Chapter 390: He Hong Returned

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

If she doesn’t teach them this lesson now…

If outsiders were to teach them, her two sons would suffer a lot more in the future.

Han Qiao was reluctant to let them experience that.

“Although you know your mistakes, you still have to learn from your actions. Mother will have to punish you. You two stand over there for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Go.”

The two children obediently went to face the wall to reflect on their mistakes.

They may not remember most of what she said today, but at least they would remember that they were not allowed to touch their parents and other people’s things without the owner’s permission.

Han Qiao sat at the side, drinking tea while keeping an eye on them.

Heng Yi had just returned from Defu’s side and walked in on this peculiar scene. He then glanced at Ah-Yao.

His heart ached for his son, but Heng Yi didn’t call Ah-Yao to him. He sat beside Han Qiao and whispered, “What happened?

“They were messing around my dressing table and knocked over a bottle of pearl powder. The two kids knew they were wrong. Ah-Yao caught an eel to apologize to me. I appreciated the gesture, but they still need to be punished accordingly.”

“It’s not that pearl powder is expensive. I just want them to understand that they are not allowed to touch their parent’s things, nor can they play with other people’s things when they go out in the future.”

Being young was one thing, but rules were another.

Han Qiao pulled Heng Yi to sit down, “Don’t feel sorry for them. I’m teaching them now because I love them. If we let them do as they please and pamper them blindly, you will only harm them in the long run.”

“This will be their family background. If we don’t follow the rules, we’ll be a disaster in the future. My heart aches when I think about how a good child has been raised to waste.”

She didn’t dare to think that all well-behaved and lovely children would grow up to be good people. If they were not taught properly, not only would they let down the people who followed them, but they would also let themselves down for the rest of their lives.

Heng Yi kept looking at the two children.

The two boys also stole glances at him. Seeing that their father remained silent, they hurriedly turned to Han Qiao.

Their eyes immediately met with Han Qiao’s frown.

They were so frightened that they quickly turned their heads away and focused on reflecting on their mistakes.

None of them dared to move anymore.

After Han Qiao finished drinking her cup of tea…

Ah-Yao threw himself into Heng Yi’s arms and cried.

Heng Yi’s heart ached.

But he still coaxed him, “Do you know your mistake?”

Ah-Yao nodded vigorously.

Heng Yi took the handkerchief from Shulan, and wiped his tiny face, “Your mother did this for your own good. You broke Mother’s things, so you need to apologize. Have you apologized?”

Ah-Yao froze for a moment, then choked up, “Mother, I’m sorry…”

Han Qiao patted his head, “It’s good that you know and admit your mistakes.”

He Cheng also apologized, “Mother, I’m sorry. I won’t bring Ah-Yao to rummage through other people’s things in the future.”

Han Qiao also patted his head, “There’s nothing better than understanding your mistakes.”

He Cheng can only play for a few days. Soon, he would have to focus on learning how to read and write.

Han Qiao pulled the two children to her side and told them the societal rules.

“No matter what, when you do things, you must pay attention to the rules. Without rules, we can’t live a peaceful life.”

“Whether you explore the martial world, enter the court, or enter the military in the future, there will be rules and regulations that you need to follow.”

Han Qiao sighed lightly, “Mother will slowly explain this to you in the future,”

Today was Ah-Yao’s first birthday, and Han Qiao couldn’t didn’t want to keep lecturing him.

After saying a few more words, Han Qiao let him play with He Cheng.

After the two children ran off, the two adults could hear the rumbustious laughter in the distance.

Heng Yi laughed helplessly, “He is still young. We’ll teach him slowly.”

“Yes.”

Han Qiao loved when she should love, and she punished when she had to.

For a child who had been doted on since he was young, the consequences of standing idly by were very serious.

However, children were also very forgetful. They would forget about being punished after a while, but they would know not to touch other people’s things.

Aunt Zhao prepared the other dishes for dinner with the other cooks, while Han Qiao returned to make the Longevity Noodles for Ah-Yao.

The whole family sat together, and each person got a bowl. Han Qiao fed Ah-Yao.

Ah-Yao ate bite by bite. Today’s noodles were especially delicious.

His noodles were very long.

Most importantly, his mother was the one who fed him.

Ever since he could eat more solid foods, he had been eating with a spoon on his own.

“Waa!” He ate happily.

“Is it good?” Han Qiao asked.

Ah-Yao nodded vigorously.

After he finished his noodles and drank a few sips of soup, his stomach was full.

He Cheng pulled Han Qiao’s sleeve, “Mother, when is my birthday? I also want Mother to feed me Longevity Noodles.”

Han Qiao was a little surprised.

She doesn’t remember when He Cheng was born, but Bai Cha should know.

“Mother will arrange everything for you when the time comes.”

“Yay!” He Cheng was overjoyed.

Then he ran to play with Ah-Yao.

Han Qiao asked Bai Cha after dinner, “Do you know when Cheng’er’s birthday is?”

“I think it’s the twentieth of the winter moon. When he was born, it was already cold.”

Han Qiao committed the date to memory. She already decided that she would make Longevity Noodles on the twentieth day of winter.

If he wanted to eat longevity noodles, she would make them for him.

In the next few days, Han Qiao was very busy. She first needed to tidy up the entire residence and clear out all the unsightly things.

After tidying up, the manor looked much more refreshing and more atmospheric. All the furniture and decorations with many sharp corners had been moved away. She was afraid that the children would be hurt by them.

Han Qiao had servants wrap some of the edges and corners.

She couldn’t predict the future, so all she could do for now was to think of the worst-case scenario, just in case, and try to prevent them.

Ah-Yao, He Cheng and Wen Yu’s children were all young boys. Boys were energetic and liked to play after all.

After tidying up the house, the new servants respected Han Qiao even more.

Their Madam may look kind and gentle, but she has her own thoughts and opinions on doing things. No one could change her decisions.

After the house was tidied up, Han Qiao went to find Heng Yi and Bai Cha to buy those shops.

“We can’t stuff our pockets with the Emperor’s money, after all.”

She still had enough money to buy these dozen shops.

After the shop was transferred to Han Qiao’s name, she started hiring people.

She even bought a few shops to open a pharmacy.

While Han Qiao arranged the people to their assigned jobs, she found that people from a distant village came to sell vegetables and some chickens, ducks, and geese they raised at home.

Several shops were already opened too.

“It seems that someone is earlier than us.” Han Qiao laughed.

There were two rice shops and a grocery store, and there was even a coffin wreath shop in the corner of the street.

This was ridiculous!

If a small town wanted to prosper, all kinds of shops were indispensable.

“There are still a few food shops over there.”

Han Qiao looked and found shops selling buns, steamed buns, and wonton noodles.

There was also a fast-food restaurant.

“Madam.”

“This is good. Only when a hundred flowers bloom can we be more prosperous. It also puts more pressure on us.”

Whether it was a fast food restaurant or a shop, they could not stand alone.

Moreover, when the number of soldiers in the barracks increased, the business part of town would become more prosperous.

All kinds of food and street stalls would have business.

That would be good.

At the barracks, more and more people came to join the army, especially those who were capable and ambitious. Everyone started from scratch, and after half a month, they would have the opportunity to be promoted. Even though they were only acting team leaders, they still hoped to climb higher.

After Li Zhao bought the house next door, he went to the military camp. The house was tidied up by the housekeeper.

By the time Han Qiao’s fast food restaurant opened, it was already the fifth day of the tenth month.

In the barracks, the first batch of acting team leaders have been decided.

Among them were Li Zhao, Han Dacheng, and Han Dayong.

Their daily training was harder than when they first trained at the Han family.

Ninety percent of the boys that Han Qiao bought earlier had joined the army, and seventeen of them became acting team leaders.

The five hundred men were all going to join the army and Heng Yi gave them some convenience. They could go home once every five days and stay at home for one night. They would have to return to the barracks the next day. They would have the opportunity to return home again after ten thousand nights.

As for their wives, Han Qiao arranged work for them; making clothes for the soldiers in the military camp. This way, they could earn money to supplement their families and even receive some cloth.

The cloth could also be used to make small purses, soles, shoes, and many other things.

Han Qiao would also get people to collect these items and sell them to the military camp.

This way, these women would also have money in their hands, and they could buy some things that they needed at home.

The shops in town were basically sold out within a few days, and even the houses were all snatched up.

Some were still being built. They planned to reward these houses to those soldiers who had done meritorious services in the barracks.

Before long, the twentieth day of the tenth month arrived. He Cheng’s birthday.

Heng Yi returned early that day.

“Father!”

He Cheng wore a new set of clothes and ran towards Heng Yi.

There was another person following behind Heng Yi.

It was He Hong..