Madam Liu advised, "Every family's boys are like this; you can't control them at all. Don't even mention Jia'an and Jiaxi; even my Zhimin and Xiujie are probably itching to go. Who knows what they're planning? They'll probably make a fuss and ask the family to let them go with us!"
"But the family won't go along with their wishes; it won't be possible until this time next year!"
“Yes, going out is different from being at home. They need to calm down and work on their patience,” Tao Hongying agreed.
Zhao Yuru sighed, "The children haven't even left yet, and I'm already starting to worry..."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh.
"There's no way around it, all mothers in the world feel the same way."
"No wonder there's an old saying: 'We can't leave our sons to raise; a doting mother spoils her child!'"
So, everyone sat under the grape trellis, chatting and laughing, enjoying the breeze, and it was quite relaxing.
The men in the front yard finally dispersed as the sun began to set.
Li Zhensheng and Li Lao Er got what they wanted, both getting so drunk they couldn't see their guests off.
Fortunately, although it was a grand banquet today, all the guests were family members, so no one complained.
Li Laosan, along with Jiaren and Lige'er, saw the guests off at the door, occasionally exchanging a few words of laughter with everyone.
After everyone had left, Jiaren and Lige subconsciously rubbed their faces.
My face is practically frozen from smiling so much...
Li Laosan patted his nephews on the shoulders with amusement, "Now that you're the ones who are bringing honor to our family, you'll gradually get used to these kinds of social engagements. You'll get used to it after a while."
Jiaren and Lige nodded. They were a little dizzy from being forced to drink a glass of wine, so they quickly went back to their rooms to sleep.
Soon, the yard and surrounding area were cleaned up, and the villagers all went back to rest.
The Li family courtyard had fallen into a quietude after its former prosperity.
Grandma Li was about to cuddle her granddaughter and lull her to sleep, but she started snoring first.
She was getting on in years, and she had been on tenterhooks ever since Jiaren and Lige took their exams. Now that everything was finally over, she could finally relax and couldn't help but feel tired.
Jiayin ate too much and her stomach was a little uncomfortable. She hadn't been back for a long time and couldn't fall asleep at all.
So she quietly got out of bed.
Shui Ling was dozing off in the outer room when she suddenly saw her young mistress and was startled. "Miss, where are you going?"
Jiayin thought for a moment and then asked, "Shuiling, do you want to go home? Go home tonight and come back tomorrow. It's a bit rushed, but at least you can go back and visit."
"Okay, okay!" Shui Ling nodded repeatedly, overjoyed.
But she remembered her business and asked, "Does Miss have any tasks for me?"
"Come on, let's go next door. You can't go home by yourself. It would be best if Uncle Dashan took you with him." Jiayin grabbed Shuiling's hand and headed straight for the next door.
When passing by the front yard, Zhao Yuru and Tao Hongying were talking under the eaves. Zhao Yuru simply asked them a question, and when she heard that they were going next door, she didn't stop them.
Dongmei was airing out the quilts. They had been gone for several days, and the quilts had been stored in a box. They had a faint smell of wear and tear, but after airing them out, they would become soft and smell of sunshine.
Ye Shan was doing carpentry work at the entrance of the side room, carving a wooden sword in his hand.
When the couple saw their young master approaching, they both stood up and went to greet him.
Jiayin pulled them under the eaves and told them about going to Zhengjiazhuang to select some men for her brothers.
Ye Shan and Dong Mei had discussed this matter privately before, and even if the young master hadn't come to give instructions today, they would have already started making arrangements.
Jiayin's requirements were simple: none of her brothers had servants or maids except for Jiaren, who had a servant named Gousheng.
Normally, the brothers would all gather together at the academy, so it didn't feel like anything special.
But if you're out and about in the future and there's no one to lend a hand, it won't work at all.
Especially this time, Jia'an and Jiaxi are going out.
Going out is always difficult, so it's always good to be prepared.
Although Li Ge'er and Mao Ge'er are both at the academy, we can't favor one over the other...
Therefore, we need seven people from Zhengjiazhuang this time.
Regardless of age, everyone must have practiced martial arts so they can protect themselves and their master.
For people like Li Ge'er and Mao Ge'er, it's best to find someone of similar age so they can grow up together, be more loyal in the future, and get along well.
Jia'an and Jiaxi are too impulsive. It would be best to find two more stable people who can offer advice and guidance when needed.
Jia Huan usually stays at the restaurant, doesn't go out, and doesn't read. He needs someone quiet, or someone with good knife skills, who might be able to help chop vegetables when things get busy.
As for Jiaren, it would be more reliable to add a slightly older attendant to his household, so that he can occasionally go out or handle some minor matters.
Finally, there's Jia Yi...
Let Uncle Dashan take him along.
After all, no matter how mysterious or powerful Zheng Family Village may be, it's not certain that any young man there will catch his eye...
All these complicated conditions are really troublesome.
But Ye Shan listened very carefully, and repeated it again to make sure there were no mistakes, then got up to go find Jia Yi.
Shui Ling also hurried back to pack her bags.
She and Shuiyun have saved up some wages and a few good pieces of material over the past few months.
In the Lord's house, they eat and dress well, so they hardly need these things.
Sending them back home this time to help support their families is also a way of letting them know that they are doing well and that they don't need to worry about them.
As the sky was ablaze with the colors of sunset, Ye Shan drove the carriage, carrying Shui Ling, while Jia Yi and Liu Yang rode alongside on horseback, and they set off for Zhengjiazhuang...
The next day at noon, Jiaren and Lige were dragged by Jia'an and the others to take a walk in the orchard. Surprisingly, Jia Huan did not go to the restaurant and stayed home to rest for the day.
The brothers found a lot of black-spotted vines in the orchard, picked bunches of them, and ate them until their mouths were covered in black, making them look like they had grown beards.
The lapel of his long gown was also covered with a dense cluster of cockleburs.
It was rare for Jiaren to be naughty with his younger brothers, and he was having a great time, but now he felt sorry for his clothes.
So he called his brothers to wash their hands by the stream outside the village and tidy their clothes while they were at it.
A few days ago, it rained, and the little river finally escaped the fate of drying up at any time. Although it is still a trickle, it is much better than before!
The boys had just washed the black stains off their mouths when they became restless, jumping into the river to have a water fight, digging sand to build a pond to catch fish, and playing wildly again.
Jiaren lay on a large rock on the shore, a straw hat over his face, drowsy from the sun.
At this moment, a horse-drawn carriage with two horses turned into the archway.
The boys, thinking guests had arrived, all jumped ashore and peered out.
Then Jiayi greeted them with a laugh, "While I was away, did you guys sneak some good food behind my back? Don't think I won't know just because you've washed your mouths!"
Jiaren and the others laughed, and Jiaxi, Jiaan, and Maoge'er stepped forward, shouting that they wanted to ride horses with their brother.
Jiayi and Liu Yang simply dismounted and gave their horses to their younger brothers.
Jiaxi and Jia'an rode one horse, and Lige and Maoge rode the other; the four of them were overjoyed.
Jiaren and Jiahuan also stepped forward to accompany their younger brothers on their walk home.
In no time, the group entered the village.
Before Jia An and Jia Xi could dismount, the carriage door opened and a number of people jumped down...
Served at midnight~~
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