Ding Xiu and Li Xiangkang had a great time, and then A Da came over to call them home for dinner.
The Li family usually doesn't eat at separate tables, but today, because Ding Xiu was there, Yuan Huiniang and the others ate in their own room.
Yan Qingqing is the head of the family, and since she knows Ding Xiu, she naturally has to accompany him.
Ding Xiu was humorous and witty, without the pedantry of a scholar, and could chat with anyone. He quickly became close with the Li family.
Li Xiangkang, who was standing to the side, said quietly, "I was already out of favor at home, ranking after my sister-in-law and Xiao Qi, but now even you are more popular than me."
Ding Xiaopangzi said with a grin, "We're good brothers, why bother with all this? When you come to my house another day, I'll have my mom and sister give you a warm welcome."
Ding Xiu's words amused Li Xiangkang again, and then he said, though he didn't mean it, "Who wants to go to your house?"
However, Li Xiangkang still felt sorry for Ding Xiaopang's recent experiences, and kept putting delicious food into his bowl during the meal.
He kept saying, "These were all made by my mother. Usually, everyone can only get a taste when I come home."
You're really lucky today, go ahead and eat. You've even lost weight lately because you've been in a bad mood.
The friendship between children is indeed the purest.
To be honest, Yan Qingqing really couldn't see where Ding Xiaopang had lost weight.
This kid is obviously carefree, and he's incredibly fast at showing off his food.
Looking at him, Yan Qingqing couldn't help but think of Li Xiangjian again.
Li Xiangjian also has a big appetite; I wonder if he'll be able to get enough to eat in the military camp.
However, Yan Qingqing did not say anything to avoid causing everyone to worry.
Just as everyone was enjoying their meal, Ah Si, the gatekeeper, rushed in and said, "Madam, a letter has arrived from the border."
Yan Qingqing was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't react for a moment. It was Yuan Huiniang who reminded her, "It must be a letter from Third Brother."
Yan Qingqing pretended to be calm as she took the letter from A Si and quickly opened it.
Yan Qingqing looked at the letter with an uncontrollable smile on her face.
Watching from the side, Yuan Huiniang smiled and said, "Mother has always been worried about Third Brother. Now it's all right, Third Brother has sent a letter, Mother can finally rest assured."
Li Xiang'an jokingly added, "Sigh, now there's one more person ahead of Fourth Brother in line."
Li Xiangkang snorted and replied, "Second brother is just being sour grapes. Even when Third brother was home, he couldn't argue with me. Now that he's not home, I'm even less inclined to argue with him."
Li Xiangkang's words made everyone burst into laughter again.
Li Xiangping, being the most composed, looked at Yan Qingqing and asked, "Mother, what did Third Brother say in his letter? Is everything alright?"
Yan Qingqing smiled and handed over the letter, saying, "Good, very good. And the third brother has made something of himself. He was only in the army camp for three months. He was first promoted to the Flying Cloud Cavalry because of his outstanding performance. Later, he burned the enemy's food supplies and made meritorious contributions, so he was promoted to centurion."
Li Yueniang exclaimed in surprise, "Mother, doesn't that mean Third Brother has become an official? Mother is a fifth-rank official, and Eldest Brother is an eighth-rank agricultural official. Third Brother is also a centurion."
"From now on, I can do whatever I want in Chengyang County."
Yan Qingqing looked at her and laughed, "You're getting more and more unsteady as you get older."
A centurion is not an officer, but a position in the military camp, who can lead a hundred men.
Above that are the centurions, and above the centurions are the ninth-rank captains.
Yan Qingqing didn't really know much about the military officer system of the Great Yan Dynasty; she only had a general idea.
Li Yueniang pouted and replied, "Then isn't Third Brother's future path long and arduous?"
Li Xiang'an glanced at her and said, "Your third brother is already very capable. I heard that it's very difficult to enter the Flying Cloud Cavalry, you know."
He has not only joined the Flying Cloud Cavalry, but has also become a centurion, something many people can't achieve in their entire lives.
Yan Qingqing nodded. She figured that this was probably because the third brother was hiding his strength. If he were to show his true abilities, his achievements would definitely be far greater than this.
Ding Xiaopang watched the Li siblings bickering or defending each other with envy in his eyes.
He also wanted to get along well with his older brother, but his brother had never liked him since childhood.
They even called him a pig who only knew how to eat.
Just as the atmosphere in the Li family was joyful, the gatekeeper, Ah Si, rushed in again and said, "Madam, the Ding family has sent someone to pick up Young Master Ding."
Looking at A Si's anxious appearance, Yan Qingqing thought that something big must have happened in the Ding family, otherwise they wouldn't have sent someone to pick up Ding Xiu even though they knew he was at their house.
However, Ding Xiaopang didn't seem to realize this, and replied without even looking up, "Go tell the person who came to my house to tell my mother that I'm having a great time at Brother Xiang Kang's house."
I won't be going back for now. Let my sister spend the holiday with her.
It's not that he doesn't want to go back, but that where he lives now is very close to Xifeng Academy, and he goes home for meals every day.
He's been feeling down lately because of his parents' situation, so he wanted to get away for a while and didn't want to go back.
Ah Si hesitated for a moment and said, "The person wasn't sent by Madam Ding, but by Master Ding. It seems that Old Madam Ding isn't feeling well."
Ding Xiu still didn't understand and directly refused, saying, "The reason my father kicked my mother and me out was because she stirred things up behind the scenes. I don't want to go back."
Don't advise others to be kind if you haven't experienced their suffering. This old lady Ding is probably the same as the old lady Li back then.
Back then, my efforts to separate from Old Lady Li's family were so dramatic that everyone in Canghe Village knew about it.
Therefore, whether or not to go back is a decision that Ding Xiu needs to make himself.
Yan Qingqing said to A Si, "Call the messenger in!"
Ah Si hesitated for a moment and said, "I'm afraid he might offend the madam."
Yan Qingqing shook her head and said, "It's alright."
Ah Si then went out and called the person in.
No wonder Ah Si said he was afraid the visitor would offend Yan Qingqing; this person was wearing a mourning robe, clearly indicating a major funeral.
Yan Qingqing frowned, feeling somewhat displeased, but since she was the one who had invited the person in, she couldn't say anything.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Ding Xiu jumped to his feet and exclaimed, "Ding Mu, what brings you here? Weren't you sold by my father?"
Ding Mu was the son of Steward Ding and had always been a confidant of Master Ding.
When Master Ding sold off his servants, he ostensibly sold off the entire Ding village as well.
Ding Mu first greeted Yan Qingqing, and then explained to Ding Xiu, "Master did not sell me. It was just an act to deceive the old lady."
You can ask your master for details, young master.
"Our matriarch has passed away, and my husband has always been very filial. That's why he sent me to fetch our son home for the funeral."
Although Ding Xiu was very unwilling, Old Madam Ding was, after all, his grandmother, and she had doted on him when he was a child.
Besides, he was a scholar, and his reputation was very important to him.
After thinking for a moment, he said to Dingmu, "Alright, I'll go back with you in a bit."
"You should leave now. What kind of appearance is it to enter someone's house dressed in mourning clothes!"
Upon hearing this, Ding Mu realized that his actions were inappropriate and immediately withdrew from the Li family.
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