Li Lao Er and Li Lao Si came out, smiling and bowing to greet him.
Mr. Peng quickly cupped his hands in congratulations, saying, "Congratulations, Your Excellency! With such an honor, your family will be even more prosperous, and your life will surely rise step by step."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Peng," Li Lao Er said with a smile, "It's all thanks to the Emperor's boundless grace and my elder brother's care that I have such an honor..."
As Li Laosi listened to the two exchanging pleasantries, he patted Jiaren on the shoulder and ruffled Lige'er's hair, instructing him, "There are many people in the family today, so take good care of yourselves."
Li Laosan and Zhao Yuru were overjoyed. In just a few days, how could their mother have become a titled noblewoman and their second brother have become the Earl of Zhongshan?!
"Fourth brother, what exactly happened? We rushed home as soon as we got the news, and we've been worried sick ever since," Li Laosan asked directly.
Li Laosi said a few words, and when he heard that his eldest brother had given the credit to his mother and second brother, Li Laosan's eyes also reddened.
He choked up and said, "Brother, why do you have to do this? We're brothers, why be so polite? Besides, he's suffered a lot over the years!"
Jiaren quickly advised, "Third Uncle, let's go inside first. There are many guests today. After closing the door tonight, we can have a good chat with our own family."
"Okay, okay!" Li Laosan quickly pulled Zhao Yuru along and followed Li Laosi inside.
Jiaren and Jiahuan each took Lige'er's hand on either side and followed him into the house to pay their respects.
Dozens of people filled the main room, which inevitably led to another lively scene.
After visiting her three grandsons, Grandma Li gave them a brief greeting and then sent them on their way, saying, "You're usually in Luo'an, and it's not easy for you to come back. Don't stay cooped up in the house, go out and have some fun."
Jiaren and the other two responded, but as soon as they turned around, Jiaren picked up the teapot and poured tea for the elders, while Jiahuan put on an apron and went to the kitchen to help.
Only Li Ge'er skipped and hopped off to find his younger brothers and sisters.
Everyone who saw this couldn't help but sigh with admiration; no wonder the Li family's life was becoming more and more prosperous.
All four sons were united and diligent. The eldest son, Li, was able to give up his hereditary title to his younger brother, while the second son stayed at home, was filial to his elders, and took care of his nephew.
Li Laosi risked his life to fight for his future and to protect his family from hardship.
Even the least outstanding Li Laosan was genuinely proud and happy for his brothers at this moment, and did not resent his eldest brother for not giving him the title.
Looking at the grandsons, Jiaren is gentle and polite, and has a great talent for studying; Jiahuan is diligent and kind; Jiayi is bold and brave; Jiaxi and Jiaan are filial and sensible; Lige is lively and smart; and Maoge is healthy and lovable.
Finally, there's Fu Niu'er, the little girl who is pampered in every way. Not only is she not spoiled or domineering at all, but she is also incredibly intelligent and loved by everyone.
As the old saying goes, life is about living. With such good children and grandchildren, how can the Li family not prosper and live a good life?
The group drank tea, chatted, and laughed, creating a lively atmosphere.
Soon, the village heads of Dahuaishu Village, Dawangzhuang Village, and Xiaowangzhuang Village also arrived with congratulatory gifts, and were led into the house by the village chief to pay their respects.
Although they didn't know the identities of the guests present, they could guess something just by looking at their demeanor.
After leaving the house, the village head of Dahuaishu Village pulled the village chief aside and asked, "Brother, who are these distinguished guests in this house?"
The village chief, also proud, replied smugly, "You all have sharp eyes, actually recognizing him as an important person. That old gentleman is a Grand Secretary of the current dynasty and the head of the Liu family in the city."
"There is also a teacher from Luo'an Academy, who is related to the Li family by marriage. Jia Huan from the third branch of the family is going to marry the daughter of this teacher's family. As for the others, you have already met the Marquis and Imperial Censor Wen."
The village head of Dahuaishu Village grinned upon hearing this, and the village heads of Dawangzhuang and Xiaowangzhuang also subconsciously bent their backs slightly.
The village chief laughed heartily, patted them on the shoulder, and comforted them, "Don't be shy. Now all three of your villages are the fiefdoms of the princess, and you are her subjects. Wherever you go, people will look at you with more respect."
"Oh yeah, we'd forgotten about that," the three said in unison, then straightened their backs again.
"The princess doesn't collect taxes, and she doesn't assign us any work. We always forget about the fiefdom," joked the villagers of Big Locust Tree. "Next time there's work, brother, be sure to remind the princess. We're still good laborers here!"
The other two village heads also quickly expressed their determination, vying for the job.
Of course, the work is tiring, but they want a better life even more!
Look at the new village now, every family is well-fed and clothed and is becoming more and more prosperous. They can't help but envy it even in their sleep.
Just then, Jiayin ran in from outside the gate, followed by Shuiling.
The three village heads were about to kneel down and pay their respects, but the village chief stopped them.
Seeing four old men standing in a row, staring at her expectantly, Jiayin was puzzled, so she called out, "Grandpa Village Chief!"
The village chief quickly bent down and patted her head, replying with a smile, "It's alright, it's alright. Are you hungry, Fu Niu'er? Come inside, dinner will be ready soon."
Jiayin nodded and ran into the house with her chubby little legs.
The three village heads were so envious; they probably wouldn't dare touch the princess's head for the rest of their lives...
With Jia Huan's help in the kitchen, Tao Hongying was much more relaxed, cooking while exchanging tips with her nephew.
Today, seeing that the live fish was quite fresh, she made a boiled fish dish.
The snow-white slices of meat, sprinkled with red chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and drizzled with hot oil, instantly release an aroma that makes everyone's mouths water uncontrollably.
Soon, tables and chairs were set out, and everyone took their seats. Dishes and drinks were served one after another.
This brightly colored and uniquely flavored boiled fish naturally attracted everyone's attention and curiosity.
At the main table sat Lord Hou, Li Zhensheng, Li Lao Er, Mr. Peng, Mr. Wen, Old Master Liu, Doctor Zhang, the old village chief, Liu the镖头 (bodyguard), and Uncle Zhao.
The old village chief and Uncle Zhao were a little reserved, after all, they were the lowest in status among everyone at the table.
But Li Lao Er personally poured wine for the two of them and introduced them to Grandpa Liu and Mr. Peng, saying, "These are the pillars of our village, Village Chief Uncle Wu and Uncle Zhao."
"When my two uncles were young, they guarded the border in the frontier. After being wounded, they retired to Junyang County. When our whole family came from the north and first settled down, they took good care of us."
"Later, when the capital was moved, my two uncles protected our whole family and fellow villagers, fighting off wolves and bandits all the way out of the mountains. We owe our good life to these two uncles, and we have always respected them as our elders!"
These words were somewhat exaggerated, but they were also a message to everyone: the village chief and Uncle Zhao should not be slighted. If you want to respect the Li family, you must respect them!
Old Master Liu is a shrewd man, how could he not understand? He smiled and said, "I had heard Jinrou mention a few things before. She was able to come to Xindu thanks to the help of the villagers."
"Who would have thought that I would have the opportunity to drink with you two old brothers today? Jinrou's father has passed away, so as his uncle, I must offer you two a proper toast!"
Mr. Peng also bowed respectfully, saying, "Leaving aside the fact that you two elders shed blood and sacrificed your lives to protect the peace of Tianwu back then, the magnificent scenery of Suijintan today owes a great deal to you two elders. I would also like to offer you a toast!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com