Chapter 75, Branching
"Girl, are we going to live in this yard just the two of us from now on? This is too big!"
Wang Maner followed Daohua and looked at the new home with great interest.
The Rice Flower Pavilion is spacious, with three main rooms on the north side, one bright and two dark, and ear rooms on the left and right ends. There are three side rooms on the west side, several back rooms on the south side, a flower shed corridor on the east side, and a small cultivated flower garden next to it.
Daohua looked around the yard with great interest. If nothing unexpected happened, she would be living here for the next three years or even longer. After hearing Wang Maner's words, she paused for a moment and said, "Father is now the prefect. When mother is done with her work, the family should hire a new group of servants."
Wang Man'er: "Will there be more people around the girl by then?"
Daohua shook her head: "I don't know, it depends on what mother arranges." She privately calculated the income and expenditure of the Yan family. The Yan family cannot support too many servants now. Even if Madam Li wants to add people in the future, she will first take care of the few who often go out for social events.
"Okay, let's not talk about this for now. Let's think about how to arrange the yard."
For a period of time afterwards, the Yan family was busy.
Yan Zhigao was busy with the handover with the prefect of Xingzhou and getting to know the officials of Xingzhou; Mrs. Li was busy arranging all the affairs of the family, not daring to be careless at all, for fear of embarrassing Yan Zhigao.
Others were busy arranging the yard and packing up.
Half a month later, Yan Zhigao had a general understanding of the people and affairs of the provincial government, and other members of the Yan family gradually became familiar with life in Xingzhou.
During this period, Daohua also rearranged her courtyard. The main house was used as a place to receive guests and rest, the west wing was arranged into a study and embroidery room, and the back house was left for the maids.
She also planted things in the flower shed on the east side. Originally, she wanted to grow some vegetables, fruits and melons, but at Mrs. Li's reminder, she changed to planting flowers and green plants.
She forgot that in ancient times, young ladies from official families also had to socialize. If other daughters of official families came to visit her and saw the yard full of vegetables, they might not say anything to her face, but they would definitely laugh at her behind her back.
Not only can't she plant in her yard, but she can't plant in the old lady's yard either.
The old lady was very angry about this, but in order not to bring shame to her son, she suppressed her desire to work.
"Grandma, don't be angry. Wait until I buy the farm and we can start farming there."
This is how Rice Flower comforted the old lady.
When the old lady heard this, she thought it was feasible and immediately called Mrs. Li and asked her to buy a small one for Daohua when she looked after the farm.
In this way, the matter of Daohua buying the farm was settled.
"girl!"
Wang Maner ran into the yard hurriedly from outside with a flowerpot in one hand.
Daohua took a flower pot and asked, "What's wrong? You look so anxious."
Wang Maner said anxiously: "Miss, go to the main courtyard and take a look. The master has passed by."
Daohua was puzzled: "Isn't it normal for my father to go to the main courtyard? What's going on? Is there something going on in Shuangxin Courtyard again?"
Wang Man'er nodded immediately. "I heard from Sister Ping Xiao in the main courtyard that the third young lady also wants a separate courtyard. Aunt Lin asked the master for it. I guess the master went to the main courtyard today to discuss this matter."
Hearing this, Daohua didn't look too anxious: "Just say it, mother has always been in charge of the family affairs. Even if father favors Shuangxinyuan, he still has to ask her opinion."
Madam Li has always been fair and just in managing the household. Over the years, even the calculating and calculating Sun has been unable to say a word of objection.
The courtyards in the backyard of the provincial government office were indeed more than those in the county government office, but not so many that all the children in the Yan family could have their own courtyard.
There was a reason why Mrs. Li dared to let Daohua live in a courtyard alone.
Daohua is the eldest granddaughter of the Yan family. Her father is the pillar of the Yan family and her mother is the mistress of the household. She lives in a courtyard alone. Even if someone in the Yan family feels unhappy, they will not show it.
But why does Yan Yishuang want to live in a yard alone?
Because her mother is a concubine?
Main courtyard.
After Yan Zhigao entered the room, he drank two cups of tea.
It’s not that I’m very thirsty, but the tea in the lady’s room was given by the eldest daughter. Although it is just ordinary jasmine tea, it tastes better than the expensive tea bought outside.
Now, among all the courtyards of the Yan family, only the old lady and the lady can often eat the food sent by the eldest daughter.
I don’t know if the eldest daughter did it on purpose, but the food she sent each time was not much. Anyway, if he wanted to eat, he had to come to the main courtyard or go to the old lady’s house often.
After Yan Zhigao finished his tea, Madam Li asked Pingtong to bring up some date paste cakes. She smiled and said, "Master, try this. The old lady has been craving something sweet these days, so Daohua made this."
Yan Zhigao looked at the cakes on the plate. He didn't like sweet things, but when he smelled the jujube fragrance emanating from the cakes, he couldn't help but take a piece and put it in his mouth. After chewing for a while, he picked up another piece and nodded as he ate it: "It tastes good."
Madam Li smiled and said, "Then Master, please eat more. By the way, Master, what is the matter with you?"
Yan Zhigao: "Nothing, I just wanted to ask, aren't there a few yards left in the backyard? If no one lives there, give one to Yishuang. She's eight years old this year, and it's time for her to have her own yard."
Madam Li kept a smile on her face. "I was just about to discuss the empty courtyard with Master. When we first moved here, everyone was busy running around, so I divided the courtyards according to when we were at the county government office."
"Now that the master has mentioned the empty yard, I will also tell you my opinion."
Yan Zhigao nodded and reached out for the date paste cake again.
Madam Li glanced at the gradually dwindling number of date paste cakes and said, "The children in the family are all grown up now, and it's time for them to move out of their parents' courtyard. Wenxiu certainly deserves his own courtyard, as the eldest son and grandson."
Yan Zhigao nodded in agreement.
Madam Li continued, "As for Daohua, as the eldest granddaughter of our Yan family, it is only natural and reasonable to allocate her a courtyard."
Yan Zhigao nodded again. All wealthy families would give certain preferential treatment to the eldest son and daughter. Although their Yan family was not a wealthy family, he, Yan Zhigao, also had a heart to revitalize the family. This rule could be learned.
Seeing that he had no objections, Madam Li relaxed a lot. "After that, it will be Wenjie, Wentao, Wenkai, Wenbin, Yihuan, Yishuang, and Yile. Wenhui is still young, so he will definitely live with my third brother and his family. Therefore, the empty yard will be divided among the seven of them."
"There are still four empty courtyards left. One must be reserved to hire a teacher to run a school and teach the girls etiquette. So, there are only three courtyards left to be distributed." After saying this, Madam Li looked at Yan Zhigao with a smile: "What do you think about this, Master?"
Yan Zhigao was silent.
Aunt Lin had told him before that Daohua already had her own yard, so Yishuang should have one too. He thought it was no problem, but now when he heard what Madam Li said, he felt that he had been overthinking it.
If Yishuang were given a separate courtyard, what would happen to the other children? Besides, there was also Wenkai, who was the legitimate son.
Yan Zhigao habitually reached out to take the date paste cake, but to his surprise, the plate was empty!
Withdrawing his hand awkwardly, Yan Zhigao looked at Madam Li: "What do you think, Madam?"
Mrs. Li didn't hesitate and directly expressed her thoughts: "According to my previous plan, Wenjie and Wenbin have always been good friends, so they live in the same courtyard; Wentao and Wenkai can play together, so they live in the same courtyard."
"The last courtyard, Yihuan, Yishuang, and Yile are together. After all, the three of them grew up together and went to school together. They know each other's personalities and temperaments, so they should be able to get along well."
Yan Zhigao pondered for a while, unable to find any reason to refute, and finally nodded: "Let's divide it this way."
(End of this chapter)
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