The innkeeper, Manager Yu, quickly arranged for the silver thread charcoal out of consideration for the silver notes.
At first, Manager Yu was too busy to explain.
Everyone thought it was his idea, and they all became happy, offering him words of thanks.
After settling the people in the first-floor lobby.
Manager Yu, without the slightest pause, immediately mobilized the inn's staff to find all the ingredients in the kitchen and busy themselves preparing food.
Fortunately, it was the Lantern Festival today, and he knew business would be booming, so he had prepared extra ingredients.
Now, he wasn't afraid of not having anything to make.
The remaining lamb and lamb bones were chopped and boiled into a large pot of lamb soup, along with various other meats and soups.
Even the medicinal soup that Su Xiaoqi had requested was boiled.
In just over an hour and a half, the steaming hot food was brought to the lobby and served to everyone according to their headcount.
Those staying in the lobby were not the guests who had previously reserved private rooms.
Having been given refuge in the lobby by Manager Yu, everyone already felt it was a great kindness.
Coupled with the warmth of the silver thread charcoal, which prevented them from catching a chill, everyone was deeply touched and felt it was improper to let him labor so hard to prepare food for them.
Those who were slightly more affluent began to reach for their pockets, saying they couldn't let him provide it for free.
"Ah, no need, no need, you all just focus on the fire, eat and drink as much as you want," Manager Yu said, raising his hands to explain to everyone.
Someone asked why he said that, wondering if he would incur a loss.
"Heh, there won't be any loss. Someone has already paid." When Manager Yu explained what Su Xiaoqi had arranged, everyone was stunned, and they all looked up at Manager Yu.
As if asking him where she was and why she did this.
"Heh, look at you asking, isn't it because Madam Shen feared you would suffer from the cold and hunger?"
Although Manager Yu was a businessman, Su Xiaoqi's selfless act of providing charcoal and food to these strangers had completely conquered his heart.
He could not ignore such a kind person.
Therefore, he loudly publicized Su Xiaoqi's merits in front of everyone.
And solemnly introduced her to them as the esteemed cousin of the Duke of Yu's mansion and the wife of a Ministry of Rites official.
"Heavens, it's Madam Shen who saved us earlier. She is truly a great benefactor."
"Yes, indeed, not only did she save us, but she also gave us food and drink, and she worried about us freezing. She is our benefactor!"
"Thank you, Madam Shen!" Everyone's eyes welled up with tears of joy, and led by someone, they all knelt in the lobby, looking up towards the third floor to express their gratitude.
Su Xiaoqi was in her room, applying medicine to the household guards of the Duke of Yu's mansion.
Due to the urgency earlier, the bandaging had been done casually, and many wounds needed to be re-dressed.
Now that the hot water and medicinal soup had arrived, she could reapply the medicine.
Unexpectedly, just as she finished bandaging the last injured person, she heard the commotion from below.
She twitched the corners of her mouth speechlessly: "Oh dear, I didn't expect Manager Yu to be such a chatterbox."
She genuinely felt that she hadn't done much.
She had simply spent money and said a few words.
In reality, the operations were handled by Manager Yu and his staff.
Therefore, she had never thought of taking credit.
However, the enthusiasm of the people below could not be extinguished, and they continued to thank her.
She had no choice but to go out, wave to them, and invite them to rise.
"No need to thank me, no need, really no need to thank me. I just did what I could. It's good that you are all safe."
As Su Xiaoqi spoke, she saw a few people stumble as they got up, seeming to have been injured from running too hastily.
She couldn't bear to watch and quickly took Zhang Yu down to check on them.
She found that they were indeed injured.
Two people had sprained their ankles from running too fast.
Another two had fallen and scraped their skin.
Su Xiaoqi treated each of them, offering medicine and medical care without charging a single cent.
She even set a dislocated bone for someone in public without even frowning.
Even the injured person felt embarrassed to have someone like Madam Shen, an official's wife, treat their injury in such a manner.
"Don't worry, I am a physician first, and Madam Shen second.
To me, there are only two types of people: those who are healthy, and those who are sick."
Only then did she successfully persuade the injured person to calmly accept her treatment.
Soon, the injured were healed.
However, everyone felt embarrassed to start eating from the large pot of food.
They insisted that Su Xiaoqi start eating before they would.
Looking at these strangers before her, who were so orderly and courteous, Su Xiaoqi was deeply moved.
Though she was the one offering kindness in this chance encounter tonight,
these people had not disappointed her.
They knew gratitude and harbored good intentions.
When Su Yuru had led her team to try and break in earlier, some strong young men among them had voluntarily requested to fight.
All they wanted was to protect the old, weak, women, and children in their homes.
"You are all good people. Dawn is breaking soon. I believe His Majesty and Prince Duan will defeat the rebels and bring peace and prosperity back to Daliang."
Su Xiaoqi reassured everyone and started walking towards the third floor.
As soon as she stepped onto the third floor, she heard a "bang," a crisp sound that shattered the silence of the third floor.
Su Xiaoqi stopped, leaning on the railing of the third floor, and watched the blue and white porcelain bowl roll towards her.
The bowl should have contained lamb soup.
When it fell, the white soup splashed all over the floor. The un-shattered bottom of the bowl still had some milky white soup clinging to it.
Su Xiaoqi frowned, and sharp voices could be heard from inside.
"Hmph, you hypocritical b*tch, you're not worthy."
Su Xiaoqi recognized the person by her voice – Princess Qionghua.
She had almost fallen asleep.
But the staff of Chun Ya Tower had delivered some food to their family.
She had initially thought only those of their noble families received it.
Enjoying it with great satisfaction,
she suddenly heard the commotion from below.
The people in the lobby below were making a lot of noise.
She had passively heard the entire exchange.
Only then did she realize that it wasn't just a few noble families who had received it.
But everyone had.
And the instigator of all this was none other than Su Xiaoqi.
She had made her status as a princess and her pride completely disappear.
She already disliked Su Xiaoqi because she was close to Princess Huian of the Grand Princess's mansion.
Now, she hated her even more.
Seizing the opportunity when Su Xiaoqi ascended, she deliberately scooped a bowl of scalding lamb soup and threw it in front of her.
Whether it was to intimidate or threaten, in any case, she was in a bad mood tonight and simply didn't want Su Xiaoqi to have a good time.
Princess Qionghua looked at Su Xiaoqi with a gloomy expression, her thoughts racing.
She had come out tonight to enjoy a flower viewing but encountered such an incident, which made her very angry.
Furthermore, she had seen Su Xiaoqi and the group from the Duke of Yu's mansion showcasing their might throughout the night.
This made their Ning King's Mansion appear deserted, with no one impressive enough to show off.
But what of it?
The unrest was now nearing its end, and no one foolish enough would dare to provoke them.
This was also the time for her to settle the score with Su Xiaoqi.
Su Xiaoqi glanced at her once, then as if she hadn't seen her, walked directly towards the private room of the Duke of Yu's mansion on the right.
Princess Qionghua became even more enraged by Su Xiaoqi's calm demeanor. She blocked Su Xiaoqi with a swing of her waist and shouted:
"Stop, you little b*tch, don't you know this Princess is calling you?"
Su Xiaoqi slowly looked up at her:
"Oh, how come I didn't know the little b*tch was calling me?"
In full view of everyone, she was not wrong, so why should she be afraid of her?
Princess Qionghua was so angry she couldn't speak coherently:
"The little b*tch is calling you, no, you, come on, hit her, she dares to disrespect this Princess."
A wet nurse beside Princess Qionghua stepped forward, aimed at Su Xiaoqi's position, and lunged to slap her.
Su Xiaoqi stood in place, not moving at all.
She looked as if she was afraid of Princess Qionghua, quietly waiting to be hit.
But after waiting for a while, the wet nurse's slap did not land on Su Xiaoqi's face.
Instead, it landed on another wet nurse beside her.
Princess Qionghua was shocked: "Ah... you, you, all of you go, this little b*tch knows martial arts."
Su Xiaoqi snorted coldly and said softly: "Princess Qionghua, if you were in the mood, I would have gladly played with you for a while.
But I am tired now and do not wish to cause trouble with you.
Besides, my maternal grandmother is resting in the private room, and it would not be good to disturb her.
So I warn you, you and your lackeys should get far away from me now.
Otherwise, I will make you regret leaving your home tonight."