Chapter 120 Jinjiang First Release Chapter 120 This County Magistrate's Family and...
Fang Dingman and Fang Wu were so excited that they couldn't sleep all night, and they didn't close their eyes until dawn. This resulted in the old couple oversleeping, a rare occurrence. When Yu Qinglong came out in the morning, the courtyard was quiet and deserted.
After a while, Yuan Sihan came out, very quietly. The two brothers smiled at each other, and Yuan Sihan pointed to the kitchen.
Yu Qinglong followed him, thinking about what to cook in the morning.
Although he is not the one who makes breakfast at home, he has learned everything he needs to. Now he can quickly make any dish, whether it is difficult or simple.
"Brother Yuan, what would you like to eat this morning? Porridge, some steamed vegetable dumplings, or some noodles? Or maybe some pancakes?"
"Make some porridge and some vegetable pancakes. If you don't eat the noodles quickly, they'll get clumpy," Yuan Sihan said. "I'll help you."
"Okay, let's wash our faces first, and you can help me pick some vegetables later."
The fire in the stove had long since gone out, but the water in the pot was still warm, just right for washing his face and brushing his teeth. After washing up, Yu Qinglong went to get some firewood and started the fire, while Yuan Sihan helped him pick onions and peel potatoes.
Yu Qinglong casually asked, "Why did you get up so early today?"
A short separation is better than a new marriage. He thought the couple would definitely get up late today.
Yuan Sihan glanced outside and saw no one had come, so he said, "I went to bed early last night. I heard from Brother Huan that they barely rested on the way back as quickly as possible. Besides, he wouldn't dare... so I slept enough. But you, why are you awake so early too?"
He was thinking that he could just take his time making breakfast this morning.
Yu Qinglong said, "I didn't have to take care of the child last night. He slept soundly. When I opened my eyes, it was still dark."
Seeing how much thinner Fang Shu had become, he hadn't really wanted him to watch over the children at night. But when he heard the children crying and about to wake up, Fang Shu held him down. Fang Shu told him to go to sleep, while he yawned as he changed the children's diapers and fed them. Although Fang Shu was exhausted, he seemed particularly happy to do these things. The smile on his face and the affection in his eyes couldn't be deceived, so he let him go.
The children can sleep well now, so it’s okay for Fang Shu to sleep a little longer.
Yuan Sihan said, "That's great. You're going to live in the county town too. We went to the county a few days ago and bought a house at the perfect time. I'm so happy just thinking about it. Otherwise, I wouldn't want to leave you if I went back, and I'm afraid of causing you trouble if I come here. Even though it's already added so much time."
As he spoke, Yuan Sihan felt a little embarrassed. In fact, his skin had become much thicker than before. Every time he was polite to Yu Qinglong, he would tell him that it was enough to be polite to outsiders, but not to him. Over time, he and Yu Qinglong had no reservations.
Yu Qinglong said, "God must have known that my son Shoucheng was going to be the magistrate, so someone just happened to make those houses available. I've made up my mind. I'll move over slowly after I finish cleaning up here. The autumn harvest is just over now, so there's nothing much to do here."
Fortunately, winter was about to come, and Fang Shu couldn't pick up stones or sticks anywhere, otherwise he would probably be even more depressed and not want to leave.
It's winter now, and maybe he won't be so reluctant to go to the county town.
Yuan Sihan washed the scallions and potatoes he had picked and cut up the pumpkin. As he cut, he said, "I was originally undecided about whether to give birth in Huaitong County or return to the provincial capital. Now I don't have to think about it anymore. I'll give birth here in the county. With you and Shuang'er here, I won't be afraid even if Huan's not home."
Yu Qinglong said, "Okay, I'll come and take care of you if you really need me. Anyway, Brother Hong didn't ask you to go back to the provincial capital, so it's not a bad idea to wait until everything is settled there before returning. Besides, what's the big deal if you never come back? Unless Brother Huan settles down in the capital one day and doesn't have to travel around, you can live in Huaitong County, and Shuang Ge'er and I will keep you company."
Yuan Sihan also felt that these were the happiest days of his life, happier than when he was little with his father. He didn't want to go back at all. Hong Huan had told him yesterday when he came back that even his father-in-law wouldn't tell him to go home, saying only that taking care of this baby was more important than anything else.
Then he won’t reply.
Yu Qinglong watched him grind the potatoes. He scooped a bowl and a half of flour into a porcelain bowl, beat a few eggs, added the potato flakes, and added some chopped green onions and cinnamon powder. He only added a little cinnamon powder, some fragrance to remove the fishy smell, and then added some salt and a little mushroom powder to enhance the flavor. He added some water and stirred it into a paste and set it aside.
Then he picked some millet and cooked pumpkin millet porridge. When the porridge was ready, he used soybean oil to stir the paste again to make it glutenous, and baked it until both sides were golden brown.
He also took out some of the pickled shredded radish and mixed in a head of kohlrabi, seasoning it with sesame oil and a little chili oil. He also mixed in a handful of soaked dried cucumber slices, while they were still crisp and chewy, before they were completely soaked.
Several side dishes, potato and scallion pancakes, and millet and pumpkin porridge.
When I was done, I went outside to look. Smoke was still coming out of my chimney, and in the distance, smoke was also coming out of many chimneys. There was no wind, and the smoke was slowly rising into the air, which was very peaceful to watch. The smell of fireworks really made people feel calm.
Yuan Sihan was pregnant and easily hungry, so Yu Qinglong didn't wait for anyone to wake up. The two of them sat at the small table in the kitchen and started eating. While they were eating, they heard the door open. Not long after, Hong Huan came over, washed up, and joined the group for dinner.
After a while, Yu Qinglong finished eating first and stood up: "You guys take your time eating, I'll go see if Fang Shuqi is up."
Yu Qinglong returned to the house and saw Fang Shu and the two children awake. More accurately, the children had woken up first and grabbed Fang Shu. The two little guys, though still unable to sit, were incredibly adept at rolling over. They'd now rolled over next to Fang Shu, crouching over him and trying to grab him.
Fang Shu was very patient in teasing them. Whenever the children tried to catch him, he would hide, or whenever he was caught, he would make faces, which made the children laugh.
Yu Qinglong said, "I'll watch. You go eat first."
Fang Shu sat up and carried Yang Yang to his brother's side. "When I was out there, I was always worried that they would forget me. I didn't expect that they still remembered me."
Yu Qinglong was speechless: "You are their father, even if you forget, you will always remember it again. Besides, you were with them before you left, so they should have been able to recognize voices by then."
The two little guys are very smart. Even though they can't speak yet, they are very sensitive to changes in the outside world.
Fang Shu couldn't get enough of it. He pinched and rubbed Yu Qinglong's body, then asked, "Are father and mother awake?"
Yu Qinglong said, "They're still asleep. They must have been too excited to sleep all night, so they just fell asleep this morning. I didn't call them because I didn't have anything else to do anyway."
Yu Qinglong dug out a set of clean clothes for Fang Shu from the closet and said, "So, are we only going to the county town to tell our relatives and friends?"
You can't just leave without saying anything.
If we follow other families' customs, we would probably have a grand banquet and the news would be spread hundreds of miles away.
Fang Shu said, "Just invite those of us who hang out together to have some fun. The autumn harvest is over, and everyone is at home. Let's just say that I passed the imperial examination, and don't talk about becoming a county magistrate for now."
Yu Qinglong also thought this was feasible and decided to ask his parents-in-law later. If it was possible, he would start preparing things during the day and invite everyone to his house tomorrow to have fun.
In fact, someone saw Fang Shu coming back yesterday, but they didn't dare to ask. It was also because Hong Huan was there at the time that those people didn't dare.
As for the Yu family, they also knew that Fang Shu had returned, but they thought that if there was good news, they would eventually know about it. If they didn't tell anyone, then it wouldn't be good news, and they couldn't ask about it, so they didn't come.
So when Fang Shu and Yu Qinglong went to fetch water, carrying their tightly wrapped children, most people thought Fang Shu had failed the exam. If he had passed, would he still be fetching water? He was a juren!
Yan Ermao said, "Mr. Fang, didn't you come here for nothing again?"
Ever since Yu Qinglong came, it has become completely impossible to occupy Li Zheng's house. Yan Ermao dislikes Fang Shu's family and hopes that they will be destroyed as soon as possible. There is a hint of gloating in his words.
Yu Qinglong knew exactly what the passerby was thinking, so he said with a smile, "My Fang Shu never goes out for nothing. My dear uncles and aunts, we're having a banquet at home tomorrow. Fang Shu has passed the imperial examination, and we invite everyone to come and have some fun."
Uncle Wang, who was also waiting in line to fetch water, slapped his thigh upon hearing this and said, "Oh, this is such a happy occasion! I always say, good people are always blessed by God!"
The others also congratulated him. Yan Ermao was holding his breath and asked suspiciously, "Is this true? Are you kidding us? You've passed the imperial examination and you're still fetching water yourself?"
Fang Shu said, "Which law stipulates that a scholar cannot carry water? I carry my own water to exercise my body. Is this strange?"
Uncle Wang said, "That's not surprising. I still remember two years ago, when you were guarding the city, you were skinny and emaciated, like a reed. But look at you now, you're much stronger. Isn't that a good thing?"
Fang Shu smiled and said, "My brother Long took good care of him. Uncle Wang, please come early tomorrow and I'll serve you the biggest pork elbow!"
Uncle Wang nodded repeatedly: "Great, great, this is really a great event. Oh, our village actually has a scholar!"
Someone said, "Fang Shu, you've really found a good husband. He brings you good luck. Look at you, this big fat boy, you've got two children at once, and now you've become a juren. Won't you become an official in the future?"
Uncle Wang said, "Yes, if you become a juren, can you become an official?"
Fang Shu said, "Yes. You'll know what kind of official you'll be in after a few days."
This made everyone around him feel even more shocked. Yan Ermao immediately regretted not falling. He could actually become an official! Then, by saying that just now, hadn't he offended others?!
The more Yan Ermao thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. He quickly fetched some water and went home, as he didn't want Fang Shu to see him again!
Yu Qinglong chuckled softly, then took the little stone from Fang Shu's arms and held it in his arms. He had carried the eldest brother out on his back, thinking that it would be convenient for him to take over later.
Originally, they didn't need to fetch water. The guards outside the gate fetched it multiple times a day, never using it all. But getting water from this well would be difficult in the future. Fang Shu and Yu Qinglong came over for a stroll. The sun was shining, so they took the children out for some fresh air.
Several dogs surrounded them, each one very clever.
Yu Qinglong planned to take them all away. After all, the house he bought had more than two acres of land, and the garden was big enough for these dogs to run around happily.
That day, the news that Fang Shu had passed the imperial examination and was going to be an official spread, and also reached Shangxi Village. Because they were going to invite Master and Second Aunt to dinner, both villages knew about it.
Ultimately, this was a great opportunity. Of course, some people wanted to take this opportunity to get close to Fang Shu, like Bai Wanqiu's father. But when he arrived, he discovered that Fang Shu's tablemate was Cao Zhenshou, along with several others he didn't recognize. The mere fact that Cao Zhenshou was wearing armor made him hesitate.
Sitting at the same table with Fang Shu were Hong Huan, Qin Wenxian, Ma Qinsui, and Yan Xikuan. Qin Wenxian and Cao Zhenshou had both come after hearing the news from Hong Huan.
There are guards outside, so no ordinary person dares to come closer.
This time, Yan Xikuan's sister also made her first appearance. Zhou Jianer and Wu Nan, the two sisters-in-law, got along very well with this Yan sister and chatted with her for a long time.
There is also my second aunt Ye Meihua and her family.
On the way here, Ye Meihua had thought about asking Fang Shu about her child's exam. Having failed this year, she was determined to make sure he passed next time, and wondered if Fang Shu could help. But Yu Qingxi refused.
Whenever the Fang family celebrated, Yu Qingxi always found time to chat with Fang Shu and Yan Xikuan. He gradually understood that these people were truly knowledgeable and well-informed. While they might appear unmotivated, they possessed a deep desire to govern the country. Ultimately, whether he passed the exam depended on him. He couldn't rely on connections or take shortcuts, otherwise, sooner or later, he would be unsuccessful. He had to study hard.
Seeing him like this, Fang Shu told Yu Qinglong that some of the books he had used could be given to his cousin to take away.
Yu Qinglong then took Yu Qingxi to the study and showed him half a box of books: "Brother Qingxi, you can take any that you think you can use."
Yu Qingxi was stunned. He'd only heard people say Fang Shu was smart, but he'd never imagined he'd read so many books. And even though they looked new, upon opening them, they all bore traces of previous reading, even quite a few annotations.
Books are not cheap. Just buying all these books together would cost at least dozens of taels of silver.
But these annotations made him even more delighted. He asked uncertainly, "Then, then can I take them all?"
Yu Qinglong smiled and said, "Of course you can. But after you take it away, I suggest that Brother Qingxi don't put all the books where you can see them as soon as you turn around. Otherwise, it will be difficult to read if they are too heavy. You can put one book nearby and concentrate on reading it before moving on to the next one. I think Fang Shu learned this way. He is very focused in everything he does."
Yu Qingxi said, "Very well, thank you, Long Ge'er. I will take good care of these books and make good use of them. Then I will not be polite to you two."
Yu Qinglong nodded and put a schoolbag and the latest model of pen holder into the box.
Yu Qingxi suddenly felt a little ashamed. He was only thankful that his mother had seen things clearly and had initially made friends with the first wife and alienated the third wife. Otherwise, how could this good opportunity have come to pass?
It turns out that people should spend more time with good people!
Yu Qingxi was overjoyed thinking about the book and told his mother about it. Ye Meihua was also very grateful. However, due to the large crowd, she only had time to thank Yu Qinglong properly when she left.
Yu Dayou and Zhou Yuehua were both happy and worried. They were happy because their youngest son was going to marry an official. They were worried because they were far away from him and would not be able to take care of him even if they wanted to.
Yu Qingye smiled and said, "Hey, Father, don't worry. Think about it, it's not us who are taking care of my younger brother right now, it's him who's taking care of us more. He'll definitely be fine, we just need to avoid causing him any trouble."
Yu Qinglong also laughed: "My second brother really understands me. Don't worry, Father, I will come back often when I have time. You can also go to the county to live for a while. There is no work in the fields in winter, so it won't hurt to go out for a walk."
Zhou Yuehua patted her youngest son's head and said, "You always made me worry in the past. Now you have achieved great success."
Yu Dayou smiled and said, "I've never been to the county town. Once you and Shoucheng are settled, I'll take your father to see it."
Yu Qinglong nodded: "Okay, then it's settled."
Zhou Yuehua was reluctant to let him go, and her eyes were red. Zhou Jianer comforted him, "Don't be sad, Dad. My little brother is getting better and better now. This is such a good thing. Although we can't see each other every day, as long as he is doing well, that's better than anything else."
Bai Wanqiu also hugged Zhou Yuehua: "Sister-in-law is right, don't be sad anymore."
Zhou Yuehua smiled and said, "Okay, I'm not sad."
Yu Qinglong stood at the door, watching his parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law leave, feeling a little reluctant. But then he thought, no one can be together forever.
That evening he began packing. He and Fang Shu had agreed to leave in five days. He didn't need to take furniture or anything else, just clothes, books, and some money.
They will come back to live here in the future. When they are not around, they can be taken care of by Brother Fangshan's family.
The night before departure, Yu Qinglong and Fang Shu left their child in the care of their elders and went to Yu's house.
He seemed to be bringing them food, but in fact he brought something else as well.
He opened the box when he and his parents were the only ones in the room, and left Zhou Yuehua fifty taels of silver in cash and five ten-tael silver notes, a total of one hundred taels of silver.
Zhou Yuehua was extremely surprised: "W-Where did you get so much money from?"
Yu Qinglong made a gesture to silence him: "Father, Dad, listen to me. This money was earned by Shoucheng and I, and Shoucheng also agreed to use it to honor you. In the future, my son will not live here, and I am afraid that if something happens, you will be short of money. Take this money for emergencies, and we will feel at ease whether there is a disaster or not. But I didn't tell my eldest and second brothers, and you don't have to give it to them. I found a lot of work for my second brother this year, and he has enough money. I also left some things for my sister-in-law on my eldest brother's side, so you don't have to worry about it. Take this money, buy whatever you want to eat, buy more clothes when it's cold, and subcontract the work you don't want to do, so you can enjoy more in the future."
One hundred taels of silver would have been enough for his family to eat and use for twenty years. Yu Dayou and Zhou Yuehua couldn't believe it. They had never seen so much silver in their lives.
Zhou Yuehua asked, "Do you have a place to live in the county? It will cost a lot of money to move to a new place, so why don't you take the money with you. Father and Dad are not short of money right now."
Yu Qinglong said, "No need. Everything over there is almost ready. We have a place to stay."
Only then did Zhou Yuehua keep the money.
The next morning, Yu Qinglong set out at dawn. He brought his two puppies, all his dogs, and his entire family, along with Yuan Sihan and his wife, to the county town.
Even the chickens, ducks, geese, and wild geese were included. Only the cattle and sheep remained. The key was that three cows were too many. Taking Salted Egg Yolk with him wouldn't be much for Salted Egg Yolk over there. But if he only took Big Cloud, what would happen to its children?! Not to mention his second brother's children needed milk, which was the most important thing. And the sheep were more convenient to graze here.
Anyway, Yangyang and Xiaoshitou are almost half a year old and can eat some complementary foods. Besides, fresh milk is easy to buy in the county town, so I don’t need to bring them with me.
When the news reached the county town, the yamen runners knew that the new magistrate would be arriving today, so they began to prepare early in the morning.
They were looking forward to Fang Shu and Yu Qinglong's visit. They had dealt with them before and knew they were both easy to get along with.
What no one expected was that when the magistrate came, he not only brought his family members, but also brought his livestock and poultry.
This is really... astonishing!
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Author's words: Fang Shu: Who cares what others think! If my brother Long wants to raise a child, then let him raise one [laughing]
Qinglong: I really need to think about how to do this. I've already done everything but forgot about the chicken, duck, and goose houses [covering my face with laughter and tears]
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