"You're right, it's possible that Qingyun won't need his sister-in-law to worry about him anymore. This child is just like his elder brother, so it's clear that he's going to carry on his mantle."
"Is your sister-in-law also going to Beijing with Xu Hai?"
Yan Min, Liu Yun, and their two sisters-in-law also mingled among them, listening to the gossip.
"Sister-in-law, you don't know, our family has never been separated. Xu Hai isn't very meticulous, and if he didn't come along, he would probably get lost."
Cheng couldn't stop smiling; now that she was an official's wife, she was going to enjoy a life of luxury.
"Is the whole family going together?"
"yes."
Ms. Cheng was puzzled. How could she go by herself and leave the child unattended?
Yan Min sighed and spoke up as well, not to be discouraging.
“Sister-in-law, it’s very expensive in the capital. Houses are expensive, and they’re not as spacious as this place. Everything from firewood and rice to oil and salt costs money.”
Xu Hai is now an official, so you'll inevitably have to help him handle social obligations. There are countless officials in the capital, and their relationships are incredibly complex. If you're not careful, you might end up giving the wrong gift…”
Before Yan Min could finish speaking, Cheng's heart was already ice-cold.
She came from a farming family, and she was lucky to marry into the Li family.
She was so happy before, but now that she thinks about the expenses in the capital and the social obligations she has to maintain with the families of officials, she'll go crazy!
"So, sister-in-law, should I go or not?"
"Let Xu Hai take Qingyun there. You don't have to go yet. Brother Ming asked Eunuch He earlier, and it seems he might have to travel between various prefectures. He probably won't be able to stay in the capital for more than a year or two."
Even if you and the children go, you won't be of much help. It's better to stay here and wait until Xu Hai's situation stabilizes before the family reunites. You can also use this time to learn how to manage a household.”
Cheng listened attentively and remained silent, clearly deep in thought.
At night, in the fourth room of the Li family.
Li Xuhai was so excited he couldn't sleep, his mind filled with dreams of his new life ahead.
Cheng had calmed down after Yan Min had poured cold water on her earlier.
“…We’ll buy you a small house and give you two maids. You won’t have to do any heavy work anymore.”
Fortunately, they had invested silver in the soybeans earlier, so their family now had some capital.
"I'm not going to Kyoto."
"Oh, what? What? You're not going to Kyoto!"
"We won't go. You take Yun'er instead. I'll pack your luggage tomorrow night. Be careful on the journey and take good care of Yun'er."
"You don't want me anymore?"
“My younger brothers gave me money before, saying that we should be frugal on the road, and that we had money.”
Li Xuhai was puzzled and felt somewhat aggrieved.
"Pfft, that's not true. Sister-in-law Min is right. We don't have much wealth left. The consumption in the capital is too great. We can't handle it."
Besides, if you're constantly traveling for work, how can I possibly drag my family along with you?
“They gave it to us, and we have done our best for them over the years. It is their duty to repay us.”
As is natural, Cheng welcomed all the wives of her younger brothers into the family. The eldest brother is like a father, and the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother.
"You're really not going?"
"I'm really not going."
Cheng's tone was very firm. She was going to learn from Sister-in-law Min how to manage a household and become a qualified official's wife. Her daughter would learn together!
Li Xuhai sighed. He had heard that he might have to travel around, and he was too excited beforehand. He only thought about the good places to go and hadn't thought about anything else properly.
Cheng told Li Xuhai what Yan Min had said, and only then did he realize how much was going on.
The thought of parting from my family in just two days gradually calmed my burning heart, turning it into a little melancholy.
The next day was the Li family's grand sacrificial ceremony, and the workshops were given a few days off.
The Fang family from the county also came over.
The Li family paid for a three-day feast, and the Fang family helped with the arrangements.
Anyone who comes can eat directly; there's no need to bring gifts. The Li family doesn't mind those who come every day to freeload.
The grand ceremony was extremely solemn.
The Li family invited the county magistrate to recite the verses, first presenting the imperial edict, then the plaque bestowed by the emperor.
The magistrate was naturally willing to do such an honorable thing.
The sound of firecrackers resounded through the sky, and the neighborhood chiefs watching were so envious they were practically drooling.
Li Xuming and Li Qingyao recited a long list of names to commemorate their ancestors.
It took half an hour to recite all those ancestral achievements.
Everyone else listened standing up, except for Pan Jinhua, who sat down.
Without a doubt, Pan Jinhua was the greatest contributor to the Li family, and even created greater glory.
She sat there as if it were her right.
No one in the Li family had a word to say anything. Everyone in the family knew that the family's current success was all thanks to this old lady.
Moreover, the imperial plaque that the Li family now possesses is something that none of their ancestors had ever received. This is an achievement far surpassing that of their ancestors. If it weren't for their own crimes, the reward they would have received would certainly have been even greater.
Pan Jinhua was still unhappy, saying that her buttocks hurt from sitting so long and the smoke made her feel uncomfortable.
After the grand ancestral rites of the Li family, Li Xuhai, along with Li Qingyun, bid farewell to their family, left Shao County, and went to the capital.
Lin Pei also had an idea about who would supply tofu to the Li family. He planned to open a joint-venture tofu workshop in several relatively poor villages, specifically to supply tofu to the Li family.
The Li family had no reason to disagree; they were happy with whoever supplied the goods, as long as the quality and quantity were guaranteed.
Having received confirmation, Lin Pei left satisfied.
After three days of continuous feasting, the matter of renaming Shuxia Village to Lijia Village was brought up again.
The villagers gathered at the Li family's house, clamoring to change the village's name, and the Li family had no choice but to agree.
Therefore, Shuxia Village was officially renamed Lijia Village.
With money, fame, and the return to their commoner status, the Li family was finally able to leave the past behind and embrace a new life.
The matter of establishing a clan school was also put on the agenda.
The original Nanze Li family had a clan school, but members only studied for two or three years. Those who wanted to study could study, and those who didn't could simply give up, since they had other ways to make a living anyway. Without any promising young talents, the main branch of the family could only stand alone in the capital.
Having learned their lesson, the Li family naturally couldn't ignore it.
“The clan school must be established, but it cannot be like before; laziness in studying is unacceptable.”
“What my elder brother said is true. The clan school should be subdivided. After children begin their education, they should be divided into Class A, Class B, and Class C according to their learning progress.”
"Class A is for the imperial examination, Class C is for enlightenment, and Class B is in between. If you are not talented, you can learn culture and do something else early. If you are talented, you can be promoted to Class A."
"This class division system is not bad."
"Now that everything is going well, this old woman also has something to say. Exile was the lowest point for our family. From this day forward, I only hope that all our clansmen can go out and move up."
The Li family is establishing a clan school; our children are the future of our family. I agree with establishing a clan school. Everyone should search for talent from the county and the prefectural city; don't be stingy with money, talent is hard to come by.”
"That's natural; talented people are worth spending a lot of money on."
The problem is that people won't come, but if you pay enough, you can always find someone.
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