Some people have a jade pendant, some have a thumb ring; they are all small accessories.
But given their age and status, how could the accessories they wear when they go out be substandard? They are all top-quality.
I dare not refuse the gift from the elder.
Jiayin accepted this generous gift openly, with a clear conscience, and was all smiles.
Seeing her bright, sparkling eyes, the old men were so happy they were practically wagging their tails; they couldn't help but laugh heartily.
An old man chuckled, "This little girl is good! She's greedy for money, but she'll be a great homemaker when she grows up!"
Liu Zhiheng led Jiayin aside and asked, "Fu Niu'er, didn't you bring your uncle a congratulatory gift? What's it? Show it to your uncle!"
"Great!" Jiayin, having made a fortune and feeling that she had recouped her investment, waved happily to Dongmei.
Dongmei stepped forward, carefully put down what she was carrying, and then removed the basket covering it.
The others didn't pay much attention at first, after all, what a little girl considers good might not be good in their eyes.
To their surprise, a potted plant was revealed under the basket, startling them all to stand up.
"Oh dear, it seems to be the autumn examination results!"
"It's the Autumn Rankings, no doubt about it!"
Everyone swarmed forward, praising the graceful orchid before them.
This orchid has lush green leaves, full of vitality, with five or six flower stalks extending from the center, and each flower stalk has seven or eight flower buds.
Some flower buds have already bloomed, while others are shyly half-hidden.
The ivory-colored petals, like silk, have a very high texture.
Bending down to take a sniff, the fragrance of flowers permeates the heart and soul.
"Beautiful flowers, truly rare and beautiful flowers!"
The old men were extremely fond of it and wished they could keep the orchid in their sight and take it home as soon as possible.
Grandpa Liu was also very fond of it. Fearing that everyone might accidentally damage the orchid, he quickly stopped everyone from going forward and asked someone to bring a low table so that the flowerpot could be placed steadily on it.
An old man with a white beard, who was particularly fond of orchids, circled the table several times before finally speaking up, "Brother Liu, could you let me have these orchids? I'm willing to pay a thousand taels of silver!"
Before Old Master Liu could respond, another old man objected, saying, "What are you saying? How can such an elegant gentleman among flowers be bought with silver? It's so vulgar."
"Well then, I have a pot of Cymbidium goeringii! Brother Liu, how about we exchange two for one?"
Unfortunately, Old Master Liu refused to budge, waving his hand repeatedly, "No, nothing can be exchanged. My son Zhiheng is a good-for-nothing, he failed his studies and the imperial examinations, but now, at the end of autumn, he has been awarded the title of fourth-rank official, which can be considered as achieving success in the imperial examinations."
"This Cymbidium goeringii is named Qiubang, which is perfect for today's auspicious occasion. We must take good care of it at home; no one can take it away!"
The old men knew this principle, but they were still eager to try it and couldn't resist the urge.
What scholar doesn't love flowers, especially orchids, which are highly regarded by everyone?
Although this Cymbidium goeringii is not of the best variety, it is well-cultivated.
Generally, it's considered good if the autumn chrysanthemum has two or three flower stalks and three or four flower buds.
But this one doubled in size, growing lush and vibrant, which is truly rare.
Unable to persuade Old Master Liu, the old men turned to the Li family.
An old man pressed on, "Uncle Li, do you have any more such beautiful flowers at home? Are you willing to part with them?"
Li Lao Er was holding his little niece and feeding her water when he heard this and said, "To be honest, old man, we bought two pots of orchids. One of them was brought here to congratulate Brother Liu, and the other one is for another purpose."
Before he could finish speaking, the old men became anxious.
Another old man with a white beard eagerly set his terms, "Oh dear, don't use it for anything else, just transfer it to us quickly! You can have whatever money you want, or even a rare antique painting, it's all negotiable!"
Li Lao Er and Li Zhensheng didn't dare to say anything more, but Jiayin took a piece of pastry and nibbled on it, swinging her legs and saying in a clear voice, "No, no! The other pot of flowers is to be given to my eldest brother. My eldest brother's teacher is good to him and teaches him to write. My eldest brother wants to give his teacher some flowers."
The old men were completely confused, so Li Lao Er explained: "My son has been writing with his left hand because his right hand was injured. A few days ago, he was introduced to Mr. Tang Yuan by my teacher and has been learning calligraphy under Mr. Tang's guidance."
“We have no way to repay your kindness. We heard that Mr. Tang is obsessed with orchids, so we found these two orchids. We brought one here and will send the other to Luo’an tomorrow.”
"Oh dear, so I guess I'm still benefiting from Mr. Tang's kindness." Liu Zhiheng chuckled, not angry at all, and said instead, "I'll bring the orchids to visit Mr. Tang another day and make friends through flowers."
"Get lost!" Old Master Liu laughed and scolded his son. "If anyone's going, it'll be me. You're just a good-for-nothing with no knowledge. Just focus on farming and don't let down the Emperor's great favor. As for socializing with flowers, that's a refined affair, I'll go!"
Liu Zhiheng was disliked by his father, but he didn't dare to say anything. He could only smile and touch his nose.
Everyone laughed, unable to help but envy the close relationship between the Liu father and son.
Just then, two small heads suddenly appeared at the doorway. It turned out to be Liu Zhiheng's two sons, Zhimin and Xiujie.
Grandpa Liu called them in, and the two boys obediently bowed to everyone. Zhimin said, "Grandpa, we heard that little sister Fu Niu'er is here, and we want to take her to play for a while."
The old man was pleased that his grandson was getting close to the Li family, so he said, "Go ahead. Fu Niu'er is still young, and Jia Huan and Jia Xi have gone to study in Luo'an and can't come over. Please take good care of Fu Niu'er."
"Understood, Grandpa," Zhimin and Xiujie replied in unison, bowing together.
Then, holding Jiayin's hands, one on each side, they went outside. The three children happily discussed what to get and play with, and their laughter could be heard from afar.
Grandpa Liu said, "After the New Year, I will also send Zhimin and Xiujie to Luo'an to study with Jia'an and Jiaxi."
Upon hearing this, the white-bearded old man who had been the most aggressive in snatching the flowers earlier asked, "Are all the children of the Earl's family studying in Luo'an?"
Li Zhensheng replied with a smile, "Yes, there are seven boys in our family. Five of them are in Luo'an now. Luo'an Academy has a rigorous teaching style, but it does not focus solely on the imperial examinations."
“We really enjoy teaching our children skills, etiquette, and interpersonal skills, so we send all our children there when they reach the appropriate age.”
Seven little lads!
The old men were all secretly amazed and quite envious.
The sons in their family all had many wives and concubines, but the family was not very large, let alone harmonious and loving.
Often, those who scheme and plot are even more adept than outsiders. If they could be like the Li family, their later years wouldn't be so stressful...
Leaving aside the old men talking in the study, let's talk about the backyard. When Madam Liu heard that her son had taken Jiayin to the garden, she smiled and said, "Don't let the children sit here with us. Let them go to the garden to play. While the weather is nice, they can enjoy the flowers and scenery. In a few days, when the weather gets cold, they won't be able to go out of the house."
The women almost all brought children with them, including boys as young as five or six and girls as young as seven or eight.
Since they had come all the way to the Liu family's house, they naturally hoped that their children would get along well with the two boys and that they would have the opportunity to visit each other often in the future.
So they all pushed their children out.
Madam Liu instructed her maids to take the children to the garden and care for them carefully.
We'll also share some of the fruits we just had, so the children can have something to eat when they get thirsty or hungry from playing.
What child doesn't love to play? They walked and ran, and soon arrived at the garden.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com