Before we knew it, the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions, had arrived.
This is Yan Qingqing's second Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times.
Despite the many disappointments of the past year, Yan Qingqing remains grateful.
She is grateful to God for giving her a second chance at life, and grateful to God for giving her several good children.
Li Xiangkang had returned from the academy long ago. He was accompanied by a chubby little boy.
This chubby little boy was the same one Yan Qingqing had met at Xifeng Academy last time.
Upon seeing Yan Qingqing, he first gave her a polite smile, then bowed and said, "Ding Xiu has met the magistrate of Mingzhao. I've heard that the magistrate's family has many unique dishes. So I came along with Brother Xiang Kang to freeload a meal."
Ding Xiu has decent features, but he's too fat.
Her large face made her eyes almost disappear, especially when she smiled, they became just slits, and you really couldn't see them unless you looked closely.
The more Yan Qingqing looked at Ding Xiu, the more familiar he seemed. She felt as if she had seen him somewhere before. She had this feeling when she last met him, but she couldn't remember where.
Yan Qingqing thought that she was probably just getting old and her memory wasn't what it used to be.
However, Yan Qingqing did not dwell on this issue. Instead, she smiled and said to Ding Xiu, "Good boy, get up quickly, no need for formalities."
I haven't had a chance to thank you for what happened last time. I've been thinking of having Xiang Kang invite you and Xu Hui over for a meal.
Ding Xiu replied with a smile, "Thank you for sending the messenger, Mingzhao. Xu Hui is thin-skinned, unlike me who is thick-skinned."
Yan Qingqing chuckled upon hearing this; the chubby boy's temperament and personality were more to her liking.
Then he said, "Since you and Xiang Kang are classmates and have a good relationship, stop with all the formalities and just call me 'Auntie'."
Ding Xiu readily agreed, "Okay, then I'll listen to my aunt."
Since Ding Xiu was Li Xiangkang's classmate and had a good relationship with him, Yan Qingqing couldn't help but ask him a few more questions.
Ding Xiu didn't know whether he trusted Yan Qingqing or what, but he answered every question.
Yan Qingqing learned from Ding Xiu that he had two siblings, and his mother was a second wife. Because of his first wife's older brother, he was never favored by his grandmother.
Moreover, his older brother was a spendthrift. He indulged in all sorts of vices, including eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring, and squandered the family fortune entirely.
In addition, his father was blindly filial and even kicked his mother and sister out of the house.
In the end, his father also suffered retribution, selling his fields, land, and servants, and moving alone with his old lady into an old, dilapidated courtyard.
The more Yan Qingqing listened, the more familiar the version of the story seemed, especially considering Ding Xiu's appearance.
Yan Qingqing suddenly felt that the world was really small. If nothing unexpected happened, this was probably the youngest son of Master Ding.
However, Yan Qingqing finally confirmed, "Is your father the wealthy Master Ding from the east of the city?"
Ding Xiu was still chattering away, listing all the faults of his father.
Hearing Yan Qingqing ask this, he immediately stammered like a rooster with its neck being choked, and then looked at Yan Qingqing and asked hesitantly, "Auntie, do you... do you know my father?"
Yan Qingqing: ……
Yan Qingqing thought to herself, "This is so familiar. The reason your family has declined so quickly is all because of my ideas."
However, before Yan Qingqing could answer, Li Xiangkang interjected, "Of course we know each other. Otherwise, would my mother ask you that?"
Alright, didn't you come to my house to relax?
My mother had a new chrysanthemum garden renovated, but it's not open to the public yet. You're in luck today; I'll take you to see it.
Ding Xiu perked up upon hearing this.
He knew very well that the peony garden and rose garden in Canghe Village were very popular among students.
But he never came.
Now that the chrysanthemum garden has been newly built, he will definitely go and visit it first, so that he can show off to those ignorant people when he gets back.
While Little Fatty Ding was living a comfortable life in Canghe, Master Ding was not having such a good time.
To make it look realistic, he dismissed all the servants in his household and moved into an old, run-down courtyard.
Steward Ding had followed him his whole life and was unwilling to leave. So, Master Ding arranged for him to temporarily manage the remaining Ding family business and not to show his face.
Grandma Ding was used to a life of luxury, and with her advanced age, she couldn't possibly endure such hardship.
She absolutely refused to let her personal maid leave.
Master Ding had no choice but to keep her.
But the old nanny was getting on in years, and she was practically a half-old lady in the mansion, so she was no longer capable of serving others.
Over time, it's inevitable to feel overwhelmed and start to complain.
Grandma Ding thought about how her huge family fortune had been completely ruined because of her doting on her grandson, and how her son, at such an old age, had not only been separated from his wife and children but also had no place to live.
How will she face the ancestors of the Ding family when she goes to the underworld?
This guilt weighed heavily on Old Mrs. Ding's heart every day, and eventually she fell ill and never recovered.
This worried Master Ding greatly. He consulted several doctors, all of whom said that Old Madam Ding was nearing the end of her life, and coupled with her deep-seated worries, she was unlikely to recover.
Upon hearing this, Master Ding was not too upset; on the contrary, he felt a sense of relief.
Over the years, he has been known as a very filial son. Every year on the birthday of Old Mrs. Ding, he would throw a grand banquet and never dared to disobey her in the slightest.
But in the end, because she protected that rebellious son, Old Madam Ding ended up losing over 100,000 taels of silver from the family.
If it weren't for his friendship with Mingzhao, who promptly offered this advice, he would have truly been living such a destitute life in a while.
Moreover, this setback allowed him to see clearly many people and things that he hadn't understood before.
Today is another day for family reunion. Looking at the dilapidated courtyard and the pile of dirty clothes in front of him, Master Ding sighed again.
They say a gentleman stays away from the kitchen, but now he's even washing his own clothes.
But before Master Ding could finish his sigh, shouts came from inside the house again.
Master Ding put down what he was holding and hurried into the house. Under the dim light, Old Madam Ding lay on the bed, pounding her feet and beating her chest incessantly.
Looking at the crying and fussing Old Madam Ding, Master Ding asked, "Mother, what's wrong with you now?"
Grandma Ding sobbed, “I just had a dream. I dreamt about your father. He said that everyone said it was because of me that the Ding family’s foundation was ruined, and he wanted me to go down and apologize to the ancestors of the Ding family.”
When Master Ding and the old woman beside him heard this, their hearts sank. Perhaps this was not a final burst of energy before death for the old lady.
Master Ding sighed and comforted her, saying, "It's alright, Mother. You've been deceived by that rebellious son. Your father and our ancestors won't blame you."
Even if my father were to blame someone, he would only blame his son for not managing the household properly and for not raising his children well.
Grandma Ding wouldn't listen to any of this, and cried even harder, pounding her chest in despair.
He couldn't catch his last breath and convulsed. Terrified, Master Ding immediately called for a doctor.
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