Xu Rao asked Zhang Zhaoci, "Have you been to the Li family's place yet?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "I've been there. Xu Di made very good arrangements. Madam Li said she's planning to go back with us."
Xu Rao said, "Didn't you say you were going to take it for a longer time? Why are you leaving in such a hurry?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "That's what I said too. She said she was worried about her family. Madam Li said that the eldest son of the Li family planned to stay in the capital for a few more days, and then go back to his hometown with his wife and children. The house in his hometown is in disrepair and needs to be repaired. Also, the family has acquired some land. Although someone has been arranged to collect the rent, the family still needs to go back and check on it."
Xu Rao said, "In that case, Lord Li and I will go with you. After Xu Di's wedding is over, we will return to Ganzhou. Xu Di will take his wife and a few cousins to Tai'an. What about Xu Bai? What will be done with him?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "I wanted him to come with us to Ganzhou, but once we got there, we didn't have any useful teachers or mentors. The two mentors from the Zhang family are going to Tai'an with us now."
Xu Rao asked, "What does Xu Bai himself think?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "He did want to go to Tai'an with us, but I felt he was too young."
Xu Rao said, "If he is willing, then let him go with us. I'm just afraid that if Xu Zhi comes to Ganzhou with us, it will delay her marriage."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "She's been in the capital for so long, but she hasn't said she's taken a fancy to any young master. I guess she doesn't want to look in the capital. Well, she's only eleven or twelve years old. Let's take her to Ganzhou. We can find someone she's willing to marry."
Xu Rao said, "Aren't we being a bit too hasty in treating the child?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Haven't we always raised our children this way? It's a bit late to say we're being hasty now. Alright, children and grandchildren have their own destinies. We parents have interfered too much. What if our children don't have a smooth marriage in the future? Won't they blame us?"
Xu Rao said, "If the children's marriage doesn't go smoothly in the future, will they blame us? Will they blame us for not helping them make choices?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Do you think our Xiao Jiu is an ordinary child?"
Xu Rao listened and remained silent for a long time before saying, "Alright, tomorrow is Xu Di's wedding day. After we return to our parents' home, let's stay a couple more days to keep the old lady company before we leave."
Tomorrow is the official day, and Madam Ning has arranged for people to clean every corner of the Marquis's residence, striving to ensure there are no blind spots.
After Zhang Zhaoci finished speaking with Xu Rao, she went to Xu Di's courtyard, which was to be used as their new home. The small three-section courtyard had been newly decorated. Two large red lanterns hung at the main gate, and red lanterns were also hung at intervals along the covered walkways on both sides after entering the gate, all the way to the main house. Many red ribbons were hung on the flowering trees in the courtyard.
Xu Di was conducting a final inspection, accompanied by several servants from the courtyard. If anything was not right, he would arrange for someone to make corrections.
Seeing Zhang Zhaoci come in, Xu Di quickly came over. Zhang Zhaoci said, "I just came to check on you. You go ahead with your work."
Xu Di said, "Mother, why don't you go to the room and take a look at the canopy bed I made?"
Xu Di really put a lot of effort into this canopy bed, from the wood to the workmanship, he basically oversaw the entire process. When Zhang Zhaoci came to see it, the bed was not yet finished.
Zhang Zhaoci said, "It's just a bed to sleep in, why are you going to make such a fuss?"
Xu Di said, "I'm going to keep this as a family heirloom, Mother. Let me tell you, that bed doesn't use a single nail. It's all made with mortise and tenon joints. And when it's not in use, it can be disassembled and stored. When you need it, you can just assemble it yourself. The craftsman assembled it in front of me, and I've already learned how."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Even if we take it apart, we can't take it everywhere. Never mind, you're the groom at your wedding. As long as you and the bride are satisfied, that's all that matters."
The main house has three rooms, with side rooms on both sides. The bedroom is located on the east side, separated by a pear wood screen carved with the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea. Turning past the screen leads to the inner room, where a large canopy bed is placed near the north wall. A kang (heated brick bed) is built by the window, with a small kang table on it.
A canopy bed is not just a bed; it also includes a dressing table connected to the bed and a bedside table with drawers, making it look like a small room. The bed has already been varnished three times, making it look very grand.
The east wing room is connected to the bedroom. Xu Di specifically used this room as a washroom, and placed a bathtub inside.
Xu Di said to Zhang Zhaoci, "I also built a heated wall in this room, which is connected to the kang (heated brick bed) outside. It won't be cold to take a bath here in winter."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "It's kind of you to think of everything. Why didn't you consider developing a solar-powered system?"
Xu Di laughed and said, "You think too highly of me. How could I be so capable as to be able to do everything?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "You need to have confidence in yourself."
Xu Di chuckled a few times and said nothing more. Xu Di understood very well that Zhang Zhaoci was complaining that he had gone too far and was too ostentatious when he renovated the house. Just for his own enjoyment, he had changed the house so much. Some of the things were quite cheap to use, but the old lady and the Marquis hadn't even used them yet. You, the eldest son of the Marquis's family, had already used them. Weren't you handing over your own weakness to others?
Xu Di said, "After I get married, I will take Yuexi to Tai'an. I won't be able to enjoy this house. We don't even know when we will be back. Even if we are back, I will take the imperial examination. After the examination, I want to be assigned to a post outside the capital."
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