"Oh... Madam Tang, it's a happy event, a big happy event, hurry up and burn the incense and receive the imperial edict!" A bailiff reminded loudly.
Tang Youyou was stunned. An imperial decree? So sudden?
Master Lin coughed twice and asked, "Are you stupid?"
Tang Youyou reacted instantly and quickly welcomed the person into the hall.
The leading eunuch waved his hand and said, "Hurry up and take a shower and change your clothes. No need to say more!"
He almost vomited after rushing here. He didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place for a moment.
He looked around the house and exclaimed in amazement: There is actually something special inside this adobe house. This woman really knows how to enjoy herself!
Although the furniture is not expensive, it has everything it needs. There are also wintersweet flowers in the house, which is quite elegant!
At this time, many villagers had gathered outside the yard. The officers and soldiers did not drive them away because everyone was too tired to say a word.
"Why are there so many soldiers? Why is there no sound inside?"
"Sir, what on earth happened?"
Everyone was extremely anxious, and the village chief stuffed a few taels of silver into the pockets of the people.
"Sir, our village is law-abiding, and Madam Tang and her family are very kind. Could there be any misunderstanding?"
"Don't be nervous, it's a good thing, a great joy!"
Everyone felt relieved after hearing this.
A voice came from inside the house:
"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims:
The country is the foundation, and the people are the basis! Today, the Tang family of Xiangyang Village has offered suggestions to save the people from dire straits. I am deeply pleased and specially commend them!
Tang's eldest son, Bai Ruoyi, was appointed the eighth-rank agricultural official, responsible for grain reserve management! Tang Youyou was appointed the seventh-rank lady!
A plaque with the words "A Family of Good Deeds" was specially awarded to them. In addition, one hundred taels of gold and ten pieces of silk were given to them to honor their contributions.
I hope that you will work harder in the future, uphold your original aspirations, be loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and never forget my trust and the expectations of the country. I decree this!"
"Long live our emperor!" everyone shouted.
Tang Youyou's heart was filled with excitement. This emperor was too generous to leave this imperial edict to her.
He took the imperial edict with both hands.
"Our family has served two emperors, and you are the first one to obtain this imperial edict through your own efforts!" Eunuch Su smiled with wrinkles on his face.
Tang Youyou raised her eyebrows. That's right. She had even fought for an official position for her son. Although it was insignificant, it was still very prestigious.
Why is this father-in-law different from the one on TV? Besides having no beard, he doesn’t raise his index finger like an orchid, and his voice is not as feminine as imagined. It’s just a little shrill. And this father-in-law is so serious!
"Ahem... Eunuch, you're too kind. The weather is cold and you've been exhausted from the journey. Please rest for a while while I prepare the banquet..."
Eunuch Su waved his hand: "No need, my family has important matters to attend to in Qingshui County!"
Having said this, he left with the officers and soldiers.
Tang Youyou: I don't even have the chance to give away this banknote.
The villagers filed in, all beaming with joy, and then knelt one after another: "Greetings to the young lady, and to the chief clerk Bai!"
Bai Ruoyi was at a loss as to what to do and quickly went over to help the man.
“Don’t…don’t do this!”
He was completely bewildered. Was he just relying on his mother's help? He actually got an official position for nothing. This felt like a dream, so unreal.
Tang Youyou shook her head helplessly, "Everyone, please stand up, but don't be alienated from me because of this imperial edict..."
"God bless us! Our village will be famous in the surrounding villages!"
"Oh my god, this is exactly like what they sing on the stage. It's incredible!"
"God, we now have two officials in our village. Let's see who dares to cause trouble in the future! Haha... I can also use the power of the tiger to bully others!"
The village chief angrily rebuked: "Don't talk nonsense! Because of them, we must behave ourselves and not bring shame to Xiangyang Village!"
Everyone nodded silently.
The village chief stroked his beard and said, "We have finally established a foothold in Nanzhou!"
One villager suddenly thought, "I heard there's a plaque. Let's see it!"
Bai Ruoyi carefully pulled off the red cloth, revealing the four big words "A Family of Good Deeds".
Some villagers approached cautiously, ready to touch it.
"Stop, this is a gift from the emperor, you can't touch it!" The village chief shouted loudly.
"Hey hey... is this... is this writing inlaid with gold foil?"
"Oh my god, this calligraphy couldn't have been written by the emperor himself, it's so beautiful!"
The village chief saw that everyone was getting closer and closer, so he quickly pushed the people away and said, "Alright, stop looking. If you look too much, you'll be beheaded."
He turned to look at Bai Ruoyi and said kindly, "Quick, put it away properly, don't bump into it!"
Tang Youyou raised an eyebrow. Is everyone so afraid of the emperor?
"No need, since it's a plaque, just hang it up!"
So, a platinum plaque bestowed by the emperor himself was hung on a mud-brick house.
Villagers: This house doesn’t deserve this plaque!
The village chief opened and closed his mouth, but he still didn't say anything.
He waved his hand and said, "Go and notify the elders to come to the meeting!"
"No need to notify, we are here!"
After a while, everyone was driven away by the village chief and sat in Tang Youyou's house to discuss matters.
"Tomorrow is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The day after tomorrow, the children must start studying!" The village chief said straight to the point.
An elder of the clan agreed, "We need to find someone with good cooking skills to prepare the teachers' meals."
"That's right. They came all the way to our village, we can't treat them unfairly!"
Tang Youyou raised an eyebrow. Is she only thinking about cooking for the Master?
"Everyone, I have an idea, but I don't know if I should tell you or not!"
"Niece, uh... just speak frankly!"
"Why not build a canteen so that the children can eat together? This will not only save time but also provide a few jobs for the village!"
"But the Master has to eat meat every day, and we can't let the children watch us, right?"
"Everyone, children are our future. Having a healthy body is essential! If they are successful in their studies but have poor health, how far can they go even if they embark on a career in government?"
“This…this…”
"Don't worry about it. We're currently in the spring plowing season, and the winter wheat we planted last year has just started growing, so we're not busy at all! I'll have another way to make money in a few days, so don't worry about money!"
When the elders heard this, their eyes lit up.
"It's not that I feel bad about that little bit of money, it's true that we are all stretched to the limit. The lady is right, good health is the capital, the most important thing. The children are still growing, so they must eat better."
After everyone left, only the village chief stayed.
"Village Chief, is there anything else?" Tang Youyou was a little confused. Why did the village chief look like he wanted to say something but hesitated?
"Niece, how about we raise money to build you a brick house?"
How can a young lady live in a mud house?
Tang Youyou chuckled, "Village Chief, raising money? I'm rich enough. Have you forgotten the one hundred taels of gold awarded by the emperor? This is enough to build a two-story house. But, I just like living in this adobe house!"
Village chief: Your hobby is really different from others!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
