Young master, quickly spit out the bun."
He refused to spit it out, no matter what.
Liu Shi, seeing the situation on the other side and that her son was choking, informed Officer Jiang and rushed over with her three daughters.
Fortunately, the bun vendor didn't want anyone to die at his stall. He handed over a dipper of water. Tao Shi gave Meng Yulin a drink of water, and he finally managed to swallow the bite of the bun.
"Oh, my heavens." Seeing that the young master had finally recovered, Tao Shi, who had been terrified, lost her senses and only found them a while later.
Liu Shi was also terrified. Seeing her son was alright, she had the strength to scold Tao Shi, "You spoil him too much. You'll eventually spoil him completely, and then you'll be in trouble."
"Madam, we have no good things left to spoil the young master with. All we can do is buy him two buns. If, if..." Tao Shi dared not finish her sentence, thinking that if the Duke's mansion were still standing, the young master wouldn't have to eat such coarse food.
But she dared not say this. Moreover, she had no son of her own, and she and her daughters would have to rely on the young master for their lives. Especially her daughters, when they got married, how could they manage without a brother to support them?
Therefore, throughout the journey, even if she went without food or drink, she saved it for the young master.
Liu Shi understood her thoughts. Seeing Tao Shi's frail and weak body, she snatched the copper coins from her, counted out thirty-five coins, and handed them to the bun vendor. "Give us ten more meat buns and five vegetable buns."
"Coming right up!" The vendor packed the buns for them, thinking to himself that these people were indeed from a wealthy family. Even fallen, they were more generous when buying buns than common folk.
Liu Shi didn't know what the bun vendor was thinking. She first took the vegetable buns and shared one with each of her three daughters and Tao Shi.
Tao Shi: "Madam, this servant is not hungry."
"Eat even if you're not hungry. I'm telling you today, if you don't eat this bun, I'll leave you here."
"Madam, please don't leave me behind, I'll eat." Tao Shi ate the bun with large bites, tears in her eyes.
"That's more like it." Liu Shi then took her own bun and ate it with gusto. She didn't care if passersby stopped to watch; she ate it with great relish.
Despite their hunger, the three young ladies maintained their composure, taking small, delicate bites.
Liu Shi quickly finished her bun. She instructed Tao Shi to take the children back later, and she herself took the meat buns and the remaining five copper coins and went back.
When she reached Officer Jiang, she presented him with the meat bun and the five copper coins.
"Officer, this is our token of respect for you."
"Oh, we have such benefits? Thank you very much." Officer Jiang accepted them without ceremony, one hand holding the bun, the other taking the money. Five copper coins were not much, but it was still money.
Qi He's eyes lit up at the sight of the meat bun, his expression of craving painted vividly.
Officer Jiang played along with his expression and stuffed a meat bun into his mouth, "Eat quickly, and don't say a word."
"Mmm, the meat bun smells so good." Qi He hadn't eaten a meat bun in a long time. When his grandmother was alive, the family would make them for him every ten days to satisfy his cravings.
After his grandmother passed away, he never saw buns at home again.
Qi He took the meat bun from his mouth and chewed it greedily. Turning, he saw Yu'er watching him, biting her finger.
Qi He suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to share half of it with Yu'er. He looked down at the meat bun that he had already bitten more than halfway through, and it didn't seem as delicious anymore.
"Grandpa Jiang, I want to go buy something." Qi He looked in the direction where Tao Shi was leading the three daughters and Meng Yulin, an idea forming.
"Qi kid, you can't go alone." Officer Jiang was not at ease with Qi He going into town by himself.
"Uncle Jiang, I'll accompany Qi kid into town. I need to buy some things anyway."