"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go home and discuss this in detail," Li Laosan suggested, and everyone realized there were many people around.
Especially Jiayin, who should be sealed off in the palace right now, if someone sees her, it will cause another small disturbance.
Jiaren invited Lu Zong, "Let's have dinner at the Earl's mansion before going home?"
Lu Zong is very shrewd and perceptive.
Everyone was exhausted by this point, and the Li family had a lot to say. It was really inconvenient for an outsider like him to go along, so he smiled and said, "No, I'll go home and rest for a couple of days. I'll invite you all to visit Brother Jia the day after tomorrow."
"Alright, just let me know if anything comes up." Jiaren didn't insist, nodded, and saw Lu Zong onto the Lu family carriage.
After the Lu family carriage left, the Li family members quickly returned to the Earl's mansion.
Li Lao Er and the Marquis were already waiting.
Wan'er prepared a delicious meal and stood on tiptoe at the second gate, peering out.
Upon seeing her husband, her first words were not to ask how the exam went, but rather, "How are you and your sixth brother feeling? Is there anything wrong with you? Should we ask Doctor Zhang to come and take your pulse?"
Jiaren held her hand and replied, "Don't worry, my sixth brother and I are just very tired, but otherwise we're fine."
Wan'er was relieved, and when she saw her sister-in-law behind her, she was even more delighted.
"Little sister, why did you leave the palace?!"
She grabbed her sister-in-law's arm and led her inside. "The palace has been unsealed. Did you sneak out? Won't you get into trouble if you go back? I made you a few spring clothes. Remember to take them with you when you leave."
Li Laosan, Li Laosi, and the others walked to the side, listening and watching, and were extremely satisfied with their nephew's wife.
These past few months, the old lady and others have been away from home. They originally thought that this niece-in-law would only need to take good care of Jiaren's food and clothing, but they never expected that she would handle everything at home and outside so well.
For a large family like the Li family, finding a good wife is enough to bring prosperity to the family for three generations!
Soon, they arrived at the main hall of the courtyard, where everyone took their seats and were served hot tea and snacks.
Jiaren and Lige ate a few pastries to fill their stomachs, and then had a cup of hot tea. They looked much better.
Li Lao Er asked about the exam questions and, after hearing from Jia Ren and Li Ge'er that he had answered them quite well, stopped worrying about it.
Everyone was most concerned about how Jiayin was doing in the palace. Although they knew that sealing off the palace was just a pretense, Jiayin had not come out for eight or nine days.
Jiayin knew her family was concerned, so she described her life in the palace in detail, mostly about eating, drinking, and having fun, but her family listened with great interest.
Jiayin said with a grin, "It wasn't easy for Brother Mu to sneak me out like this, so I'll stay a couple more days before going back. Besides, Zhilan Palace is sealed off, so no one dares to get close and won't notice I'm not here."
Everyone was naturally delighted, and Wan'er even said, "Find out two sets of your Seventh Brother's clothes later, and you can change into them. You won't be recognized when you go out shopping or go back to Broken Gold Beach."
“Great idea, I’ll listen to you, sister-in-law.” Jiayin leaned on her sister-in-law’s arm with a smile. “I haven’t been back to Suijintan for a long time. I heard that spring plowing has started, so I should go back and take a look.”
Jiaren also said, "I've been keeping this in mind too."
Li Ge'er even said, "It's still more reassuring to sleep in the old house. Why don't we go back today?"
Everyone couldn't help but laugh.
Li Laosi said, "You can go back if you want, I have to go back to the barracks."
Li Laosan also said, "I'm glad you all finished your exams smoothly. I should go back to the academy now."
Jiaren immediately replied, "Third Uncle, I'll write a letter to the Dean. Please take it back for me. He'll definitely remember it. I'll go back to visit him after the results are announced."
“Okay, it’s no trouble at all,” Li Laosan readily agreed.
Everyone acted immediately, and they were all excited to return to Suijintan after dinner.
Soon, the food was served, and everyone chatted and ate and drank, creating a lively atmosphere.
After the meal, Lord Hou and Li Laosi returned to the riverside camp together.
Li Laosan returned to the academy, Jia Huan stayed at the restaurant, and Li Laoer took charge of the Earl's mansion.
The rest of the family, including Jiaren, his wife, children, younger brother, and younger sister, returned to Suijintan.
It is springtime, a time when all things come to life, orioles fly and grasses grow, and a gentle breeze is warm—the best season of the year.
Jiayin changed into men's clothing and squeezed onto the carriage shaft with Lige'er, chatting and laughing, their faces full of joy.
Mu Xu flicked his riding whip, gently patting the horse's back. Listening to the siblings bickering, he couldn't help but smile as well.
The village chief and the men, young and old, were working hard, even the women and children had gone to the fields.
The fruit trees on the mountain need to be tended, weeded, and fertilized.
The fields also need to be turned over and the soil loosened.
With piglets and chicks being added to the pigsties and chicken coops, and vegetables being harvested in large quantities at the vegetable sheds, everyone was so busy they wished they had eight hands.
The village chief was overjoyed to see the Li family return. He waved his pipe and came forward to greet them, recognizing Jiayin at first glance.
The village chief was startled and quickly asked, "Princess, is everything alright in the palace?"
Jiayin smiled and waved her hand, then whispered, "Grandpa Village Chief, nothing's wrong in the palace, but it's still sealed off. I missed home so much that I sneaked back to visit."
The village chief immediately called over a young boy and sent him around the village to spread the word, fearing that someone might be unaware of the situation and leak the news.
Jiaren jumped out of the car, and Jiayin and Lige'er also got out. The three siblings accompanied the village chief as they slowly walked into the village.
Ask the village chief about everyday matters along the way, and he'll talk on and on; he has so much to say!
Recently, almost all members of the Li family have been in the city, some on official business, some taking exams, and some entering the palace.
Although the villagers knew that the Li family would not give up Suijintan, they were still uneasy.
Especially with spring plowing just around the corner, the melon seedlings are all supplied by Princess Zhang Luo every year.
Now that the fields are almost finished being cleared, but there's still no sign of melon vines, everyone is naturally getting more anxious.
Jiayin quickly said, "Grandpa Village Chief, the melon seedlings are ready and will be delivered tonight, so we can plant them tomorrow."
The village chief was overjoyed and replied, "Really? It's not just in our village, but also in several other places like Big Locust Tree Village. It's not a small number if you add it all up."
With nothing to do in the palace, Jiayin had already cultivated the melon seedlings and was now patting her chest and taking full responsibility.
"Don't worry, Grandpa Village Chief, there will definitely be enough to plant."
The village chief breathed a sigh of relief, his smile deepening the wrinkles on his face. "That's good, that's good."
Upon arriving at the old house, the village chief inquired about Quanzhou to the south.
I heard that Liu Yang and Jia Yi are married, and Jia Xi also has a wife and children. They will be returning with the fleet in half a month. The village chief is even more relieved and is clamoring to go and see the envoys going to the capital.
Jiaren readily agreed, saying that he would not only bring the village chief, but also Uncle Zhao and the others, to join in the fun.
The village chief turned back to the fields, satisfied, and continued his work.
Wan'er and Jiayin were busy tidying up the old house and the princess's mansion. When they finally had some free time, Jiaren and Lige'er had already fallen asleep.
Returning to the place where they grew up made them feel extremely at ease, and they couldn't resist the invitation of the Duke of Zhou (a figure in Chinese mythology associated with dreams) to play chess in their dreams.
Two days passed in a flash. The melon seedlings in the village were planted, and it was time for Jiayin to return to the palace.
She was truly reluctant to leave, but she couldn't keep it a secret from the palace for much longer.
So, as night fell, she secretly slipped back into the palace with Mu Xu.
Today's update is here!
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