After entering the mansion, driving the livestock into the stable and putting the luggage away, everyone split up into two groups.
The women and children went into the new kitchen to prepare lunch, while Brother Gu and Grandpa Gu, who were on vacation, were responsible for the reception.
No guests were invited, and the Qingshan villagers were not notified. It was just a simple house-warming meal for the family.
But Duan Qingyan, Duan Yunchi, Xiao Mingzhan, Doctor Ling and others would be coming, so everyone prepared two tables, eight dishes and one soup. The difficult-to-make crystal pork elbow, crab meat lion head and other dishes had already been prepared.
Grandma Gu, Mother Gu and Man Niang could easily handle the rest of the dishes, so they simply let Gu Xinran be responsible for taking care of her younger siblings.
She thought that moving to a new house was such a big event, so she had to do her part and have fun in new ways. Why not take the two little ones to make a fruit plate, which would be fun and delicious.
She took out a large basket of tempting apples, pears, peaches, and oranges from the space...
Everyone's eyes lit up when they saw it. Man Niang was curious about the origin of these fruits, but when she thought about her relationship with King Qi, her doubts were dispelled and she was sure that they were sent by King Qi.
After sharing them with everyone, Xuanxuan Tingting helped to wash them, while Gu Xinran peeled and cut them into pieces. Then they placed them on a white porcelain tray and arranged them into beautiful shapes, some like flowers, some like hearts, and some like the sun...
Then he put a handful of small bamboo sticks on the plate and called Xiaolan to take it to the central hall and the dining room for everyone to taste.
Xuanxuan and Tingting imitated their sister, making different patterns and showing them to everyone in the kitchen, occasionally putting a piece into their mouths.
Laughter and joy flow in the kitchen!
An hour later, the dishes were almost ready. Manniang was left to clean up while everyone went to the front courtyard to welcome the guests.
The first guest to come was Duan Qingyan. He took half a day off today and came early with gifts to congratulate his sister on her new home.
To be honest, he was extremely reluctant to see the Gu family move out of the Duan Mansion. The loss and sadness brought to him by the move was like sending his sister off to get married. He tossed and turned all night and couldn't sleep.
After losing eighteen years of time together, I now have my sister back. I wish I could have her in front of me and hold her in my hands every day.
When Gu Xinran saw her uncle saying congratulations, her expression was full of reluctance and depression.
He took the gift and consoled her, "Uncle, we both live in the south of the city, just two blocks away. Don't be sad. If you're willing, you can move in together. There's a room for you and Brother Yunchi."
Duan Qingyan's dull eyes lit up when he heard this. He looked expectantly at Mother Gu and the two elders and asked tentatively, "Is it okay for me to come and stay here?"
Everyone smiled and nodded, saying words of welcome.
Mother Gu even took Duan Qingyan's hand and smiled sweetly, "Brother, just treat this as your own home."
No matter how old you are, you will always be a child in front of your loved ones. Gu Xinran has never seen her mother smile like this. It’s great that her mother can find her family.
Just then, Duan Yunchi, Xiao Mingzhan, Doctor Ling, Xiao Ba and Xiao Mei came over together.
Duan Yunchi just happened to hear the last sentence, stuffed the gift into Brother Gu's hand, and affectionately put his arm around Mother Gu's other arm. He raised his peach blossom eyes and said softly, "Aunt, can I also treat this as my own home?"
Mother Gu let go of her eldest brother and tapped his forehead gently. "Of course, Mingzhan too, treat this as your own home."
Duan Qingyan saw that his nephew had snatched away his sister's attention as soon as he arrived, and the hand they were holding disappeared, and he looked at him with a sharp look.
Duan Yunchi quickly withdrew his hand with a timid look on his face, and said to Gu's mother with a smile: "Then I will stay here tonight."
Without waiting for Gu's mother to respond, he glanced at his uncle and ran to tell jokes to Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu, making the two old people laugh.
Gu Xinran accepted Xiao Mingzhan's gift and accompanied him to greet the elders. The cold and proud prince was a likable junior in front of the Gu family.
Everyone was happy to see that they had a good relationship and got along well.
Doctor Ling and Grandpa Gu were old acquaintances, and after presenting the gift, they started chatting for a while.
After Xiaoba and Xiaomei greeted everyone, they helped Xiaolan serve tea and water to everyone. They are also members of the Gu family.
The room was full of joy and after some chatting, they were ready to eat.
Unexpectedly, there were several uninvited guests.
Several accountants who had learned accounting from Gu Xinran arrived, specially to congratulate their master on his new house.
Guests are welcome, so Gu Xinran invited them into the central hall and treated them warmly. The exquisite fruit snacks dazzled them, and the fragrant tea brewed with diluted spiritual spring water lingered in their mouths.
The dishes are also very rich, and Man Niang’s cooking skills are getting better and better.
Everyone had a warm meal together.
After the meal, the accountants left quickly. After all, being in the same room with the prince and the general was extremely stressful.
Xiao Mingzhan asked Gu Xinran to take him to visit the Gu Mansion, and the two chatted as they walked.
Gu Xinran spoke first: "Brother Xiao, how long can you stay in Jinzhou? Can you celebrate the New Year here?"
Xiao Mingzhan looked at her, his eyes filled with reluctance. "There's chaos in Zhongzhou, and refugees have occupied Changning County. We have to set out to quell the rebellion in the next two days."
Gu Xinran was shocked, but also felt that it was expected.
When Xiaomei and Xiaolan came to look for her, the gates of Zhongzhou were already closed, forcing them to take a detour. If they only blocked the passage without easing the flow, chaos would surely follow. It was a wise decision for Master Qiu and his family not to go to Zhongzhou.
However, I am still curious about how things got to this point. "How could such a big thing happen?"
Xiao Mingzhan sighed deeply, his eyes filled with dissatisfaction, pity, and helplessness. "If you have nothing to eat or drink, you will have to rebel."
After Gu Xinran returned to Jinzhou City, he saw prosperity and stability. He lived a life without worries about food and clothing, and gradually forgot about the refugees who were still struggling on the line between life and death.
There is no such thing as a peaceful life. This is a city that has just been pacified.
He spoke with a heavy heart: "They are all citizens of Lan Country. They should be properly settled."
Xiao Mingzhan frowned slightly, "The imperial court did not handle the situation properly. Zhongzhou borders the three western states. Before the order to migrate south was issued, it was the first choice for refugees to escape famine. They all flocked here. Now they should be separated and resettled.
However, my father issued an order prohibiting Zhongzhou from allowing refugees to go to the capital. The refugees could only enter but not leave, and the country was overwhelmed, so it finally had to close the gates and block the road.
With no water or food and the court inaction, the land was ravaged by starvation. A scholar named Wang, unable to survive, raised his arm and led his men to capture Changning County. Their power was growing stronger and stronger, and if they were not stopped, Zhongzhou would be lost.
Gu Xinran just felt suffocated in her heart. She was also a refugee blocked outside the city gate. Even with food and money, she felt lost. What about those who had nothing to eat or drink? How desperate they would be.
As an emperor, even if he doesn't have to love his people like his own children, he should at least be sympathetic to their feelings and give them a way out.
Unable to resist, he cried out in anger, "Stupid ruler! This catastrophe could have been avoided."
Xiao Mingzhan looked around and saw no one. He then knocked on her head and said seriously, "Only say this kind of thing in front of me, or you'll lose your head."
Gu Xinran was also excited for a moment. In an era where imperial power is supreme, one must be careful in what he says and does.
Besides, this tyrant is her father, and perhaps her future father-in-law. She couldn't help but look at Xiao Mingzhan's expression and stick out her tongue, "It was a slip of the tongue. I said something bad about your father. You're not angry, are you?"
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