Chapter 180
The pain in his leg was unbearable, but what he feared even more was that he might just pass away like this. Although he had many grandchildren, he had no great-grandchildren yet.
"Third brother, do you think your father's life is coming to an end?"
Wen Shi was on holiday at home when he heard this and frowned.
"Father, no, that won't happen."
In fact, everyone has that day. The doctors who came to treat Old Man Wen were all doctors from some of the big medical clinics in the capital.
The doctors all said pretty much the same thing: if you wear down your muscles and bones when you're young and do too much work, pain is inevitable when you get old. If you feel uncomfortable, then you should rest in bed, get acupuncture and physical therapy, and drink some pain-relieving herbal medicine.
There's nothing else we can do.
He's already this old, considered very old. To put it bluntly, every extra day he lives is a bonus.
People are always greedy, and Old Man Wen was no exception.
Life is so good right now, he wants to live a few more years.
"After the New Year, I will submit a memorial to His Majesty, hoping that His Majesty will be gracious enough to appoint an imperial physician. That would be even better."
I was about 80% sure when I heard it.
He had previously compiled court records, and some officials had tried to ask the emperor for a favor because their parents were ill and ordinary medical clinics could not cure them.
Ultimately, this all comes down to filial piety. The imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy are undoubtedly skilled, even if they aren't the most outstanding.
The emperor would usually agree.
"Will His Majesty agree?"
"Give it a try, Dad. The doctor told you to stay home and rest, so it's best if you just stay in bed."
"well."
Old Man Wen leaned against the headboard, not in a good mood. Even though the New Year was approaching, he couldn't get out of bed to eat New Year's Eve dinner this year.
Leqian returned on the 29th day of the Lunar New Year.
Wen Shi was writing a letter to Xiao Wu at the time, planning to have it delivered after the New Year. During those years, he was away from home, while his younger brother took care of their parents here, and he mostly reported good news and not bad.
Sometimes, there are things we are truly powerless to do.
"The doctor said that your grandfather will be fine for a while, but he will have to stay in bed."
After hearing what Yue Qian had said, he was taken aback, his feelings somewhat complicated.
To put it bluntly, if Old Man Wen were to pass away, his father would have to observe three years of mourning, and he would also have to observe one year of mourning. This is the way of filial piety.
If this delays the scientific expedition, then we really will have to wait another three years.
"No, just focus on your work."
Wen Shi seemed to have guessed his son's thoughts. Making him observe three years of mourning was not a big deal, after all, many officials would have to do this when they reached this age.
He won't be sent out again.
Old Man Wen is in good health. He just has difficulty walking in the future. He can't go out anymore, but he can still walk a few steps at home with someone's help.
The rewards received this year were more than last year's, and after Yingxiang counted them, she had them put into the storeroom.
On the afternoon of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Wen Shi called his brothers over and talked about family matters.
Firstly, he wanted to write a family genealogy, which was necessary.
Secondly, there are matters concerning my hometown.
"Third brother, we're all in the capital now, is it really necessary to rebuild our old house?"
It's not good to talk too much during the New Year, but this matter can't be delayed. Besides, we have businesses in Beijing and property at home, so we'll have a way out in the future.
Wen Shi wanted everyone to contribute money, since that place was considered their ancestral home.
Old Man Wen has already stated that he should be given the courtyard in the village. Although it is not worth much, it would be good to repair it properly.
If my parents pass away in the future, I will definitely have to go back to handle the funeral arrangements.
“It’s necessary; that’s our ancestral home.”
He was very determined about this. He had even planned that after Leqian passed the exam the year he went back, he would have him go back and handle this matter personally.
I don't know if he has any memory of his hometown, but the second son and the eldest son's family have been back before, so he must be more familiar with it.
Then we can have the brothers work together to find someone to build a house, which would be more suitable after the exams.
Having already conceived of a plan, I decided to do it sooner rather than later.
He originally wanted to write back home and ask his uncles for help, but then he thought it might not be reliable. The house is for people to live in, and it wouldn't be worth it if someone had ulterior motives.
"Then I'll listen to you, third brother."
Wen Lao Er immediately spoke up.
As people get older, many think about their hometown, and he was no exception.
The eldest and fourth sons felt that this place was good, but who knows what the next life will be like? They felt they couldn't forget their roots.
"I have no objection. It's perfect. I'll let my younger child go back first."
The fourth son wasn't entirely in favor, but he wasn't opposed either; his youngest son was also of age to go back and take the exam.
"As for the family tree, third brother, are you planning to start writing it from Dad's generation?"
Previously, Wen Shi had rewritten the ancestral tablets for his ancestors.
“Starting from my great-grandfather’s generation.”
That was their father's father; that was the most appropriate thing to do.
“When they go back, I will give Leqian some money so that he can donate it to the village ancestral hall.”
"good."
Wen Shi paid for it himself, and no one else objected. It would also be more beneficial to his reputation.
"Let's do it that way then."
Brothers, even Wen Chuanzong wouldn't compete with Wen Shi now. The gap between him and his younger brother is too great. Besides, if their parents pass away and the brothers stop seeing each other, it won't do him any good.
A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm; Wen Chuanzong is not unaware of this.
Once the Lantern Festival was over, everyone went about their own business. Yingxiang started looking after the courtyard, and once everything was ready, she had people move all the things over.
This time, a three-year lease was signed first.
This gives her ample time to arrange manpower. After the teahouse closed, some people didn't leave and were temporarily settled in a farm in the suburbs. Now it's a good time to send them here.
This small shop facing the street is not small; the middle is quite spacious, and there are two other rooms in addition.
She had one of the rooms renovated, the door removed, and it turned into a tea room where tea and pastries could be sold.
In the other room, add more chairs so that some adults can rest.
"Bring me paper and pen."
Now that we've reached the final stage, Chunyu brought out paper and pen, and Yingxiang quickly began to write.
Children don't know what's important, so she had to write down some precautions in advance and post them on the door in red.
In addition, there are age restrictions.
Too big or too small won't work. It's hard to tell exactly, so measuring by height is convenient. You'll also need a ruler.
Wealthy families certainly wouldn't come; after it opened, it mainly attracted ordinary women with children to visit.
The small pond in the yard was usually filled with straw, and only during the hottest half-month of summer was some clean water added, and the water level could not exceed half of the pond.
We'll need to assign someone to keep a close watch on it, especially when there's water in the pool.
She checked the skateboards, climbing nets, swings, and the like repeatedly, making the servants who were overweight and taller try them several times to ensure safety, which was the most important thing. She also put out plenty of sandbags of all sizes.
By the tenth day of the third lunar month, everything was ready, spring was in full bloom, and the amusement park opened for business.
At first, Yingxiang assigned more than ten people to keep an eye on things inside, including checking at the entrance, collecting and keeping accounts, and especially guarding some blind spots.
When children are playing, you must keep a close eye on them and immediately stop any conflicts that arise.
She had made almost perfect preparations, taking into account everything that could be considered.
She sells pastries and tea. The pastries can be ordered directly from the pastry shop, and she can only make a small profit from the price difference. She also knows the supply channels for the tea, and she can just cooperate with the same people as before. Brewing tea is not difficult, and it is not any expensive tea.
In the beginning, for the purpose of publicity, Yingxiang had the main gate opened.
At first, it only attracted some children from the neighborhood to play. It cost ten coins to enter once, with no time limit, but if you left and wanted to enter again, you had to pay again.
After some children became addicted, word spread, and more and more people knew about it, leading to a booming business.
Of course, due to space constraints, the number of people must be controlled. Once the venue is full, one person can only enter after another leaves. Otherwise, it would be too crowded and cause trouble, and those people might not be able to keep up.
Those who can afford to live in the capital are not too poor, so this price can be considered very cheap.
Yingxiang couldn't possibly oversee everything herself, so she arranged for someone to keep an eye on things every day, recording the daily income so she could review the accounts later.
After the New Year, Wen Shi submitted a memorial, and the emperor indeed appointed an imperial physician to come.
After the consultation, the doctor said the same thing as other doctors: just rest and recover. Liu also took the opportunity to take his pulse. Old Man Wen felt that he could still live well for a while and gradually became less pessimistic.
In his heart, the imperial physicians in the palace were the best.
That day, after Yingxiang finished her work, she asked someone to pick many fresh flowers in the yard. She was pruning the flowers inside the house and had just finished arranging a vase when Chenchu came over.
Seeing the flowers that filled half the table and her mother-in-law standing there, Shen Chu curtsied respectfully.
“Mother, my daughter-in-law has a childhood friend who moved back to her hometown a few years ago. She is now engaged and will be getting married soon. She wants to invite my daughter-in-law to the wedding banquet and has sent the invitation in advance.”
Yingxiang was taken aback.
If it's within the capital city, it's convenient; but if it's outside the city, I don't know where.
She is currently in Quanzhou.
If I remember correctly, this place is quite far from the capital.
Shen Chu has always been very sensible. She's a married woman, so there's nothing to worry about when she attends her friend's wedding.
How long will it take?
Yingxiang asked.
"Three or four months, I guess."
If they weren't accompanying officials to their new posts, the officials' families wouldn't normally travel on official roads, so the journey would definitely take longer.
"I have no problem with that. You can go if you want. Just remember to bring enough people, be careful, and prepare gifts in advance."
Since they are good friends, I imagine that once Shen Chu arrives, her family will definitely treat her well.
Hearing this, Chen Chu breathed a sigh of relief. She had been somewhat worried, but she would always feel regretful if she didn't go.
Now that people have sent their invitations, and it's been a long time since we last met, it would be good to catch up.
Later, Yingxiang told Wenshi about it.
Wen Shi nodded and did not object. Normal social interactions are necessary. It may be a bit far, but in this peaceful and prosperous era, there is nothing to worry about.
We'll prepare the carriages and servants when the time comes; there won't be any problems, it'll just take some time.
With Yingxiang around, her daughter-in-law doesn't manage the household. Leqian is leaving the academy next year, and at the beginning of the year, he moved back to the academy. He rarely comes back on weekdays.
The daughter-in-law isn't troublesome either; she's been married into the family for about a year now, and she has a very good temperament.
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