The Humble Family's Daughter Has A Spatial Pocket!-Chapter 1061 - 886, Giving Gifts

People from the Xiao Residence arrived at the Gan State Guard not at the most opportune time, nearly at the year’s end. After arriving, Xiao Yeyang got busy with patrol duties and Daohua was preoccupied with arrangements; before they knew it, the new year had arrived.

After the new year, there were grains to be gathered and refugees to be dealt with. Once those issues were resolved, they had to hurry with the spring plowing. In no time, the Dragon Boat Festival arrived.

It was around this time that Daohua finally had some leisure to think about diplomacy.

Clearly, the Dragon Boat Festival was an excellent opportunity.

Baskets delicately customized with the mark of the Xiao Residence were neatly arranged on the table. Daohua checked them against a list of officials from the guard, assured nothing was amiss, and then opened one to inspect its contents.

Several strings of dumplings with various fillings, a bamboo box of salted duck eggs, a jar of tea, a kettle of yellow wine, two packages of snacks, and several sachets of fragrances.

The size of the baskets varied depending on the rank of the official, as did the contents, though the amount of items remained the same.

After inspecting everything, Daohua had Guyu dispatch people to deliver the gifts to the officials. "Remember, don’t deliver them to the wrong person."

Guyu nodded, summoned a few maids, and carried the baskets to the gatehouse to coordinate the deliveries based on the officials’ list.

Daohua pointed at another table with baskets, looking at Deshou, "These are for the commanders at the Frontier Army Barracks. Additionally, I’ve bought several carts of dumplings from outside. Pull them over so that the soldiers of the Border Army can have dumplings to eat tomorrow."

Deshou responded with a smile, "I will get right on it."

Once the gifts for the guard officials and the Border Army had been dispatched, Daohua then summoned Lixia to personally deliver the Dragon Boat Festival gift to the Dong Family.

After all was set, Daohua went to the kitchen.

Tomorrow was the Dragon Boat Festival, and Xiao Yeyang would certainly return from the camp tonight. She prepared to use the recently purchased softshell turtle and cordyceps to make a soup to nourish him and her master.

...

Xia Residence.

Xia Jianren was enthusiastically engaging his staff in eating the dumplings and snacks sent by the Commander, clearly showing off, "I’ve heard that Mr. Wei did not send a festival gift to the people of the Xiao Residence."

The staff quickly praised him, "Clearly, in Mr. Wei’s eyes, you are more important than Lord Xiao."

Even though Xia Jianren felt pleased, he retained some rationality and shook his head, "It’s not that Mr. Wei did not send gifts; he’s just waiting for Xiao Yeyang to send him one first, then he can reciprocate."

The staff paused, somewhat puzzled.

Xia Jianren laughed, "Although Xiao Yeyang is the Prince’s son, no matter what, Mr. Wei is the highest official in Xiliang. If he were to send a gift to Xiao Yeyang first, wouldn’t it imply that he places himself below Xiao Yeyang?"

The staff appeared enlightened, "Exactly as you say, sir."

Xia Jianren continued somberly, "Tell me, why would Xiao Yeyang, who could have stayed comfortably in Beijing, insist on staying here in our Gan State Guard?"

It was clear to him by now that Xiao Yeyang would not be leaving anytime soon.

No response came from the staff.

In fact, in his heart, he hoped that Xiao Yeyang would continue to stay in Gan State Guard.

This area of Gan State Guard was too poor and arduous. Only someone with status, position, and assets like Xiao Yeyang had the potential to change the situation of Gan State Guard.

Not to mention anything else, just consider the high-yield grain varieties — if these could be widely promoted, people would certainly not starve in such large numbers every winter.

He had been closely following the hillside transformation initiated by Madam Xiao and was thrilled to see bits of green sprouting in the terraced fields created; this was exciting to him.

It was well known that it had been difficult to grow anything in the wilderness before.

Obviously, the high-yield grain varieties brought by the Xiao Residence were drought-resistant and not demanding of the soil.

There were too many people in Gan State Guard who had insufficient food. Only after he became a staffer for Sir Xia had his life improved slightly. Remembering his childhood days of eating grass roots and tree bark, he strongly hoped for Lord Xiao to stay.

The staff glanced at Xia Jianren. Sir Xia had been important to him, and he was willing to assist him continuously, but Sir Xia had never suffered the hardships of the lower classes, he always weighed his own interests above those of the common people and did not consider their welfare.

Sigh...

He knew that both Sir Xia and Mr. Wei of Liangdu did not want Lord Xiao to stay in Xiliang; they feared his presence would draw the Imperial Court’s attention here, potentially undermining their ruling status in Xiliang.

As the staff’s thoughts drifted, Xia Jianren was contemplating the paddock he had sold.