The return journey was just as long, and it was raining and snowing, but Jiang Zhi felt it was much faster than the way there.
Everyone was eager to get home, and Li Laoshi, Xiaoman, and the other three took turns driving the carriage.
They set off early every day and continued their journey until dark before finally arriving in the village on the night of the 29th of the lunar year.
Upon seeing her own Sishui Hall, Jiang Zhi felt so weak that she didn't even have the strength to get out of the car. Er Rui had to carry her into the house.
Tan immediately brought hot dishes and rice, then boiled water for a foot bath, and even warmed the quilt. Jiang Zhi rested well under the care of Er Rui and Qiao Yun.
Xiaoman ate and washed up here before returning to her room, because her grandpa and grandma weren't home.
Now, Lao Yunya raises poultry that needs daily management, and Dazhu Chunfeng also can't bear to leave Peiqi and the others. So, Xiaoman's grandparents took the children to accompany their eldest grandson and his wife up the mountain for the New Year.
The next morning, the two bodyguards who had escorted the person returned to Jincheng after completing their mission.
Xiaoman went to the Tian family to let them know she was safe, brought some things she had brought from Jincheng, and immediately returned to the mountain to reunite with her grandparents and family.
On New Year's Eve that year, Jiang Zhi did not manage household affairs, because Qiaoyun and Errui had already arranged everything.
Everything that needs to be cooked and washed is readily available at home, including all kinds of vegetables, meat, and fish.
It was Chinese New Year, so the pharmacy closed down. The Huang family of four went to Sishuitang to celebrate the New Year, and even Da Xiang and Xiao Xiang, who lived at Xu Genqing's house, returned home.
Sister-in-law Huang, Madam Tan, He Xiang, and their three daughters were busy in the kitchen, while Er Rui and Huang's son were cleaning fish.
The whole village knew about Jiang Zhi's return the next day.
Wang Xiaoju and Liu Shi came to visit one after another, making Sishuitang lively for most of the day. They asked all sorts of questions until the sound of firecrackers going off everywhere before they went home.
Qiaoyun and Caixia sat by the fire pit, watching Jiang Zhi open the small wooden box that Wang the carpenter had sent earlier and distribute gifts to everyone.
During this trip to Jincheng, in addition to giving five hundred taels of silver notes, the women of the Nie family also gave some gifts.
There were two boxes of colorful velvet and silk flowers, one box of exquisite purple bamboo hairpins, one box of colored paper with patterns of embroidery popular in the city, a set of small porcelain trinkets slightly larger than a thumb, and some small silver bells. Although these items were only worth a few taels of silver, their value lay in their exquisite craftsmanship.
There was also a large bag of snacks and dried fruits, all local specialties of Jincheng.
The five hundred taels of silver notes had already been handed over to Nie Fantian, but Jiang Zhi liked these little things very much and kept them all.
At this point, she would place two velvet flowers in each wooden box, then fill it with pastries and dried fruits, ready to hand them over to everyone when it was time for the New Year's Eve dinner.
Qiaoyun was overjoyed with the velvet flowers. She put one on Caixia's little braid and said with a smile, "Mom, these velvet flowers from Jincheng are so pretty! What's Jincheng Street like? Is Xiaotian's maternal grandfather's family good to him?"
She was very curious about the legendary Jincheng Prefecture, and even more curious about Xiaotian's family.
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "It will naturally get better!"
I don't need Nie Fantian's social status, but the Nie family does.
The Nie family are all smart people. They were fooled by the old servant Ma Gan Niang and Du Baolin when they mistook the child before. They will definitely not make the same mistake again this time.
This unexpected descendant could elevate the Nie family to a higher social class, and they would do everything in their power to support him.
All the dishes were laid out on the table, a rich variety of cold and hot dishes. Even though Jiang Zhi ate quite refined food in Jincheng, she still preferred these rustic flavors.
Besides the Huang family, Ma Guan also brought his family to celebrate the New Year.
With so many people, they were divided into two tables, one large and one small. Errui expressed his gratitude to the Huang and Ma families for helping him at their homes!
The Huang and Ma families were long-term workers hired by Jiang Zhi, not ordinary servants.
In rural households, every landlord and wealthy family would invite their long-term servants to join them for a New Year's Eve dinner at the end of the year as a sign of sincerity.
The reason is simple: these long-term laborers are like oxen and horses working at home, and they are also the backbone employees of the company. Smart bosses will treat them generously.
It's just a meal; as long as the employees work hard, the boss can buy himself a car.
After the meal, Jiang Zhi distributed gift bags and holiday money to each family, and the two families happily took their leave.
The atmosphere at Xu Genqing's house was a bit awkward, as it was Li Laoshi's first time having a family reunion at the Qin family's house.
There were no incense sticks today; Lianhua and Xu Genqing cooked the meal.
Qin Shi held her granddaughter Nan Nan and teased her, "It's been more than half a month since I've seen Grandma, do you still recognize her?"
After three months, the child no longer wanted to sleep and needed to be held and looked at all times. He would also respond to Qin's words with a spit bubble.
Li Laoshi, sitting opposite him, asked somewhat awkwardly, "Is your back not aching now?"
Going out was a tough job; Jiang Zhi was so weak from walking that she was as limp as a noodle.
Qin's back was bad; after sitting in the car for several days, even the slightest movement would make her cry out in pain. But when she held the baby, she stopped complaining of pain.
Hearing Li Laoshi's reminder, Qin laughed and said, "I won't be tired anymore as long as I come back. Oh dear, I'm never going out again, it's so tiring!"
Xu Genqing brought over a large pot of stewed chicken, and Lianhua also set out several stir-fried dishes and wine. She asked curiously, "Mom, Uncle Li, what's Xiaotian's family like?"
This is something everyone cares about. Li Laoshi was called out, and he shifted his position and said seriously, "The Nie family is not bad, they are merchants."
Qin interrupted Li Laoshi, displeased: "Why tell them so much? Just show them directly."
"Lotus, go and open the cloth bag I brought."
It was too late last night, so Qin didn't take the things out.
With her mother-in-law speaking up, Lianhua quickly took Qin's bag.
At this moment, the group stopped eating. Qin opened her bundle and took out a small wooden box.
Inside were naturally velvet flowers sent by the Nie family. Qin happily took out a pair of silver bracelets and two silver hairpins: "These were sent by the second and third matriarchs of the Nie family."
As she spoke, she took out another silver ingot: "This is five taels of silver given to me by Old Madam Nie."
She said that she had nursed Nie Fantian, and the Nie family gave her a red envelope in return.
Looking at the five taels of silver, the silver hairpin, and the silver bracelet, she was filled with regret. On the way back, she kept thinking about it: "If I had known the Nie family was so generous, I would have said that I had even shaved Xiaotian's bottom and helped him pee."
Jiang Zhi was so angry that she scolded her for being short-sighted. If she really said that, she wouldn't even be able to keep the money, and Nie Fantian might just kick her out.
At this moment, Qin Shi naturally did not say that she was still dissatisfied. She simply took the silver bracelet and put it on Lianhua's wrist, saying, "This is what I, as your mother-in-law, earned. You must be filial to me in the future!"
Lianhua knew that her mother-in-law was simple-minded, so she smiled and said, "I will definitely take care of you in the future."
Qin then gave the five taels of silver to Xu Genqing: "This money is for you too. Lianhua has given birth to a child. You can take care of the crops in the fields yourselves. I won't be working for you anymore."
Your Uncle Li is poor, so from now on I'll have to use the money I earn from work myself, and your Uncle Li's work points will be kept; I won't be subsidizing you anymore."
After Qin married Li Laoshi, she did all the work at home, but the money and work points she used were Li Laoshi's.
At this point, it's clear that she's truly separating from her son.
Lianhua looked at Xu Genqing, and Xu Genqing looked at the dishes on the table. Neither of them spoke.
Qin didn't care what her son and daughter-in-law thought, and shoved the chopsticks into Li Laoshi's hands: "Eat up. We have to eat chicken during the New Year. Next year we'll build a chicken coop and raise chickens too."
Li Laoshi was both surprised and delighted, and quickly replied, "Okay, we'll raise chickens next year too!"
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