Aunt Wu nodded repeatedly, and said gratefully to Old Lady Li, "Sister, we've been blessed by your family. Dayong and Huiniang were both saved by your family, and in the end, we're the ones who benefited."
"Oh dear, sister-in-law, you can't say that! You two have taken such good care of these two children! Besides, Dayong said that our family is the husband's family, and your family is the wife's family. You see, both our families are the children's support, isn't that wonderful!" Old Mrs. Li said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, we've truly been rewarded for our good deeds!"
“Yes, yes!” Aunt Wu wiped away her tears, reached out and hugged the twins, giving one to Old Lady Li, and couldn’t help but show off, “Look how well these two children are growing up.”
Leaving aside the lively atmosphere inside, Hui Niang and Sister Liu brought several women from the village to cook. Tao Hongying and Zhao Yuru wanted to help, but they were pushed into the house to eat melon seeds and chat.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of food during the Lunar New Year, and it is easy to organize a banquet.
The food was ready quickly.
Dayong and Huiniang, holding their two children, kowtowed to the village chief and Aunt Wu, calling them father and mother.
Aunt Wu took off the silver bracelet from her wrist and put it on Hui Niang's wrist.
The mother and daughter embraced and wept bitterly. One now had a mother, and the other had a daughter to care for her in her old age and see her off in her final days.
Everyone quickly offered words of congratulations and encouragement.
The meal was enjoyed in a lively and cheerful manner, and by the time it got dark, the village chief was so drunk that his tongue was practically stiff.
He spoke of the hardships of his youth and his current happy life, tears streaming down his face.
After much persuasion, everyone finally settled him down to sleep in the west room. Li Yong stayed by his side, worried that the old man might need a drink of water during the night.
Hui Niang took the child and slept in the east room with Aunt Wu.
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Shuiyun and Shuiling returned home.
The two of them looked to be in good spirits and had gained weight, clearly indicating that they had been eating well at home.
They brought two sets of clothes and two pairs of shoes for Grandma Li and Jiayin, all of which were handmade by their mother.
Firstly, it was to show respect to the employer, and secondly, it was to express gratitude to the employer for treating the two young girls so well.
Since the two young girls returned home, they've been constantly mentioning Old Lady Li and Miss Li, saying it every now and then.
Judging from their clothing, food, and drink, they had absolutely not suffered any mistreatment or hardship.
What parent wouldn't be happy for their children to enjoy a good life!
Out of gratitude, he worked through the night to make these needlework pieces.
In addition, Shuiyun and Shuiling also brought Jiayin some of their family's specialty dishes.
One of the noodle-shaped fish dishes is particularly delicious.
It must be a batter with red bean paste added. It was poured into a mold and baked until golden brown on both sides. It tastes soft, sweet and fragrant.
Jiayin ate three in one go, which made Shuiyun and Shuiling very happy.
Of course, most importantly, two young men, Zheng He and Zheng Feng, also returned with them.
Zheng He and Zheng Feng are brothers, both in their twenties and already married.
Like Shuiyun and Shuiling, they were chosen to learn martial arts from a young age, but they also received some formal education.
This time, I'm here to serve at the Li family on the orders of the Marquis.
The Li family doesn't have many people at their disposal, only Ye Shan, who is sometimes overwhelmed with work.
From then on, the two brothers lived in the Ye family's courtyard and were available whenever they were called.
Coincidentally, on this very day, the head steward of the Marquis's mansion also came to the door, bringing with him the personal attendant that the Marquis had arranged for Li Lao Er.
This attendant was named Ye Tong. He was in his thirties, short and stout. He always spoke with a smile, appearing amiable, but the shrewdness in his eyes was undeniable.
When Old Lady Li heard that Ye Tong was familiar with the situation of various families in the capital and knew all the rules of the court, she wished she could worship Ye Tong!
Call her timid or cowardly, but as a mother, she really wished she could keep all her sons at Suijin Beach and not let any of them go out, just wanting them to live a peaceful life.
But there was no other way; the eldest son had to do business, the second son had to attend court, the third son had to take care of the children's education, and the youngest son had to go to war.
Her heart was so full of worry that she wished it could be divided into four pieces, each piece worrying about a different person.
What she worried about most was her second son, after all, in the imperial court, a single wrong word could lead to utter disaster.
With someone familiar with the court and knowledgeable about etiquette by her son's side, she and her whole family could feel at ease.
The head steward of the Marquis's mansion was asked to stay for lunch before returning to the city.
The Marquis has been frequently visiting the palace these past few days, so he stays at the Marquis's residence at night. He needs to keep a close eye on him, for fear that the servants won't serve him properly...
Thus, the Li family gained three more members.
Although they lived in the Ye family courtyard, Old Lady Li always felt that her own home was too small, and the construction of a second courtyard should be put on the agenda as soon as possible.
After dinner that evening, she gathered her children and grandchildren together to talk.
"The fifteenth of the month is just a few days away, and the weather will warm up. Let's prepare the materials early and build the backyard as soon as possible."
Grandma Li held her granddaughter and, seeing her granddaughter playing with her jade ruyi, worried that it might fall to the ground, turned her granddaughter to the side of the table and continued, "When the courtyard is built, I will move in with Hongying and Funiu'er, and then reserve the rooms for Lao San and his wife and Jia Huan and his wife. The front yard will be yours to do whatever you want with it."
Li Zhensheng and his brothers naturally had no objections. Li Zhensheng then said, "Mother, I didn't contribute to the construction of this courtyard when I wasn't home. Now that we've finally had the chance to expand it, I must contribute money to prepare the stone and timber."
Li Lao Er also chimed in, "Then I'll take care of finding people to build it."
Li Laosan and Li Laosi were about to speak when Li Zhensheng stopped them, saying, "Laosan, just take good care of the children. Laosi, you need to go to the military camp from time to time, so don't worry about home."
Li Lao Er chimed in, "Big brother is right. Let's arrange it like this for now. If we can't manage it all, we'll ask you guys to come back and lend a hand."
In other people's homes, building a house is a major event, and many families have even become enemies because of it.
But in the Li family, the four brothers made the decision in just a few words.
Grandma Li was gratified to hear this; having such a son, she truly had no other desires in life.
Jiayin also hugged the jade ruyi and smiled broadly.
Thinking that once the new courtyard is built, she will be able to live in her own room, which will make it more convenient for her to enter the space!
Before they knew it, it was the eighth day of the lunar new year, and the academy was about to start the new semester. Li Laosan and Zhao Yuru prepared to take the children back to Luo'an.
Grandma Li and Tao Hongying helped with the arrangements, loading large and small bags onto the carriage, as if they wanted to move their entire home there.
The mischievous boys were also reluctant to part.
They simply hadn't had enough fun yet; even Jiaren seemed a bit listless.
Everyone's dependence on home is innate. No matter how old or how far away, home is where the heart is.
Grandma Li sighed at the thought of her house becoming quiet and deserted, but the children's future was the most important thing!
She hugged each of her grandsons, then pushed them into the car, saying, "Study hard at the academy. On the second day of the second lunar month, Grandma will bring a big pig's head to visit you!"
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