Chapter 385: Chapter 385 Heartache Chapter 385: Chapter 385 Heartache They hadn’t waited long when the county magistrate and the advisor hurried over.
“Aiyo, my apologies for making all the esteemed guests wait.”
As soon as the county magistrate entered, he greeted them with a bow.
This gesture nearly scared the village head half to death; they were but commoners, and the county magistrate was a high official—how could he speak to them in such a manner? The village head quickly stood up and said anxiously, “County magistrate, you mustn’t say such things. It’s a great honor for us peasants to be invited to your banquet. No matter how long we had to wait, it would have been worth it.” At the end, he even turned his head towards Big Bull and Xuexue and said, “Don’t you agree?”
Xuexue found it amusing internally, the village head changed his tune so quickly. Moments ago, he was grumbling about how it was nearly dark and how it would be almost midnight by the time they got home, not knowing if the road would be safe. But now, with the county magistrate present, he was in no hurry at all.
Big Bull said nothing, sitting there without moving an inch.
Xuexue had to save face for the village head, so she smiled, nodded, and spoke with a double meaning, “Mhm, Uncle Village Chief is always right.”
“You cheeky girl,” the village head, understanding what Xuexue meant, retorted with a chastising smile.
The county magistrate took a seat at the edge of the table and said to the shopkeeper, “Shopkeeper, serve the dishes, don’t delay their return home.”
“Eh! Right away.”
Since the county magistrate was hosting today, it seemed their restaurant was going to lose money again. The shopkeeper, trying to ignore the pain in his heart, hurriedly agreed and turned to call for the waiters to serve the dishes. There was no helping it; after all, the other was an official and he was just a mere common citizen.
Soon the waiters were serving dish after dish in succession until the round table was filled with an array of dishes: Red Braised Lion’s Head Meatballs, Sweet and Sour Pork, Braised Fish, Spicy Chicken, Mandarin Duck, you name it…
The sight left the village head slack-jawed, having never seen such exquisite dishes in his life.
“This… this… County magistrate, you’re too kind,” said the village head, looking at the county magistrate with gratitude.
“No need for courtesy, no need for courtesy, everyone, pick up your chopsticks and eat, ahahaha!” The county magistrate’s face was full of smiles.
Standing by the side, the shopkeeper’s heart was aching as if eaten alive; it was his meat, his money that were being consumed. Yet now, it appeared as though it was the county magistrate’s generosity. There was nothing he could do; after all, one should not contend with officials. And besides, he needed the county magistrate’s favor for running his restaurant here.
“If there’s ever anything you need from me in the future, you must lend me a hand!”
Under the influence of the alcohol, the county magistrate was either intentional or unintentional in saying these words that the village head couldn’t quite understand.
“If the lord needs us, we are willing to go through fire and water, to stake our lives, without hesitation,” the village head said grandly, echoing the phrases of Itinerant World People.
“Excellent!”
The county magistrate was delighted and laughed heartily.
The dinner continued until sunset before it was finally over.
The county magistrate and the advisor, having eaten their fill, left with a word to the Yamen runners to escort them to the gates of the County Town, then took their leave.
Seeing that both Yamen runners’ cheeks were flushed as if burnt by fire, presumably they also had their fair share of drinks, Xuexue told them, “Yamen Runner brothers, there’s no need to escort us; you better hurry on home.”
“Alright, righteous indeed,” the two Yamen runners said, supporting each other with staggered steps as they drunkenly made their way to the door.
Big Bull and Xuexue, supporting the tipsy village head, also prepared to head to the County Town gate to take the ox cart home.