Chapter 1000: Chapter 1000 Departure Back to the Capital_1 Chapter 1000: Chapter 1000 Departure Back to the Capital_1 Having learned of the Zhang Family and Zhu Hongyun’s revenge plan, Tong Dalang became honest. As Li Rou said, it was best for the couple to stay out of the matter and just wait to see the outcome after winter.

With this in mind, Tong Dalang didn’t make any fuss, didn’t cause trouble, or pull any stunts. He worked hard, agreeing with everything Tong Tiehu said, behaving so well that Tong Tiehu thought he had changed… as if!

Leopards can’t change their spots. A sudden change in attitude surely meant something fishy was going on!

Though he didn’t show it on the surface, Tong Tiehu was quietly observing all along.

Soon, less than half a month remained until the New Year.

The atmosphere of the New Year was growing stronger.

Qiao Xiaomai turned the backyard into a pig farm, buying one hundred and fifty piglets, planning to make a good profit when the wheat was harvested next year.

At the same time, about five hundred bicycles had been made, but all of them were stored in the Warehouse, saved to be sold all together in the spring of the next year.

There was also Yang Wenxiao, who was preparing to return to the Capital City.

At this point, only three piglets remained at Qiao Xiaomai’s home. She gave one to Dean Gu, and the remaining two, as previously discussed, were slaughtered and turned into Dumplings stuffed with leeks.

The weather was cold, with daily temperatures below freezing, turning the whole world into a natural icebox. These Dumplings could last many days.

Two piglets, along with the leeks grown on the heated brick bed, amounted to more than ten thousand Dumplings in total.

Keeping some for her own family to eat, Qiao Xiaomai packed up the remaining ten thousand and sent them to the Extreme Flavor Restaurant to be sold during the New Year.

When Yang Wenxiao left, Qiao Xiaomai also packed a hundred for him.

During the New Year, with abundant meat and fish dishes, Dumplings were merely a special treat, not the main dish, so having a few less didn’t matter.

Besides Dumplings, she also packed up many greens.

Yang Wenxiao said the vegetables she grew were more refreshing than those in the Palace, and with the retired Emperor’s word, she naturally packed them into the sacks vigorously.

She also prepared some tender tofu for Yang Wenxiao. The tender tofu she made was as white as snow, melting in the mouth without the need to chew, leaving only a full bean aroma and a faint fresh fragrance.

This type of food was most suitable for someone of Yang Wenxiao’s advanced age.

She made fifty pounds of it, packed it in ice, which could prolong its preservation.

Yang Wenxiao also said he loved her glass noodles, which were fragrant and soft no matter how they were prepared, so she went ahead and packed five hundred pounds of glass noodles onto the carriage for him.

After scouring Qiao Xiaomai’s home for everything, Yang Wenxiao finally set off for the Capital City, fully satisfied.

He left half of his guards behind and also sent a letter to the Capital City, requesting additional royal guards. Now that Tong Sanlang was still weak and unable to exert any strength, the manor’s security depended on the royal guards, so they had to strengthen the defense.

The day after he departed, snow began to drift from the sky again. It snowed lightly throughout the day, and by evening, a thin layer had settled on the road.

After dinner, the light snow turned into heavy snowfall. The following day, they woke up to dull, cloudy weather, still with light snow, which had piled up to knee-deep on the roads.

Yang Wenxiao was very pleased with this thickness and immediately ordered his sled to be brought out.

This sled was an improved version; it was no longer an open-top but rather like a carriage, so one didn’t have to withstand the biting cold winds while sitting inside.

Sitting in the warm sled, feeling the smooth surface of the road, Yang Wenxiao called Ren Zhong to join him for a game of Fight the Landlord, appreciating the stable road. He was already looking forward to the future bluestone road!