Chapter 121 Jinjiang First Release Chapter 121 You are the only one who understands the world best...
Yu Qinglong had also visited Magistrate Ma's home. While it wasn't particularly large, it exuded an air of majesty, a sign that a family member held official positions. However, he and Fang Shu didn't want that. It was better to raise children happily. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have more small animals at home, giving them more to see and play with.
The new home covers over two mu (approximately 1.5 acres) of land, with a large courtyard and two large gardens. Yu Qinglong plans to turn one of the gardens into a "small farm," raising chickens, ducks, and geese, and creating a vegetable patch. This way, he can produce vegetables and eggs, and even produce his own fertilizer, making him completely self-sufficient.
However, when they arrived at the county town, it was too late and it was inconvenient to do anything else, so Yu Qinglong and Fang Shu asked everyone who came to help to go back first.
The couple who had stayed behind to help were still there. The man was Liu Daguang, and the woman was Lin Qiaoniang. Lin Qiaoniang said, "Boss, we've already heated the kang, and the water in the pot is still boiling hot. We've also filled the water tank, and chopped the firewood for tomorrow. Is there anything else you need us to do?"
Yu Qinglong said, "From now on, you can't call me 'Master' anymore. Otherwise, how are you going to call me father-in-law, mother-in-law, and magistrate?"
The couple was also worried about this. They had never imagined that the man who hired them would transform from an ordinary citizen into the husband of a county magistrate in just over two weeks. This made them very uneasy. On the one hand, they were unsure if they could continue working for the family, and on the other hand, they worried about the huge workload they would have if they stayed.
But no matter what, working for a respectable family is always good, so Lin Qiaoniang humbly asked, "Then what do you think is good?"
Yu Qinglong asked Fang Shu, "Husband, how do you think we should cheer?"
Fang Shu laughed and said, "What else can we call them? Just call father and mother 'Old Master' and 'Madam', call me 'Master', and call you 'Husband'. And the two young masters can be called 'Eldest Young Master' and 'Second Young Master'."
Yu Qinglong muttered, "It's strange to call someone 'Master' when he's so young."
Although, thinking about it, it seems that other families call each other that way. When there is a new generation, the old generation will be one generation older. But he and Fang Shu are only in their twenties!
Fang Shu said, "What name would Long'er like to hear?"
Yu Qinglong couldn't think of a better answer, so he said, "It seems like this is the only way. Let's call him that. Or the others can follow the master's instructions and call me 'Boss'."
The Liu couple said in unison, "Okay, boss. Then you all should go to bed early. Call us if you need anything."
They did have a house in the county town, but it was far away and very remote. Yu Qinglong asked them to stay here to look after the house and also reserved a small house for them to live in, so the couple would live here for a long time in the future.
Yu Qinglong gave them twenty copper coins as a reward: "Thank you for your hard work today. Buy some snacks."
The couple happily accepted it, thanked him and left.
Fang Dingman and Fang Wu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fang Dingman said, "Oh my God, is this really our home?!"
He didn't even dare to ask when he first arrived!
Fang Shu said, "Yes, father. This was all bought with the hard work of Long Ge'er. We had originally wanted to buy a house in the county town, but we couldn't find anything suitable. A few days ago, I heard from Shuang Ge'er that this house was for sale, so Long Ge'er rushed to buy it. The location is great, the interior is well built, and it's very popular."
Fang Wu looked around the house and said, "My husband is really capable. How much does a house this big cost?"
Yu Qinglong said, "Originally they wanted eight hundred taels of silver, but later it was negotiated down to seven hundred and twenty taels."
When Fang Dingman heard that it actually cost "seven hundred and twenty taels of silver", he was stunned: "This, this is so expensive."
Yu Qinglong said with a smile, "I spent a lot of time bargaining for this. But it's worth it. What do you two think?"
Fang Wu said, "Everything is good. The orientation is good, and it's spacious. Mother was worried that the place was too small and the children would have nowhere to play, but now there's no need to worry."
Yu Qinglong said, "That's good. Then, Father and Mother, you should go to bed early today. Tomorrow morning, you two can check if we need anything, and then we can go buy some. We need to buy new furniture, dishes, and other things. This county town is great because it's so convenient to buy everything, and they can even deliver it to your home."
Fang Wu said, "Okay, then you should go back and rest. My precious grandchildren must be tired after traveling all day."
Fang Shu said, "Then you two should rest first. Yangyang and Xiao Shitou will need milk soon, so we'll take them back first."
Fang Wu said, "Okay, okay, go back to your room and don't worry about me and your father. Just take care of my two little darlings."
Yu Qinglong grabbed the little guy's hand, waved to his grandparents and went back to the house.
Most of the things in the new house were complete, but a lot of the furniture was missing. When the previous owner left, he took away the fine furniture in the main hall and several bedrooms, leaving the house rather bare.
Yu Qinglong and Fang Shu put the children on the kang, took out clean clothes from the wooden box to change them, and sat down on the kang.
I am indeed a little tired today, but fortunately I feel fulfilled in my heart.
Fang Shu held onto Qinglong's hand. "I'll have to run around shopping again tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work, Long'er."
Yu Qinglong rested his head on Fang Shu's arm, Fang Shu on his right and his two children on his left. He said, "It's not that hard. The landlord didn't insist on taking the furniture away, but I figured it would be cheaper, and we could add furniture we like better. That way, I can get you something new, something you haven't seen before. Especially for the study."
Fang Shu immediately perked up after hearing this: "Really?"
Yu Qinglong said, "Seriously, make sure your study is very different from everyone else's."
Fang Shu felt a little depressed when he thought about reading official documents every day and handing over a bunch of things to County Magistrate Ma, but after hearing this, he felt full of anticipation for life again.
In his excitement, he turned over and pressed Yu Qinglong down: "Long'er, Long'er, how can I live without you?"
Yu Qinglong laughed and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
After saying that, he pecked Fang Shu.
The young couple had been busy for a few days and hadn't been intimate. Now when they wanted to be intimate, the two children next to them started crying at the same time.
It's time to have a good drink of milk before going to sleep.
Now that he is older, he doesn’t cry all the time at night, but he needs to be fed once before going to bed, and then fed again in the middle of the night, and once again in the morning when it is dawn. It is much less troublesome than when he was just born.
Before Fang Shu went down, he gave Yu Qinglong a deep suck, then poked Yang Yang's little butt in retaliation. Then he swiftly fed the two little ones milk.
The weather was cold, so they lit the small stove when they came, which was quite convenient.
Fang Shu brought two small bowls and shared one with Yu Qinglong. After the two little guys were full, they quickly fell asleep.
Yu Qinglong felt that his interest had faded a little, but after a while Fang Shu's hand climbed up his spine and he could hardly bear it anymore.
Young bodies always respond quickly and passionately to the needs of their lovers. As the candlelight flickered, their intertwined bodies blended with each other's scents, and it took a long time for them to regain their composure.
That night was the first snow that fell since they arrived in Huaitong County.
When the people in the city woke up, they found that the houses and streets in the entire city were covered with a thin quilt, with silver light flashing and the sky clear, as if foreshadowing a better future.
Fang Dingman and Fang Wu woke up at dawn. The old couple walked out to see Liu Daguang sweeping snow in the yard. Lin Qiaoniang had already started the fire, and the house was warm.
The couple said, "Good morning, old man, good morning, madam."
Fang Dingman and Fang Wu were stunned for a moment before they realized they were being called, so they smiled and said, "Good morning, you too."
Lin Qiaoniang said, "What would you two like to eat this morning? I see the boss hasn't had time to buy rice or flour yet, but we can't go hungry this morning."
Yu Qinglong came out at this time, yawned and said, "Someone will bring breakfast soon, so you don't have to cook this morning. We need to add some things to the house during the day, and build a dog kennel and a chicken, duck and goose house in the backyard garden. When they are finished, clean up the remaining materials, and I will call you for the rest then."
Lin Qiaoniang asked, "Boss, should I prepare three meals a day or two from now on?"
Yu Qinglong said: "Three meals a day."
At this moment, there was a knock on the door. Liu Daguang went to open it and saw Qin Yushuang with four strong men. There were two young men behind them, but he didn't recognize them.
Qin Yushuang smiled and said, "I knew Uncle Fang, Aunt Fang, and Brother Long would be awake by now."
Fang Wu asked, "Shuang'er, why are you up so early after returning home?"
Qin Yushuang said, "I've developed good habits with you, Aunt Fang. I'm really hardworking now. I thought I'd build a kennel or something, so I brought a few people over to help. Some of them are carpenters, and some are strong enough. If there's anything I can do at home, just give them a call. As for these two boys, they're here to deliver breakfast."
One of the young men said, "Master, Madam, Mr. Fang, our employer sent us to bring breakfast to your house. It's all here: steamed buns with four fillings, mutton soup, eight-treasure porridge, some side dishes, and meat patties. Where do you think we should put them?"
"Let's send them to the side hall." Yu Qinglong said, "Qiao Niang, take them there."
"Two little brothers, come with me."
Yu Qinglong also gave the two young men some money for their errands and told them, "Go back and thank Boss Guo for me."
The waiter smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Fang. We will definitely take care of your request. Please enjoy your food. We will come back to collect it at noon."
After the two left, Yu Qinglong said to the two elders, "Father and Mother, eat while it's hot. I'll go call the city guards."
Fang Wu whispered, "Brother Long, there are so many. Should we share some with Qiaoniang and her husband?"
Yu Qinglong smiled and said, "Of course. They're staying at our house as helpers, and we'll provide them with food from now on. Shuang'er and the others probably haven't eaten either, so you can give them some. It will definitely be enough. I'll be here in a moment."
Fang Wu took a bowl and put some buns in it for Liu Daguang and his wife, and also distributed some porridge. She also distributed some food to the people Qin Yushuang brought with her.
No wonder they brought such a big food box, and there were two of them delivering it together, but there was so much.
Qin Yushuang actually came here to join in the fun. Is there anything to eat at his home? But he just likes to come to Yu Qinglong's place for free meals.
He was not shy and sat at the same table with Fang Dingman and Fang Wu, as if he was half a member of the family.
After dinner, Fang Shu went to the yamen. He had many matters to hand over to Magistrate Ma, and he needed to clarify some issues while Magistrate Ma was there. He decided to come to Huaitong County to take up his post, shamelessly asking for Yan Xikuan and Ma's personal attendant to come with him. He hadn't expected Prince Rong to agree, but figuring he wouldn't lose anything if he didn't, he proposed. Unexpectedly, the matter actually came to pass.
Yan Xikuan and Ma Qinsui were also happy to follow him. Huaitong County was a large county, and it already had more left and right officials than ordinary counties, allowing for two or three county magistrates. This was why Magistrate Ma had suddenly decided to appoint him as Huaitong County magistrate. If there was only one vacancy, he would never have proposed it.
Now Yan Xikuan and Ma Qinsui serve as county magistrates for him, and the three of them can work together.
Yu Qinglong knew Fang Shu could handle it, so he stayed home and directed the work with Qin Yushuang. Fang Dingman and Fang Wushi looked after the children. Qiao Niang assisted, and Liu Daguang, familiar with the location of everything in the house, helped out in the back garden.
The family was bustling with activity, finishing the kennels and the chicken, duck, and goose sheds in the morning. At noon, Yu Qinglong took the two elders and Qin Yushuang to Fuyue Restaurant for a meal, then took them to look at furniture and buy some tableware. As for rice, flour, grain, and oil, they could just buy them and have them delivered to their homes. No one would dare to mess with the magistrate's family.
In the evening, the family could cook their own meals. Fang Wu steamed a large pot of steamed buns, and Qiao Niang took care of the rest. Qiao Niang lived up to her name; she was skilled in everything she did. Cooking, sewing, everything.
Yu Qinglong asked her to cook a few more dishes. When the sun set, Fang Shu returned with Yan Xikuan and Ma Qinsui.
Ma Qinsui and Yan Xikuan moved into a small house near the county government office. They rented it with the county's housing subsidy. It wasn't a large place, but it was much better than their stay in Qixia Town. At least they had their own room, a good desk, and a table and chairs.
All three of them changed into official uniforms and looked much more stable - this was in public.
As soon as the outsiders left, their true colors were revealed. They collapsed on their chairs and said in unison: "Oh my God, I'm so tired!"
Fang Shu tugged at his collar and said, "Long'er, I might have to eat ten sugar cakes tonight to relieve the depression in my heart."
Yu Qinglong smiled and poured tea for them: "How can it be so serious?"
Yan Xikuan said, "Yes, brother! The three of us are so tired from flipping through documents that our hands are almost broken."
The county is large, with a large population, and there's a vast amount to learn about. It's okay to leave it somewhere irresponsibly, but they aren't that kind of people. They came here to be good officials.
Fang Shu held Yang Yang for a long time before he felt his fatigue ease. Yu Qinglong helped them set the table for dinner, and after they ate, he listened to them talk about things happening in the county government office.
With Hong Huan's face in mind, and the fact that a large part of Ma Zhixian's promotion was due to Fang Shu's contribution, Ma Zhixian did not hide anything from Fang Shu and explained everything he needed to know in detail.
The county treasury wasn't adequately funded, and coastal defense was still a significant expense. But the good news was that the people in the county government were decent. Magistrate Ma wasn't someone who didn't get things done, so while some of the people he brought in were inevitably corrupt and took small bribes, most of them were retained for future use.
What Fang Shu was most worried about was actually the internal cliques, but after understanding the situation, he found that it was not so bad and he was not taking over a mess.
Yu Qinglong listened to them and concluded, "Having no connections is better than anything else."
Yan Xikuan almost burst out laughing when he heard this, and said, "If we talk about connections, my close followers and I are the most connected."
Yu Qinglong thought about it and laughed: "That's different. The kind I'm talking about are here to take advantage, but you guys are here to do something for the people."
This was the truth. They drank a cup of tea instead of wine. Then Yang Yang stretched out his hand toward the cup, indicating that he wanted some too.
Fang Shu couldn't let him drink tea, so he put some millet soup in the cup and fed him. Yang Yang wanted more after finishing it, so Fang Shu continued to feed him. Ma Qinsui then teased him with his own teacup: "Uncle has some here too, Yang Yang, do you want some?"
Yang Yang looked at him, turned around and hugged Fang Shu, pressing his little face into Fang Shu's arms. Fang Shu felt very happy, and said with a smile: "Yang Yang, this is Uncle Ma, you can drink what he gives you."
Yang Yang seemed to understand, but continued to point at Fang Shu's cup, pushing his little body towards the cup, indicating that he wanted to drink some more rice soup.
Little Shitou looked at his brother obediently for a while, then yawned. Yu Qinglong then held him horizontally and patted him, and soon he fell asleep.
It was late at night, so Yan Xikuan and Ma Qinshou didn't stay long. After they left, Fang Shu and Yu Qinglong also returned to their house.
The couple put the child on the kang. Little Shitou was fast asleep. Far from being asleep, Yangyang let him go. The kid actually sat up on his own. After a moment, he fell back with a thud and started giggling.
Fang Shu and Yu Qinglong uttered "hush" at the same time: "Keep your voice down, your brother is asleep."
When Yang Yang heard the word "brother", it was as if a switch was pressed. He turned over quickly and slapped his brother in the face before Fang Shu and Yu Qinglong could react.
Little Shitou was sleeping soundly, but was woken up by his brother and started crying.
After Yang Yang finished patting her brother, she also pouted when she saw him crying. Yu Qinglong was speechless: "You woke your brother up by patting him, and you still feel wronged?"
Little Stone was crying so hard that it made people's hearts break.
After being scolded, Yang Yang whimpered and reached out to Fang Shu. Fang Shu's heart melted, and he picked him up and coaxed him: "Okay, okay, don't cry. Next time, let's not pat your brother when he's sleeping, okay? Be good and don't cry."
The couple coaxed one of them to sleep for a long time. When they fell asleep, their eyelashes were still wet. Fang Shu wiped the tears from the two little brothers with a small cotton handkerchief, and then heard Yu Qinglong laugh.
"Long'er, what are you laughing at?"
"I laughed at you for talking about picking up stones and making wooden toys, but you forgot all about it when you saw them, right?"
"Really? Thanks to them. Otherwise, I would feel sad when I think of those things at home."
He hadn't brought along the stones and wood he'd collected over the years, nor any other odds and ends. Even though the moving wasn't a lot, it would have been a lot if he'd added those things.
Yu Qinglong comforted him, "Don't be sad. You'll see it again eventually. It's not like it's gone."
Fang Shu thought about it and said, "Well, I'm glad to have you."
Yu Qinglong said nothing. He continued to busy himself with the household for the next few days, adding things to the house, welcoming guests, and occasionally drawing designs.
After about half a month of hard work, the new house was finally almost ready. The only thing missing was the last batch of things.
In the afternoon, he picked up three carriages and directed the people brought by Niu Quan to put the things away.
Fang Wu held the little stone and asked, "Brother Long, what are these?"
It came in a sack and looked very heavy.
Yu Qinglong said, "I asked someone to help move Fang Shu's treasure here."
When Fang Wu saw what was in the sack, she opened her mouth wide and said, "You're spoiling him even more than I am!"
Yu Qinglong smiled and said, "If he's always thinking about it, just take it with you."
Fang Dingman sighed, "Our Shu'er is so lucky."
When Fang Shu returned from the government office that night, he saw some familiar things in his house. He walked faster and faster, almost running into the house, his tone full of excitement: "Long'er, how did you get my stone here?"
Yu Qinglong said, "I asked Brother Niu and the others to help me. Come into the study and take a look."
Fang Shu went to the study and saw that the bookshelf he had ordered had arrived. It was a two-row bookcase that could be pushed and pulled out, making it look neat and practical. Furthermore, there were drawers at the bottom of the bookshelf, so if he wanted to store some brushes, inkstones, and paper, it would be no problem at all.
There is also a desk and chairs. On the desk is a wooden crane, and the feathers on its wings are pen holders!
There are also many interesting ornaments, such as a pen holder that is a small wooden fish with its tail tilted up, and a bubble in front of the fish's mouth, which is a small incense holder.
And next to his chair, all the wooden sticks he had collected in the past were there, pieced together by his husband to form a "tree"!
Yu Qinglong said, "I promised you I'd put it all together, but I never did. Now I finally have it done."
Fang Shu was very excited, but he still asked, "Didn't we agree that it was okay not to bring it? Why did you suddenly ask someone to bring it over?"
Yu Qinglong said, "You said these things carry special memories of you. They have stories, and they should be a part of you. I always feel that if I leave them in my hometown, you here will be incomplete, so I feel at ease bringing them here. Do you like them?"
Fang Shu nodded heavily: "I know that you are the only one in this world who understands me the most. It's a pity that I don't know how to make you happier."
"Who said you didn't know?"
"Um?"
Yu Qinglong supported himself with one hand and sat down easily on the table, hooking Fang Shu's waist with his toes.
Fang Shu understood instantly and asked, "Where are Yang Yang and Xiao Shitou?"
Yu Qinglong said, "Mom said she'll be watching tonight."
Fang Shu's eyes suddenly became dark, and he picked up Yu Qinglong.
He decided not to eat tonight!
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The author has something to say: There should be one more chapter tomorrow before the main story ends. My dears, please order the extra chapters [bow fist]
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