Xu Di didn't have the mindset of a typical teenager. With his thirty-something soul, how could he not understand these things? He was very aware of these matters when he was out and about. Some people wanted to take him to special places to broaden his horizons, but Xu Di always politely declined, using his young age as an excuse. As for marriage, he emphasized that it had to be arranged by his parents. The few people sent by the Zhang family to Xu Di's courtyard weren't just sitting idly by. In the vast capital, they knew all about the aristocratic families, their situations, their relationships, and their kinship ties. Xu Di was also familiar with the social hierarchy in the capital. He knew the family Xu Shao wanted to introduce him to; he knew their situation well. He had only stayed far away because he felt they were not to be trifled with.

Xu Di had already made his plans. After the provincial examination, he would come to the manor to prepare for the provincial examination. The provincial examination would end in August. Whether the results came out or not, he would hurry back to Hexi with his mother, younger brother, and younger sister while the weather was still not too cold. As long as he was not there, and since he was already engaged, no one could scheme against him.

Zhang Zhaoci naturally understood Xu Di's considerations. Zhang Zhaoci had had enough of staying in the capital and felt uncomfortable everywhere. She was also worried about Xu Rao being alone in Hexi. Although someone was serving her three meals a day, she was still worried about being separated from him for more than a year.

The whole family settled down on the estate. Every day, the old lady would stroll around and accompany Xu Zhi and Xu Bai to the vegetable garden to see which vegetables she wanted to eat. She would then pick them herself and send them to the kitchen for the cook to prepare.

The old lady's rouge rice on her estate had been harvested in great abundance. She kept enough for herself and sold the rest to a large grain merchant in the capital. For several dozen acres, she had earned over ten thousand taels of silver. The old lady was very surprised when she saw the silver notes Xu Di handed her. That estate had never earned her any money; she had to put money into it herself to support the people on the estate.

The old lady said, "Di'er, you wouldn't be here with your own money to make me happy, would you?"

Xu Di smiled and said, "Grandmother, what are you saying? Do you lack confidence in yourself or in the uncles and elders on the estate? This money is what I had left after distributing some to the uncles and elders on the estate. If we really count it, it's more than 15,000 taels of silver. I know you're not short of that money, so I decided to take out 5,000 taels to properly repair the houses on the estate and distribute it to the people on the estate. Grandmother, your estate is the most suitable place in the north for growing this kind of rouge rice. Other estates can't earn this kind of money even if they want to."

Hearing Xu Di say this, the old lady happily replied, "In that case, Grandmother, please accept this money."

Xu Di smiled and said, "That's right. This is the money from selling the rice on your estate. You should take it happily. This year, I only used half of the land to grow Rouge Rice. After a while, I will plant wheat on the rest of the land. After harvesting the wheat, I will plant rice. I guarantee that you will become the most money-making old lady in our Great Liang in the future."

Upon hearing this, the old lady smiled and said, "In that case, Grandmother still has two estates. How about I leave them to you?"

Xu Di laughed and said, "Sure, why not? You can rest assured to leave it to me. I guarantee you'll dig gold out of the ground."

The old lady smiled and said, "We'll have to wait until you've passed the prefectural and provincial examinations before we discuss these things. I know you'll be returning to Hexi after your provincial examinations. The people on my estate are very obedient. I'll have them follow your arrangements, okay?"

Xu Di laughed and said, "Great! Why not? Grandmother, you won't have to worry about anything then. Just wait to count the money."