With a skeptical look in his eyes, Li Chang'an looked at his father, the village chief!

He only believed it when the village chief nodded to him, confirming that Su Luo was indeed Chen Huaixu's wife.

"Sister-in-law, in that great battle, our commander died, Nanning suffered a great defeat, and none of the vanguard soldiers survived. They were burned to the ground by the enemy, and no remains were found."

When things calmed down there, I went to check, but everything was covered in snow, and there was nothing to be found.

Knowing the outcome, Zhao Ruyun still came to add to her sorrow and grief. Su Luo helped her come and then helped her home.

In the past two days, the conscripted men from the neighboring villages who were able to go home have all returned, with more than forty people returning from the East Village.

Those disabled heroes who were sent back by the government before the Lunar New Year have all arrived home.

For those who did not return, Magistrate Jiang personally went to each family to distribute the pensions.

Although the Chen family is not short of money, Magistrate Jiang still came and handed over Chen Huaixu's twenty taels of pension to Zhao Ruyun in front of Su Luo.

"Madam Chen, please accept my condolences. The Chen family has a distinguished history."

Twenty taels of silver. A life is only worth twenty taels of silver.

Zhao Ruyun didn't take it, but went to the ancestral hall and placed Chen Huaixu's and Chen Lao Er's memorial tablets next to each other.

Left with no other option, the magistrate had to hand over the silver to Su Luo.

After having Steward Shi escort the magistrate out, Su Luo went to the ancestral hall to see Zhao Ruyun.

"Grandma, are you alright?"

I knew this would be the outcome a year ago; now it's just a matter of going through the process.

Zhao Ruyun did not cry her heart out like she did last year.

She felt a little helpless; the two most important men in her life had now become two wooden planks in front of her.

"Luo Luo, do you think Huai Xu and his father over there will really receive the paper money and clothes we burn for them?"

Yes, it will.

Yi Huan came over and hugged Zhao Ruyun: "Grandma, the book says that as long as we pay our respects to the deceased by the water, the water will flow like the four seas and carry our grief to Father."

"Really? Does the book really say that?"

Yi Huan nodded seriously.

"Um!"

"Okay, then we'll sell some things tomorrow and go to the river to pay our respects to your father."

"good!"

With only two days until the Lunar New Year, Su Luo needed to calm Zhao Ruyun down before she could go to Fu Man Lou.

"Grandma, I'll prepare the offerings. You should go back and rest; it's cold in this ancestral hall."

Aunt Dong helped Zhao Ruyun back to the backyard, and Yi Huan followed. With Yi Huan there, Zhao Ruyun could be distracted and not keep thinking about Chen Huaixu.

Seeing that they had all left, Butler Shi came forward and spoke to Su Luo.

"Madam Su, I've gone to the bank and exchanged all the silver. Shall we set off now?"

"Okay! Let's go."

Upon arriving in Yongle County, Su Luo gathered both workers from Fumanlou together. Today was December 27th.

Fu Man Lou is closed for the holiday. After cleaning, everyone is here.

Butler Shi opened a wooden box, which was full of silver wrapped in red cloth.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thanks to your hard work, Fu Man Lou's business and reputation have been excellent this year. Now that it's the end of the year, as the owner, I wish you all a peaceful and joyful New Year."

Because of you all, Fumanlou is what it is today. Therefore, this box of red envelopes is a reward for you.

The waiters and chefs at Fu Man Lou almost flew away. Su Luo, always generous, also gave them red envelopes as a reward at the end of last year.

"Thank you, Madam Su!"

The voices were clear and resonant as the three rows of people unanimously expressed their gratitude to Su Luo.

"When Steward Shi calls out names, everyone come forward."

Butler Shi opened the register and began to read: "Manager Xu..."

Manager Xu came forward, and Su Luo gave him a red envelope containing two taels of silver.

"Chang Xingguo..."

First the cook, then the waiter, each received a two-tael silver red envelope.

At Wanxiu Pavilion, Su Luo asked Xie Wanwan to distribute red envelopes to them, one tael each, as they had only worked for two months, and this was considered a reward.

After distributing the rewards and closing the shop, Su Luo and Butler Shi went to the largest funeral shop in the county.

She bought the best paper money and incense, in such large quantities that the shop owner kept glancing at Su Luo.

"Boss, do you have paper effigies?"

"Yes, young lady, what kind of paper figure do you want? I can make it on the spot."

Su Luo didn't think too much about it. Since Zhao Ruyun didn't want Chen Huaixu to suffer in the underworld, she decided to burn a few maids and servants to take care of him.

After thinking for a moment, Su Luo said, "Two maids, two servants, and a beauty. Make up a few more beauties."

This was the first time the boss had ever heard a woman make this request; usually, all that's needed is a man and a woman to guide the deceased.

“Then please wait a moment, my lady. I will call my apprentices over, and they can prepare everything you need in an hour.”

His shop has maids and servants readily available, but as for beauties, they need to be processed and have their colors added.

"Young lady, you are so good to your family." It's rare to see someone so willing to spend money on a dead person in this world.

"There's no way around it. What my husband didn't enjoy in his lifetime, he must have over there. Isn't there an old saying like that?"

"To die beneath the peony blossoms, even as a ghost, is to be romantic; I want him to have at least one of those moments."

"hehe……"

The boss was speechless and could only laugh awkwardly.

There was still an hour before the paper figure was ready. Su Luo and Steward Shi went to Ji'an Hall again. The production of herbal oil and cold medicine was also suspended today.

Su Luo also gave them red envelopes as a reward.

However, patients still come here every day, so we can't close during the New Year. I mentioned in a letter to Du Xiuyuan that I would give Dr. Wang three times his salary so that he could stay here during the New Year.

"Butler Shi, did you give the red envelopes for the workers at Shuiqingzhuang to Shi Shuang to distribute?"

"Yes, Shi Shuang went early this morning. Today is also the last day for you to go to the academy, Young Master. The academy will be on holiday tomorrow."

That would be perfect, so that when her family goes to the river to pay respects to Chen Huaixu, Yanchuan can go along too.

"Okay, I understand."

The offerings alone were enough to fill a horse-drawn carriage.

It was placed in the back door, and Zhao Ruyun didn't look at it carefully. The next day, the family went directly to the river.

Zhao Ruyun was muttering auspicious words and wishing everyone a safe journey.

Su Luo didn't know how to do that. She lit a fire and quickly burned the six paper effigies of beauties, along with the maids and servants.

Yi Huan squatted down next to Su Luo, not understanding why her mother bought so many paper figures.

"Mother, are all these paper female figures for my father?"

Su Luo turned her head and smiled.

"Yes, your father will be overjoyed to receive it, and that will ensure he blesses Huanhuan and Chuanchuan."

Looking at the paper figure reduced to ashes, Yi Huan murmured, "But will my father like it?"

"I like it, every man likes it."

What man wouldn't like having three wives and four concubines? If he didn't, why would men in this era marry so many women?