Chapter 782 Old Zhao's Family Returns to Dahe Town
The grand banquet for the top scholar has come to a lively end.
The gifts received couldn't fit in one storeroom, so they were all piled up in the yard. Granny Qi and Yan Hong didn't finish counting them until late at night.
The next morning, the Zhao family prepared to go home.
I came to the capital for two things: Shen Zheng's wedding and Zhao Sidan's imperial examination. Now that both things have been successfully completed, it's time to go back.
With this back and forth, the family business was suspended for more than a month, and they had to ask relatives for help with the work in the fields. The two elderly people had been missing their home for a long time.
"I received too many congratulatory gifts yesterday, and I don't need any of these. Parents, please take them all back." Cheng Wanwan had several large trunks brought out. "These are some fabrics, these are the Four Treasures of the Study, and here are some gold, silver, and jade artifacts. You can take them back for your own use or give them away."
Grandma Zhao glanced at them and immediately waved her hand: "These are all too precious and not suitable for a farming family like ours. We'll save them for when Sidan gets married."
“They’ve all gone bad from being kept here.” Cheng Wanwan said, both amused and exasperated. “Dad’s birthday is in a few months, and I probably won’t be able to make it back. Consider these as a birthday gift for Dad. Second Uncle and Third Uncle, please help carry them onto the carriage.”
"Aunt Zhao, could you please help me take some things back with me?" Lu Yingxue had someone carry out a trunk. "Jiaojiao won't be going back with you this time. She'll stay in the capital and I'll take care of her and her brother. I'm worried about Old Yu being alone at home, so I bought clothes for all four seasons, shoes, and lots and lots of books. Thank you for your help, Aunt Zhao."
She had been away for half a year and actually missed her husband, but her son was too young, and she was worried about leaving him alone in Beijing. She would stay with him for as long as she could.
Cheng Wanwan asked people to help pack things. All sorts of local specialties filled four or five carriages. The group walked ahead while the carriages followed behind, heading towards the dock outside the capital.
Upon arriving at the dock, the melancholy of parting immediately overwhelmed me.
"Grandpa, Grandma..." Zhao Sidan's face was full of reluctance, "I will hardly be able to go back to Dahe Town in the future, I don't want you to leave at all..."
Once you become an official, you're no longer a free person. The longest vacation you get is half a month during the Lunar New Year, but that's not enough for a round trip... If you want to go back to Dahe Town in the future, unless you're on official assignment, you can forget about it for the rest of your life.
"We'll come again when you get married next time!" Old Man Zhao waved his hand. "But you can't get married too late, or your grandma and I, these old bones, won't be able to make it."
Zhao Sanniu said unhappily, "Then my grandparents won't come to my wedding?"
"You little rascal!" Old Mrs. Zhao glared at him. "You're the most heartless one in the whole family. You haven't been back for three or four years, and you don't even think about going back once."
“Master said he would escort Mother back to Dahe Town, so I’ll volunteer to go too,” Zhao Sanniu said with a grin. “Grandma, please help me find a wife quickly. When we go back, we can hold the wedding right here in the village, okay?”
Sun patted her chest and said, "Don't worry, leave this to your third aunt. I'll definitely find you a beautiful wife."
“Mom, don’t worry about me at home.” Zhao Dashan said calmly, “I will write to you and tell you anything that happens in the village, so don’t worry about me.”
Zhao Ergou added, "I'll handle all the business matters. Mother just needs to check the accounts once a month."
Wu Huiniang smiled and said, "I'm taking care of the children at home, and I've also taken care of some household chores. Mother, please stay in the capital with peace of mind."
Cao Yingying also said a few words with reluctance.
Little Zhuzhu and Chenchen reached out to Cheng Wanwan for a hug for a while. When the two little ones knew they had to part, their eyes welled up with tears.
The group seemed to have endless things to say, and it wasn't until the horn sounded to signal the start of the boat that the Zhao family members reluctantly boarded the ship.
Cheng Wanwan stood on the shore waving and called out loudly, "Dad, Mom, be careful on the road..."
"You all need to be careful in the capital!" Old Mrs. Zhao roared, her voice booming. "At least three letters a month, do you hear me?"
"I heard you, I heard you!" Cheng Wanwan sniffed. "Take care of yourselves, and wait for me to come back!"
The large ship slowly sailed away, gradually disappearing into the horizon, becoming a black dot, and then nothing at all.
Cheng Wanwan looked at her two sons, one on each side, both grown men, and at that moment, she couldn't help but tear up.
In this era, transportation is extremely inconvenient. We don't know when we'll meet again after this parting, and it makes me very sad just thinking about it.
Behind her were the Yu family mother and her two sons, Cheng Zhao and his wife, He Xiao, the Shen family, and Li Haoyang, the third young master of the Li family, who had come to see her off.
"Let's go back," Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. "We'll get together again when Sidan gets married next time. Cherish the time we're together, and don't be sad when we part. Just keep living your life as it is."
Lu Yingxue asked gossipily, "Fourth Egg, tell your teacher's wife what kind of girl you like, and your teacher's wife will keep an eye out for you."
"Teacher's wife should keep an eye out for Brother Yu." Zhao Sidan's face was slightly red. "Brother Yu is a few months older than me, so he will definitely get married first."
This made perfect sense, and Lu Yingxue immediately set her sights on her son.
Yu Zhan felt a chill run down his spine and immediately said, "Jing Si, let's go for a walk in the street and buy some things. Let's go."
Shen Zheng raised his hand: "Wait for me, I'll come too."
Although Shen Zheng was only a fourth-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), he was still a protégé of the emperor. With his father holding an official position in the court, his career path was not too difficult. If nothing unexpected happened, he should be able to stay in the capital, although his official position would not be too high.
Yu Zhan was a second-class Jinshi, ranking higher. On the day of the palace examination, he was appointed as a minor official of the eighth rank in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, which could be considered as a close minister of the emperor.
The three of them walked arm in arm toward the street.
Li Haoyang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Madam Sui, this junior will take his leave now."
"If you are free tomorrow, you can come to my residence," Cheng Wanwan said. "Master Dongliu has published several new collections of exam questions, which are not yet printed and available for sale. You can make a copy and take a look."
Li Haoyang was startled.
Dongliu Jushi, isn't that the master behind the Reading Pavilion?
Every month, Dongliu Jushi would publish a book of exam questions. As soon as it hit the market, it would be sold out in less than half an hour. He really couldn't get his hands on one.
It is said that Dongliu Jushi was good at analyzing exam questions, and many of his questions matched the questions in this year's imperial examination. Some candidates got the points without much effort, and for a time, the name Dongliu Jushi became a legend in the capital's social circles.
He knew that Dongliu Jushi and Madam Sui knew each other, but he never thought of using this relationship to get the exercise book. However, he did not expect that Madam Sui would take the initiative to bring it up.
Lu Yingxue immediately said, "These books still need to be reviewed by Sister Wanwan before they can be printed. They will be available in about four or five months. You will be able to study the test questions four or five months earlier than others, so you can score a few more points."
She knew why Wanwan did this. First, Li Haoyang was Donghua's fiancé, so they were considered family. Second, Wanwan's branch of the family had been promoted by the emperor, but there were still too few family members serving as officials in the court. If they wanted their power to be stable and lasting, they had to cultivate their own power.
With such a promising talent as Li Haoyang, it's natural to provide resources to help him quickly become a member of the organization.
Li Haoyang was deeply moved: "This junior will certainly live up to Madam Sui's expectations and will strive to do my best..."
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