Chapter 160
In a family, family tradition is of paramount importance. If the head of the family is not upright, the family will naturally have difficulty passing on its traditions, and may even end before it has even begun.
After Wen Shi took office in Jiangzhou, he became very familiar with every official in the prefectural government. Their official resumes were all recorded and archived in the document archive. There is one copy here, and another copy is in the Ministry of Personnel.
Wan Tongpan came from a moderately wealthy family with hundreds of acres of fertile land. He never lacked food or drink growing up. He was also an educated man who had worked hard to build his life up to this day. However, he was not strict in educating his children. When they made mistakes, he did not deal with them fairly but instead covered them up.
Three days later, some people began to turn against them.
Five days later, new case files and evidence were completed.
Ten days later, the news had spread like wildfire among the people, and the Wan family began to be the subject of gossip. Madam Wan did not go out. Instead, she organized the new case files and testimonies, wrote a memorial to report on the matter, and sent it to the capital by fast horse.
Meanwhile, Judge Wan also submitted a memorial to plead guilty. He continued to go on duty as usual, and inevitably some people talked about him behind his back, but he subconsciously ignored it. The final outcome was up to the emperor to decide.
This matter can be considered either a big or small issue.
In prison, Young Master Wan looked haggard. Although he hadn't been tortured, his mental defenses had collapsed. He cried and screamed every day, sometimes repenting, sometimes making a scene. In prison, there was no good food or clothing, and no one would give him any special care.
The urgent memorial was delivered to the capital, and the emperor's reply was quickly sent back.
We didn't expect that this matter could be resolved before the end of the year.
The eldest son of the Wan family was sentenced to immediate execution, and Wan Tong was dismissed and sent back to his hometown. Officials who had previously been involved in the case and had covered up the crime were all fined for three to five years.
Those bribed witnesses and doctors were also imprisoned; Wen Shi dealt with them later.
The emperor handled the matter fairly, even harshly, imposing the maximum penalty.
Wan Tongpan dared not object or argue. The moment he received the imperial decree, he packed his belongings with his entire family and prepared to return to his hometown.
Madam Wan was heartbroken by her son's verdict, but it was too late; the executioner showed no mercy.
The position of Tongpan is not a sinecure. Wen Shi estimated that a new Tongpan would be appointed next year. He did not submit a memorial to the emperor to recommend him. It is likely that the Ministry of Personnel had already made arrangements. He has only been here for a short time.
This position is, in some ways, a lucrative one.
If you're willing to do that, it's easy to make some extra money.
Wen Leqian arrived in Jiangzhou on the 26th of the lunar year. He has grown taller year by year, and this year he is already taller than Yingxiang.
"Big brother."
"Second brother."
Wen Yixin ran over and was hugged in his arms. Wen Shi stood not far away, watching this scene, with a slight smile on his lips.
They are both his sons, so naturally he hopes that the two children will have a good relationship and support each other in the future.
"Father, Mother."
"Sit down. Your mother has already prepared your favorite dishes and new clothes for you. They're all very nice this year. Take them back with you when you go."
"good."
After finishing a cup of hot milk tea, Wen Leqian sat down in a chair. He already looked like a young man, with a tall and straight figure and handsome features. Upon closer inspection, he looked very much like Wen Shi.
After the meal, the family sat down to eat together, and Wen Shi immediately told his son about the Wan family's situation.
"Father, rest assured, I understand this principle: those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. If I get married in the future, I will definitely raise my children strictly and will not let them act recklessly or bully the people. If they do anything wrong, they should be severely punished."
Wen Leqian spoke with a serious expression.
Yingxiang sat to one side, the room was warm and cozy. Wen Shi was right to educate his son; this was a perfect example.
It's good to listen to the insights of someone who's been there, Wen Shi nodded with a smile.
"Many things could have been avoided. The Wan family's current predicament, with its unrest and internal turmoil, is not solely due to this reason."
"With more women, there will be more trouble. If they are not properly managed and are treated with favoritism, it will be unacceptable to allow jealousy and infighting in the harem."
"You must know that a thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant's bite."
Wen Leqian nodded solemnly.
There was a reason why Wen Shi said that to him. Wen Yixin didn't understand, so he got out of his brother's arms and snuggled into Yingxiang's arms.
He stared wide-eyed at her, looking completely bewildered.
"By the way, Father, when I came here before the New Year, I also went to a classmate's house for a wedding banquet."
Upon hearing this, Yingxiang sat up straight. In her heart, her son was still a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child, and marriage was a distant prospect.
But they couldn't resist the ideas of the father and son, who were both native to ancient times.
Upon hearing this, Wen Shi pondered for a long time and said, "I have thought about your marriage. It's not too late to discuss marriage after you pass the imperial examination. Right now, you should focus on your studies. It won't make a difference if you study for two more years."
After speaking, Wen Shi stroked his beard. He had grown a beard, and his expression changed, becoming very dignified.
Sometimes when his youngest son is holding him, he will gently tug at his beard. This was mostly when he was a child and didn't know any better. Now he doesn't dare to do it anymore. Under the bed, Yingxiang will also move around a bit when he has nothing to do. These days he mostly trims his hair and doesn't shave.
"Leqian, your marriage is a big deal. It's not too late to discuss it after your parents return to the capital and settle down."
Yingxiang tried to use the words of the ancients to say that she did not approve of her son getting married at a young age.
“I will listen to my father and mother. There is another matter, namely my grandparents. Now my grandmother has become obsessed with fortune telling. She has consulted many Taoist priests and immortals. My grandfather also goes to see doctors for even the slightest illness or pain, which has caused my fifth aunt a lot of trouble. She is pregnant, so it is not easy for her.”
"Grandma kept saying that the baby in her belly was a girl, and even said that she should find an ancestor to perform a ritual."
"Fortunately, Fifth Uncle is a sensible person and often helps Fifth Aunt."
Wen Leqian, being in the capital, knew more about it.
“Once, my grandmother came to the academy to ask me for my birth date and time, saying she wanted to find a celestial being to calculate it for me.”
"I said no, but she got angry. In the end, I changed the time and gave it to her, and only then did she leave."
The birth date and time are very important. Wen Leqian is not young, and he knows this. This is something that cannot be known to just anyone. So he postponed his birth time by one hour.
He didn't believe in these things, nor was he obsessed with them; he always felt they were useless.
Wen Shi was somewhat speechless, but the two of them didn't have much money, so they wouldn't be swindled out of much.
They're living a comfortable life with Xiao Wu right now, so it's not good for him to say too much. It's not a big deal anyway, so let's just pretend we don't know.
"There's something else. The family is very happy to know that Father has been promoted. Dad, my aunt told me privately that she wants you to help introduce a good wife to my second brother, preferably from a family of officials."
Yingxiang listened and felt that Xiuyu was overthinking things.
In this era, class distinctions were clear. Back then, Wen Shi was a farmer's son with excellent academic performance, so he could only find a partner in a nearby village. More than ten years ago, it seems that a teacher's daughter took a liking to Wen Shi, but even so, her parents were against it from beginning to end.
Wen Chuanzong did not pass the imperial examination, nor did he hold any official position. To put it nicely, he was a respectable man who had received an education.
Even in a county, many people look down on someone who has passed the imperial examinations; how much more so in the capital, where officials and wealthy families abound.
Marrying the daughter of an official is extremely difficult, unless the second son of that family is successful.
After hearing this, he inquired about the schooling of his nephews.
“Father, of my older brothers, my third brother was the most hardworking. He often studied until late at night and was very diligent.”
“They hadn’t returned when I came back, but I thought that my third brother would definitely pass the imperial examination and become a scholar.”
Wen Leqian sometimes felt very lucky. If he didn't have a father who was already an official, he would have had to start from scratch to take the exam.
Wen Shi has been away from the capital for the past few years, but he still has some impression of his second brother's son. Compared to the two older brothers, he is indeed down-to-earth and hardworking. Although he is not smart, he works hard. Even if his potential is limited, he will definitely have no worries about food and drink in the future.
That's good.
His second brother is honest and kind, and his sister-in-law is a little shrewd, but not much. Both of them are decent people at heart, and they are good at raising their children. If they continue on this path, even if they don't achieve great things in the future, they won't be any worse than their peers.
"It's getting late, you and your brother should go and rest first."
The two brothers spend at most half a month together throughout the year, but even so, they have a very good relationship and always think about each other.
If two children are close in age, it's inevitable that they will argue and compare. Right now, one child isn't even in school yet, but the other is already an adult and knows everything.
After watching the two leave, Yingxiang went to bed.
"My husband, we've been together for fifteen or sixteen years now."
Speaking of this, Yingxiang felt a sense of emotion. She didn't feel old, but looking at Leqian, who was almost an adult, she was touched.
Time flies. Things that I thought were impossible before have now come true.
She unconsciously looked around. She never imagined that she could become the wife of an official so quickly and have so many things that she never dared to dream of before.
At the beginning of her transmigration, she thought her life was going to be a disaster, but things gradually got better.
Wen Shi looked directly at his wife with gentle eyes. He sat next to Yingxiang and held her hand.
"We'll have plenty of time in the future."
Yingxiang smiled as she lay on the bed, remembering the system.
Lately, when she signs in, she doesn't get any food or drinks, but mostly jewelry, antiques, calligraphy, and paintings, which she saves up in her system inventory.
She will take it out slowly when she returns to Beijing and has the opportunity.
"My parents are quite a handful, but as long as they're healthy, that's a good thing."
Realistically speaking, if either of his parents were to pass away, Wen Shi would inevitably have to observe three years of mourning, which might not necessarily be a good thing for his career.
Right now is a critical time. If you are transferred and your official position is not high, it will be very difficult to get back to your original position because you are insignificant.
"Too."
All things considered, Yingxiang didn't spend much time living with her parents-in-law.
She felt lucky that they were actually living together. She couldn't stand Liu Shi. Wen Shi wasn't blindly filial, nor did he insist that his wife stay home to take care of his parents while he was away. He had always taken her with him, using the excuse of serving him before, and it was still the same now.
During the New Year period, there are not many government officials, most of whom have gone home for the holiday, while some stay in the inner quarters. The officials vary in rank.
Wen Shi has been here for a while now. Next year, he plans to visit several counties and take a look around.
He didn't spread the word beforehand; there was no need. He already knew several counties, and he would definitely go to the poorest one first.
On New Year's Eve, the family of four enjoyed their reunion dinner together.
Wen Yixin doesn't need anyone to take care of him or feed him; he eats very well on his own.
Looking at his two sons and then at his wife, Wen Shi felt an extraordinary sense of happiness.
All that he longed for in his youth has now come true. He and his wife are loving and harmonious, and their children are growing up to be obedient, sensible, and successful.
This year, Wen Leqian is preparing to return to Beijing on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.
On this day, Wen Shi and Ying Xiang went to see him off. They watched their son's figure gradually disappear into the distance, and saw the black bundle tied to his body. Inside were new clothes made of silk by Ying Xiang, which she had specially arranged for him.
"Dad, I want to study too."
Wen Yixin suddenly said this, and Wen Shi looked at the little boy and immediately picked him up.
"When the weather gets warmer, Dad will send you to school."
The younger one is more mischievous than the older one. He likes to run around the yard and doesn't have many peers to play with. Yingxiang, however, will take him out with her when she has free time.
"I want to study with my older brother."
“That won’t do. You can’t even read. Your older brother can already write articles and poems. You’re just starting out. You can only go to school to start your education.”
The family of three talked as they walked inside.
After the Lantern Festival, Wen Shi received a new document from the Ministry of Personnel. After reading it, he was taken aback.
That night, he told Yingxiang about it.
"Is it the Yang family?"
"Yes, there's no mistake."
"He was appointed as a sub-prefect?"
Wen Shi nodded. He hadn't expected that Yang Xun would be the last to arrive. The Ministry of Personnel had already made arrangements. After so many years apart, he hadn't forgotten what had happened before.
"He will most likely be moving his family to this government office. I'm about to travel to a few counties. Wife, please have someone help us pack."
We used to have some acquaintance and got along quite well; we even treated each other to meals.
"good."
This was no difficult task, and Yingxiang readily agreed.
"I'm also planning to send out invitations. A spring banquet would be perfect. With the weather gradually getting warmer, I need to check the almanac and choose an auspicious day a month from now so that people can prepare in advance. I also plan to look for shops in the prefecture and see if there are any suitable ones so I can rent them as soon as possible and get the business up and running."
Yingxiang didn't want to be idle; she still wanted to make money. This time, in addition to the wine shop, she also wanted to open a restaurant.
Wen Shi fully supports his wife in this regard.
He wasn't particularly sensitive to money. Many years had passed since he started receiving his salary. Every time he received his salary, he would keep enough for his own use and give the rest to Yingxiang. After that, he would never ask about it again.
He trusted his wife completely.
Yingxiang would sometimes tell him how much he had saved and how much he had spent.
In recent years, salaries have been rising, and rewards have also increased, allowing the family to accumulate wealth.
The couple was very happy about this; after working so hard for so long, it was all for the sake of making a living.
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