Aunt Zhang sighed, "I know. If Lili hadn't mentioned it unintentionally, we don't know how long we would have been kept in the dark!"
After saying that, Aunt Zhang thanked Lili earnestly: "Lili, thanks to you, Grandma thanks you so much!"
If Lili hadn't told them that Liu Dashi was not only not as his mother said, but also a gambling addict, she wouldn't have dared to imagine how things would have turned out!
The thought that her daughter was almost going to marry such a person made her heart ache.
Lili breathed a sigh of relief and was also grateful that the matchmaker Huang had taken the initiative to mention Xiao Li Shi, otherwise she would not have been able to seize this opportunity to elaborate on the matter.
The matchmaker, Huang, was now grateful to Lili for saving her career: "Oh, this girl, what a clever and good child!"
Lili pointed to the pancakes on the table: "Can Lili eat one pancake? Lili is so hungry."
A Niu's mother immediately handed her a piece of flatbread: "Eat up, you can eat ten pieces without any problem! Why don't you stay for dinner at my aunt's tonight?"
Lili took a bite of the pancake and shook her head: "Lili invited Brother Aniu to our house for dinner tonight!"
Ah Niu nodded quickly.
When A Niu's mother heard from Li Li that Yang Shi was already cooking, she didn't try to stop her anymore and decided to go over there later.
It's been a long time since she's seen Wan Niang, so she has to give Wan Niang a good compliment on Li Li!
After getting permission from Aunt Zhang, A Niu's mother carried a small basket of red dates and, with her two children, knocked on the Yang family's door.
Shen Jialuo opened the door. She first greeted Aunt Niu with a "hello, Auntie," then looked at Lili with a resentful expression and asked, "Lili, where did you run off to play behind my back?"
After saying that, she saw Ah Niu next to her and said jealously, "I went to help Houfu with his little house, and you actually went off to play behind my back!"
Lili chuckled and coaxed him knowingly, "Lili's going to do something important!"
Shen Jialu pouted unhappily, while A Niu's mother had already finished catching up with Yang Shi, who had come out after hearing the noise.
After hearing what had just happened from A Niu's mother, Yang was quite moved.
She had heard that Xiao Li had a younger brother, but she didn't know he was a gambling addict.
"Isn't this bad luck? And Aunt Liu has the nerve to lie without even writing a draft," A Niu's mother complained.
Madam Yang laughed and said, "Alright, alright, you're still pregnant, don't upset the baby. From another perspective, didn't your family avoid this situation? It's a way of minimizing losses."
"Absolutely! It's all thanks to Lili. If it weren't for her, things might have been very different!"
Looking at her daughter grinning foolishly to the side, Madam Yang felt a little helpless.
Little Dumpling's business has expanded again; now she's handling all the family matters too!
“Wanniang, you’ve brought us such a big piece of meat. We don’t have anything to give back. These red dates are all dried. I specially picked the big ones. They’ll make a really sweet soup!”
A Niu's mother handed over the red dates, afraid that Yang would give them back to her, and immediately left, supporting her belly: "I have to go home for dinner too. A Niu, thank you for your trouble here!"
"Hey, slow down!"
A Niu's mother strode out of the courtyard in a few quick steps. Yang Shi didn't even feel like talking about the red dates, afraid that she might accidentally bump into something.
Yang was relieved only after watching A Niu's mother enter the house.
Madam Yang called to the three children, "Go wash your hands, dinner will be ready soon."
Shen Jialuo immediately obediently ran to wash his hands, while Lili lagged behind and was rubbed on the head by Madam Yang: "You, you're so precocious."
Lili asked innocently, "What are you saying, Mother?"
Yang smiled and shook her head, then said nothing more: "Alright, go wash your hands. We need to hurry home after we finish eating."
"Okay, Mommy!" Lili ran off to wash her hands, all excited.
After dinner, amidst the reluctant gazes of the Yang family, Shen Laosan carried Shen Jialuo on his back, Yang Shi held Lili, and Lili carried Houfu home.
Grandpa Yang sighed, "It'll be several months before I can come back again."
Madam Yang smiled and said, "Old Master, are you reluctant to part with it?"
Old Master Yang smiled but remained silent, and brought up another matter: "Now that the court is in turmoil and I have been away from the court for a long time, this old man is increasingly unable to understand it."
Madam Yang spent the first half of her life managing the family for Mr. Yang. She was also a sensible person who understood the big picture and knew a bit about politics.
Upon hearing Mr. Yang's words, Madam Yang knew he had a hidden meaning: "What do you mean?"
Old Master Yang lowered his eyes and poured himself a drink: "Do you still remember the prefect that Li Bao mentioned at noon today?"
Madam Yang recalled carefully: "Li Bao mentioned it casually at the time, but was interrupted by Wan Niang, and her attention was immediately diverted. Now that I think about it, Li Bao said that the prefect wanted to raise taxes privately and even kidnapped Li Bao?"
"What? Such a thing exists?"
Yang Ji and Guo Shi spoke up in unison.
Old Master Yang nodded: "The current prefect of Nanlin County is a collateral descendant of the Zhou family in the capital, named Zhou Wukui."
“The Zhou family?” Yang Ji frowned. “The Zhou family was at odds with our Grand Tutor’s Mansion back then, so how come we still hear their names today?”
“Tax levies without authorization and child abduction are no small matters.” Madam Guo frowned, worried. “Li Bao is so young, and she’s been kidnapped? By the prefect? Why didn’t Wan Niang mention it at all!”
The Yang family members all wore worried expressions. How could they imagine such a tiny little dumpling being kidnapped!
Old Master Yang sighed: "Leaving aside this matter, privately withdrawing grain tax is a crime of deceiving the emperor!"
Yang Ji gasped, "Could it be a misinterpretation? If His Majesty finds out about this so openly, not everyone will be spared a loss of their head!"
The Yang family all looked at Old Master Yang, waiting for the former imperial tutor to give a verdict.
After a long silence, Old Master Yang finally said, "I'm afraid it's not that simple."
He always felt that Nanlin County was no longer as peaceful as it used to be.
Perhaps Zhou Wukui has an even bigger backer behind him.
………
Lili carried Houfu the whole way. Houfu now trusts them completely. Even before he opened his eyes, his nose could already distinguish their scents.
Houfu was nestled in Xiaotuanzi's arms, sleeping soundly. Lili held the little white dog with great affection, unable to put it down.
As soon as she got home, Lili excitedly showed Houfu to her family.
"Li Bao is back?"
Liu arrived half an hour earlier than Yang, and now she looked radiant and very happy.
Hearing the noise, everyone came out and saw the tiny puppy in Lili's arms. Several of the younger ones curiously gathered around.
Wow, what a tiny puppy!
"Li Bao, is this a puppy that was just born a few days ago? Where did it come from?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com