Chapter 21 Full Moon
After eating the Qiaoguo (a type of pastry), making a wish to the pure white moon, and chatting for a while, the Li family's Qixi Festival came to an end.
However, Li's mother followed Li San Niang on her way back to her room with Lu Zhu'er. In the small courtyard where Li San Niang lived, she quietly asked Li San Niang if she really did not plan to remarry.
Li San Niang sighed inwardly, "Raising a child for a hundred years, worrying for ninety-nine." Li's mother didn't think it was bad for Li San Niang to divorce or bring Lu Zhu'er home. She just felt that it would be bad if Li San Niang spent the rest of her life alone, with no one to care for her or give her anyone to rely on.
“Mother, Luzhu is not even three years old yet, and I don’t have that thought for now. If I really want to visit another family in the future, I will tell you first.”
"It's all my and your father's fault. We shouldn't have chosen such a heartless man for you in the first place!"
“Mother, I really don’t want to visit any more families now. I have my father and mother loving care for me at home, and my elder brother and sister-in-law take good care of me. Even my nephews are very fond of me as their little aunt. I still have Luzhu’er. What regrets could I possibly have? In the future, I will raise Luzhu’er and find her a good family to marry into. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?”
"And then what? What will you do after you marry Zhu'er? How will you manage on your own?"
“Mother, why worry so much about the future? Maybe I’ll meet a suitable husband in the future, or maybe I’ll just live a life of dew and loneliness.”
You could learn to sit in the temple like Father. With all your skills, wouldn't it be great to find a female disciple? If you like, I can even teach you.
Even if all else fails, one of my five nephews will surely cherish their little aunt. Whoever takes care of me in my old age and sees me off in my final days, I'll just give him my money.”
"You, you, I can't argue with you. Alright, take Dewdrop back to your room to rest."
Even though Li's mother was cornered by Li San Niang, she still hoped that Li San Niang would have someone to care for her and rely on in her later years.
Among those who brought their daughters home after divorce, very few did not remarry.
Rumors circulate that many handsome men frequently visited Princess Cheng'an's residence.
Of course, Li San Niang had no intention of finding a man. Let alone Princess Cheng An, how many women in modern times can freely find a man to date after a divorce?
Hmph, men not only hinder my raising of my baby, but also my system upgrades, preventing me from shining brightly in the Tang Dynasty!
In a few days, Kogoro will be a month old!
Li's mother, Li's eldest sister-in-law, and Li's third sister-in-law, along with Lu Zhu'er, gathered in Li's second sister-in-law's room to discuss how to properly host the full moon celebration.
After hearing what Li San Niang said, Li's mother had already decided to give Li Er Sao a double postpartum confinement period. She was not a demanding family, and Li's mother did not think that her son would abandon his mother after getting married and having a wife. Unlike some mothers-in-law who couldn't stand seeing their sons and daughters-in-law getting along well, as if their daughters-in-law had stolen their sons.
Therefore, Li's mother made the decision directly: Li's second sister-in-law suffered greatly during the birth of Xiao Wulang, and the family could afford to support her, so she would have a double postpartum period!
Sister-in-law Li had no objections. After all, she had helped Sister-in-law Li when she gave birth and had seen the scene. She really didn't think there was anything wrong with having to do a double postpartum period.
If she really had any plans, she wouldn't have had Li Erlang for over ten years without a third child being born.
Yes, she and her husband, Mr. Li, took the initiative to use contraception. They felt that two sons were enough and didn't want to have a third child. This is indeed a rare idea nowadays. Mr. and Mrs. Li didn't interfere; they just thought it was fine as long as they thought it was good.
Li Ersao was naturally grateful for this and had no displeasure. At this moment, Li Ersao was holding Xiao Wulang and patting him to help him burp. She turned to her mother and said, "Mother, Wulang is not the eldest son or the eldest grandson. We only need to invite my family and my sister-in-law's family to the full moon banquet. He is a little boy, so there is no need for such a grand affair."
"Where would that be feasible?"
It's been seven or eight years since our family last held a full moon celebration. This time, we should definitely have a good time. In addition to your family, we'll also invite your eldest son's wife's family. Your father said that we need to invite your eldest uncle's family, the Zhou family next door, and the Sun family.
We also need to invite your elder brother's colleagues who are on good terms with him, as well as the doctors and pharmacy owners who are on good terms with our family.
The problem now is, your father and I are unsure whether to invite the Qian family, and also whether to invite Dewdrop's father's family.
Li San Niang never expected that her own affair was still involved here.
“Mother, the young master of the Qian family means that we should send out invitations, but usually, people from such families only send gifts and don’t actually come.”
When Sister-in-law Li heard about her mother's troubles, she spoke up directly.
“Mother, although I have divorced Wang Erlang, I will always be a daughter of the Wang family, and the fact that Wang Erlang is my father cannot be changed.”
Wang Dalang is a decent person. Grandma Wang's dislike is not important; Wang Dalang is still the one in charge of the Wang family.
Therefore, we should invite the Wang family; there's no need to worry. Besides, just a few days ago, the Wang family sent one tael of silver as this month's child support money for Luzhu'er.”
"Then let's just invite Wang Dalang. Wang Erlang shouldn't come. I get angry just looking at him. I have to beat him out with a broom."
"Sister-in-law, what's on your mind that makes you laugh?" Li Ersao, carrying Xiao Wulang, paced around and noticed that Li Dasao was secretly laughing, so she asked curiously.
"Haha, I was thinking, you know, I've been married into our family for fifteen years now, and we have to send out invitations to guests now. I sent my eldest son to buy these invitations a few days ago from the pen, ink, paper and inkstone shop on his way home from school. They're not cheap, each one costs several copper coins."
Our family is getting better and better. I think it's all thanks to Dewdrop. Ever since Dewdrop came home, our lives have been getting better and better. I'm so happy!
"Haha, now that you mention it, it's true."
I have the keys to the courtyard I bought from Mr. Zhou next door. After Wulang's full moon celebration, I'll find someone to open a gate in the west courtyard so it will be more convenient to come and go. Then we can go and tidy up the courtyard properly and see how to plan it out.
Also, we haven't seen Third Aunt's courtyard yet. When we have some free time, we'll tidy it up together and see if it's better for us to use it ourselves or for Third Aunt to rent it out and collect rent.
If Li's mother hadn't mentioned it, everyone would have almost forgotten about the property that Li San Niang bought in the blacksmith alley.
Lately, things have been happening one after another; the Li family hasn't had a single day without being busy.
"Sigh, I'll have to trouble Da Lang's wife again from now on. I won't be staying home as much during Er Lang's wife's double confinement period. People in the neighborhood have already come to ask when I'll be taking over the delivery."
When I'm not home, you two shouldn't do the laundry yourselves. Although it's warm enough to dry in the sun, one of you has to keep an eye on Goro and the other has to take care of the household. Where will you find the time?
I've already arranged with Granny Sun's family. She'll come to our house on the 5th to collect the clothes, wash and dry them, and then return them. I'll pay her with the money I earned from delivering the baby."
“Mother, why should you pay for it? We should pay for it ourselves.”
“Hehe, Mother, take me and Dewdrop with you later. I’ll pay for it myself. I really don’t want to wash those clothes.”
"You, you, do you even need to tell me? I've already spoken to Granny Sun, and all the clothes for the whole family have been taken out. But, given your obsession with cleanliness, you really should pay a portion of the money yourself. The clothes you need for five days are equivalent to seven or eight days' worth of clothes for others."
"No problem, I was just worried about it. It's been hot these past few days, and I and Luzhu have taken off quite a few clothes."
Li's mother couldn't resist and, seeing Li San Niang's opportunistic behavior, pointed her finger at her forehead.
"Alright, alright, eldest son's wife and second son's wife, you don't need to fight with me anymore. Mother still has the money, otherwise what would she be busy with outside all day?"
Besides, it's also to support Granny Sun's business; it's not easy for her to raise two children on her own.
Also, how about we invite Chef Wang over to cook a few meals at our house? I saw you all enjoyed the meal last time.”
Finally, it was unanimously approved, and we asked Chef Wang to prepare a few tables of food, to be paid for by the company.
The mother and her children were still discussing what kind of clothes to dress Xiao Wulang in that day when the young shop assistant Li Gui called out a few times in the courtyard to Li San Niang. He then led a man and a woman dressed in round-necked robes and black boots to wait in the main hall.
Once outside, Li Guicai told his mother, Li Sanniang, that it was an official from the Ministry of Revenue who had come to inquire about Li Sanniang and Luzhu'er.
Li San Niang explained to Li's mother that it was probably something Li Ling Shi had said when they were getting a divorce and asking for custody of Lu Zhu'er: that officials would come to their house to ask if Lu Zhu'er was doing well. It wasn't a bad thing.
Sister-in-law Li poured tea for them, and the man and woman introduced themselves. After exchanging greetings, they specially called over Dewdrop and asked her questions one by one, such as, "How many meals do you eat at home a day? What do you usually do? What's the happiest thing that's happened to you recently?"
Dewdrop didn't understand, and excitedly led the two officials to the jujube tree to see Little Yellow and Little Yellow's doghouse. In the end, she even insisted on hugging Little Yellow and asking the female official to touch it.
Li San Niang quickly stepped forward to defuse the situation. The female clerk was good-natured, and the male clerk was also fine with her. She even teased Lu Zhu'er, asking why he didn't let her touch the little yellow dog too.
Finally, the two explained that since Princess Cheng'an divorced with her daughter more than ten years ago, many women have divorced and returned home with their daughters. The Ministry of Revenue has developed a complete system to ensure that divorced women can live well in their mothers' homes. Furthermore, for those who remarry with their daughters, they are frequently visited to check on them. Because they are all women, some low-ranking female officials follow them.
This is why the Li family is still considered ordinary people. Although the eldest brother Li has joined the Imperial Guard, he has not yet accumulated many connections, and he is unaware of many things happening in official circles.
After learning that the Wang family had sent one tael of silver as a child support payment, the male clerk wrote down the process and results of his visit that day in his notebook, and only after Li San Niang signed it was the matter considered closed.
Li San Niang was quite amazed by the charcoal pen used by the male clerk. It was somewhat similar to the charcoal pen that Li Er Xiong would carry when he went to the countryside to collect medicinal herbs. Li Er Xiong used it to make it easier to record the medicinal herbs sold by the villagers and to settle accounts with copper coins.
However, the clerk's charcoal pencil was much more refined than the one used by Li Erxiong, and it even had a cloth pen cover. The notebook was neither as good as the Xuan paper that Li Sanniang used when watching the four little ones practice calligraphy, nor as bad as straw paper. It was slightly rough, but the charcoal pencil with its sharpened tip wrote quite smoothly on it.
Li San Niang was very interested, so she asked a few questions. The male clerk smiled and said proudly, "Oh, these charcoal pencils and notebooks were specially issued to us by the higher-ups. They said that the master craftsmen in the palace made them by chance. This is the first batch, and we clerks who often travel around are using them first. I heard that this is not even the best. The officials at the top use better ones."
Li San Niang thought to herself, "Oh my, is this Emperor Wu using his engineering cheat code?"
With papermaking and charcoal pencils already available, how far away are cement and blast furnace ironmaking?
What I'm wearing isn't just a system of documents promoting the development of medicine in the Tang Dynasty, is it?
Is this a female-centric story about infrastructure development?
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