041, Watching Lanterns
041, Watching Lanterns
After agreeing, Boss Lu reacted and quickly took out a jade pendant he had prepared in advance from his pocket and stuffed it into the hand of his newly adopted son. "Qilang, come here. This is a gift from your adoptive father and mother to change your name."
"Oh, no, this won't do. It's too expensive..." Seeing Boss Lu trying to stuff something into his son's mouth, Lu Youtian instinctively wanted to help the child refuse. They had asked the child to recognize Boss Lu and his wife as his adoptive parents, not because they were greedy for other people's things.
Xu Yueniang said, "Yes, yes, this is a small token of our appreciation. When Qilang goes to study at the academy, we will prepare a set of four treasures of the study for him."
This time, before his father and mother could refuse, Lu Mingfei had already thanked his newly adopted father and mother: "Thank you, father and mother."
"Yes, yes, that's it. You should take what your adoptive parents give you. Don't be polite to them." Boss Lu really liked the child's generosity and straightforwardness.
Xu Yueniang looked at her newly adopted son with eyes full of admiration and love.
Seeing that their son had already accepted the things from his newly adopted adoptive parents, Lu Youtian and Liu Sanniang didn't know what to say. They couldn't ask the child to return the things, as that would seem too distant. Before, they and Mr. and Mrs. Lu were just acquaintances at best, but once their child recognized Mr. Lu and Xu Yueniang as his adoptive parents, the two families would become godparents, and their relationship would be completely different.
Boss Lu took his adopted son's hand, looked at Lu Youtian and his wife, and asked, "Is Qilang five or six years old this year?"
"He was born young, and he won't be five until after his birthday." Lu Youtian responded.
"Oh, when is Qillang's birthday? Let's celebrate his birthday then." When Boss Lu heard that his adopted son's birthday was earlier, he realized that it meant that he had not celebrated his birthday.
"His birthday is on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, which is still several months away. On his birthday, I will cook a meal and invite you two to my house for dinner." Liu Sanniang said.
"That's good. If you don't want to cook, we can go out to a restaurant instead of cooking at home." This was said by Xu Yue Niang.
When Boss Lu heard that his adopted son was almost five years old, he thought of sending the child to school. "Qilang should start learning at this age. I know a few teachers who run private schools in this city. Why don't we take Qilang to a private school and let the teachers take a look. If he's suitable, we can enroll him in school."
"Our Qillang is so smart, he will definitely be a good student in the future. He will have no problem passing the examinations for the status of a student and a scholar. Maybe he can even win the top spot in the imperial examination. By then, we will be the father and mother, and adoptive parents of the top scholar." Thinking of that scene, Boss Lu couldn't help but laugh in his heart.
Of course, they adopted this child not because they wanted to gain any benefits from him, but simply because they liked him. It would be a waste not to send such a smart child to school.
"This kid is just a little clever, but he's still far from being the top scorer." Lu Youtian waved his hands hurriedly, not daring to make such a boast.
Liu Sanniang and Xu Yueniang were also having a great time chatting.
When the adults were talking, Lu Mingfei stood by and watched them with a smile. He didn't feel embarrassed when he heard the adults talking about him. After all, he was thick-skinned, so he loved to hear more praise.
After the adults finished speaking, Lu Mingfei expressed his thoughts on studying. He said to the adults, "I'm still young. I want to play for a few more years before going to school. Don't worry, even if I don't get the top spot, I'm so handsome that I might be able to get the third place."
"Hahaha……"
The latter sentence made the adults present laugh.
Lu Mingfei also chuckled twice. He didn't want to go to school now because he knew that his family's current situation would definitely not allow him to go to school. It would be better for him to help the family for two years first, and then go to school after his father and mother earned more money and their family's financial situation improved.
He knew that studying and taking the imperial examinations in ancient times didn't require the age of seven to start elementary school, and completing elementary, middle, and high school before going to university, as was the case in their previous world. Here, as long as one had the ability, one could pass the imperial examination at eighteen and become an official. Therefore, he wanted to delay his studies, striving to complete both his studies and the imperial examinations in the shortest possible time and with the least possible expense. If he was suited to this path, he would take the exams; if not, he could go into business, which he saw no disadvantage in.
However, in this era of "scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans," scholars always come first, and merchants come last. If you only have money but no power, then in the eyes of officials, you are just a fat pig, ready to be slaughtered and eaten at any time. Therefore, only by having power can you at least stand above most people, rather than becoming an ant that can be crushed at any time in the eyes of the powerful.
The final meal was naturally a great success for both the host and the guests.
Boss Lu and Xu Yueniang adopted a son, Lu Youtian and Liu Sanniang gained two more relatives; and Lu Mingfei gained two adoptive fathers and mothers, and two relatives who loved him dearly.
For the four adults and one child, this reunion did not cost anyone anything. Instead, they now had a few more relatives to visit.
By the time they finished their meal, it was almost dark outside.
At this time, Xu Yueniang suggested: "There are lanterns in the city today, why don't we go out for a walk and come back later?"
The moment Liu Sanniang heard this, she immediately thought of her husband, who was still unable to move. However, before the children and his wife could say no, Lu Youtian spoke first and said to his wife and children, "You two go ahead. You haven't seen the lanterns in Kyoto yet. Go for a walk in the city and come back."
Lu Mingfei wasn't really interested in watching the lanterns. After all, in their original world, New Year and other festivals were very lively, with fireworks even more dazzling than the lanterns. However, he thought of his mother in this life, who had probably never seen the lanterns in the city, so he said to her, "Mother, let's go take a look. We'll be back soon after a short stroll."
"Okay." Liu Sanniang thought the child wanted to see the lanterns, so she agreed to take the child. It was still early, so if they could go and see them for a while and come back, it wouldn't disturb their sleep.
So Boss Lu carried Lu Youtian back into the house, and then took his wife, Liu Sanniang and his newly adopted son, and the four of them left the Lu family courtyard and walked out into the alley.
At this time, Lu Mingfei, who followed the adults out of the alley, did not know that after they left, a pair of eyes were staring at their backs, and finally those greedy eyes fell on him.
The sun had set, and there was no sunlight in the alley, only dimness. A hunched figure followed the person who had left in front out of the alley and walked out.
***
On the fifteenth day of the lunar month, a bright moon rises slowly from the eastern sky.
This day was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the city was decorated with lanterns everywhere. There were also many stalls selling lanterns, food, and various small items on the streets.
Tonight, the gates of Kyoto Prefecture were delayed until the early hours of the night, and the city's curfew was also extended to that time. Therefore, this day was somewhat different from usual. Normally, the streets were deserted after dark, but tonight, after nightfall, the streets were particularly lively. The ladies and gentlemen living in the city, as well as ordinary people, would come out to stroll around and view the lanterns.
When Lu Mingfei followed his mother and adoptive parents out onto the street, he saw a crowd of people. Although there were stalls on this street during the day, the scene during the day was very different from the scene at night.
He'd been busy setting up shop and doing business during the day, too busy to appreciate the scenery. Now, with a changed mindset, he'd come here to stroll, and he had the leisure to appreciate the scenery and people. Compared to their previous small village, the people in Kyoto Prefecture were obviously dressed much better. There were many people wearing silk and satin, as well as ordinary people in coarse cloth. However, even these ordinary people had fewer patches on their clothes.
Young girls on the street dressed up beautifully and went out with their families or sisters to stroll and watch the lanterns. Young men also came out in groups, but judging by the way these men's eyes were all on the young ladies on the street, it was obvious that their real interest was not in the wine, but in the young girls.
The restrictions on women in the Great Yan Dynasty were not strict. There was no saying that unmarried women were not allowed to go shopping. Women were still allowed to go shopping and do business outside, and they would not be pointed at or criticized by others for showing their faces in public.
There were many food stalls on the street. Seeing one selling candied haws, Boss Lu asked his adopted son, "Qilang, what would you like to eat? Would you like candied haws?"
"No, no, thank you, godfather, I'm still full." Lu Mingfei waved his hands hurriedly.
However, the new adoptive father was particularly enthusiastic. He didn't care that the boy had just come out of the house after dinner and insisted on buying three strings of candied haws. He gave one to him first, and then gave one each to his mother and adoptive mother.
"Eat, everyone, take some and eat. Tell me what you want to eat and I will buy it for you." Boss Lu's gaze moved from his adopted son to his wife.
Xu Yueniang glared at her husband, not knowing how to restrain herself in public. "You take Qilang and walk in front. Sanniang and I will walk slowly behind."
"Okay." Boss Lu had no choice but to follow his wife's arrangement and took his adopted son and left first.
Lu Mingfei glanced back and saw his mother and adoptive mother walking behind, so he and his adoptive father walked in front. The four of them walked along the long street. He asked his adoptive father curiously, "If we continue walking forward, will we reach the Imperial City?"
"Yes, that's right. The end of this road is the Imperial City, where the emperor lives. Ordinary people like us cannot enter. But if Qilang can pass the imperial examination and become an official in the future, he will have the opportunity to enter the Imperial City and meet the emperor." Boss Lu himself had never been to the Imperial City, but when he was a child, he heard his father say that their ancestors were imperial merchants and had entered the Imperial City to meet the emperor.
It's just that his ancestors were not up to the task and not only lost their qualification as imperial merchants, but also squandered the family fortune. By the time of his father, there weren't many things left in the house. His father was also a gambler and lost all the family fortune.
It would be a lie to say that he has no regrets. But later, Lu Qingfeng thought to himself, if such a huge family business was left to him, would he be able to keep it? He was also unsure in his heart. So he was actually a little lucky in his heart, fortunately it was not him who ruined the family business of his ancestors. Even if he died in the future, he would have the face to go to the underworld to see his ancestors. Author's words: Thank you Bole 9492239 (9492239) for your support, mua! To know more exciting content, please leave me a message on Liancheng Reading Books
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