Chapter 191

Chapter 191

Chen Qingyan didn't return from Fourth Uncle's until evening. Seeing so many carriages in the yard, he knew his mother and the others had arrived.

Upon entering the house, he saw Wang Ying directing the servants to set up tables. He had ordered food from a restaurant to be brought home, sparing everyone the trouble of going out.

"Has Mother and the others arrived?"

"Yes, everyone's here. They should be waking up soon. Go call them for dinner."

Soon enough, everyone gathered. The children, already hungry, were seated by Wang Ying on the heated brick bed (kang) in the inner room to eat. Even the youngest, Second Baby, could use a spoon to eat his steamed egg.

The men who drank sat at one table, while the women and non-drinking men sat at another. Everyone chatted as they ate.

When family gathers, there's always plenty to talk about. First, they discussed Qing Huai's wedding plans.

Li Shi inquired, "How are the preparations coming along?"

"Everything that needs preparing is almost done. Only the wedding 'double happiness' characters need to be put up, which we'll do tomorrow morning."

Chen Rong asked, "Is Fourth Brother's house far from yours?"

Chen Qingyan waved his hand. "Not far at all. It's right behind this street, just a short walk. I'll take you there tomorrow morning."

"That's good. With you brothers living close, you can discuss things and help each other out. That sets our minds at ease."

Wang Ying then asked Lin Qiu, "When did you all move to the prefectural city?"

"We arrived in September. We stayed with you for about half a month, then moved out after Cao Kun rented a shop and bought a courtyard on Zhenghe Street."

"You bought a courtyard on Zhenghe Street?"

"Yes, Zhengyang Street was too pricey. A courtyard of the same size costs twice as much there. We were short on silver." Even then, they still fell short and had to borrow a hundred taels from Lin Sui, though they paid it back last month.

Lin Sui inquired, "How's business in the capital?"

"Don't even ask. Since we arrived, we haven't had time to focus on business. We'll see when it warms up." He planned to visit the rented mountain soon to quietly move the experimental fields there, so it wouldn’t attract attention when spring arrived.

Winter was manageable too. He could control the temperature and humidity of the experimental fields and even create the illusion of a hot spring, making the transported vegetables seem more plausible.

Of course, he had backup plans. If anyone tried to seize the land, he would quietly reclaim the experimental fields, leaving them with nothing but barren land.

By the time dinner ended, it was already 7–9 p.m. Since they'd rested that afternoon, nobody was very tired.

Chen Qingyan took his younger brother, Liu Changyi, and Cao Kun to the study, while the others went to the western bedroom where Li Shi was staying.

The bedroom had a warm, cozy heated brick bed. The children took off their outer coats and played in thin cotton jackets, while the adults sat around shelling sunflower seeds and chatting.

Chen Rong said, "It's been years since I’ve seen Fourth Brother. I wonder how he’s doing."

"Fourth Uncle hasn’t changed much, just a bit older. You’ll see him tomorrow."

"How is your Fourth Aunt’s health?"

"She’s doing well. A few days ago, she was asking when you’d arrive. She’s been missing you all."

Li Shi asked, "Did their two children come?"

"Yes, Qing Ying and Qing Lan. The little girl looks just like Qing Yun did when she was little!"

Qingyun exclaimed, "Really? Then I must take a good look at my little sister tomorrow."

Li Shi brought up the lively scene at the full moon celebration of Qingyun’s two children, "Over seventy banquet tables were set up for the full moon, and all the prominent figures from the entire prefecture attended. It’s a shame you couldn’t be there."

Magistrate Liu had been serving in the prefectural city for many years, so he had many friends, and naturally, many people came. Moreover, with Changyi now serving in Jizhou Prefecture, even more people sought to connect with him.

Wang Ying said, "We wanted to return too, but at that time, Qingyan and Qinghuai had just started their duties at the Hanlin Academy and didn’t dare to take leave."

Chen Rong agreed, "That’s true. Working for the emperor, one can’t afford to slack off."

After discussing Qingyun, they moved on to Lin Sui. "Any news from the Marquis? Before the New Year, the emperor rewarded the Marquis, and the edict was even written by Qingyan."

Lin Sui shook her head, "Not yet..."

"Don’t worry. Perhaps matters at the border haven’t been settled yet. Once things calm down, he’ll surely send a letter."

"Mhm."

Lin Qiu hesitated to speak, seeing the hopeful look on her younger brother’s face, and decided not to say what was on her mind. After all, no matter what, the Marquis was undoubtedly a thousand times better than Huang Yongqiang, so her brother’s wait was worth it.

*

The next morning, everyone got up early, had breakfast, and went together to Fourth Uncle’s new house.

The large gate was adorned with big red lanterns, and two servants were pasting the character for "double happiness" on the door. Startled by the crowd, they hurried inside to announce the arrival.

Before long, Fang Ling and Chen Jing hurried out to greet them. "Eldest Sister-in-Law, Third Sister, you’ve finally arrived!"

Chen Rong held her younger brother’s arm, looking him up and down with teary eyes. "Fourth Brother, you’ve grown white hair."

"Hey, I’m almost fifty—it’s about time for white hair to appear." Over the years, he had worked tirelessly in Shanzhou, while Fang Ling appeared much younger by comparison.

"Come in quickly. Was the journey smooth for Eldest Sister-in-Law?"

"Smooth. The roads around the capital are much flatter than those in Jizhou, so it wasn’t too bumpy along the way."

"Ah Ling and I have been worried about you these past few days. I’m glad you arrived safely."

Once inside, everyone looked around. Compared to the house Wang Ying and the others bought, this one was more spacious, with walls that had been freshly painted, making it bright and cheerful.

"Are all the wedding preparations ready?"

"Everything’s ready. Neither family has many relatives in the capital, so we're only setting up ten banquet tables. We’ll just hold the banquet at a restaurant." Once Chen Jing’s transfer order comes through, they will hold an additional banquet in Laizhou and invite all their friends and relatives there.

Chen Rong laughed, "That’s good. There’s not much else we can help with—we’ll just wait to enjoy the feast."

"Your presence alone makes me incredibly happy. Eat as much as you like—the more you eat, the happier I’ll be!"

The whole room burst into laughter, while Chen Qingsong seized the opportunity to look for Elder Liang.

"Master!"

Liang Boqing was in the courtyard playing with a few children. Hearing the voice, he looked up. "Ah, Qingsong, you’re here."

Chen Qingsong walked up and respectfully greeted the old man. "It’s been over a year since we last met. Your disciple has missed you dearly!"

Elder Liang stood up and patted his shoulder. "Good lad, you’ve grown taller and sturdier. I just wonder if your studies have improved as well."

"In this year’s annual exam, your disciple ranked third in the top class!" Previously, Chen Qingsong’s grades had been unstable, fluctuating between the top and second classes. It wasn’t until the second half of the year that they gradually stabilized, and he achieved his best result of the year in the final annual exam.

"Excellent! In another two years, you’ll also take the imperial exams. Do you have the confidence to follow in your eldest brother’s footsteps?"

Chen Qingsong scratched his head, "Well, that's still a bit challenging. Your disciple will do his best."

Since the main hall was too crowded, and many government officials had arrived to visit, everyone stayed for a while before returning to Wang Ying's residence.

Liang Boqing took the three brothers to the study and, as usual, delivered their final lesson.

"Qing Yan and Qing Huai, your imperial examinations are over. I know little of officialdom, as I’ve never been an official myself, but I can still offer some guidance on matters of character."

The two clasped their hands and said, "Your disciples are listening attentively, Master."

"It’s better to offend a gentleman than a petty person. This isn't to teach you to curry favor with the powerful, but because a gentleman has the capacity to tolerate others. Even if there are disagreements, they maintain decorum. Petty men, however, bear grudges and retaliate, often scheming in the shadows. Remember, a clear stream does not rush recklessly; those who can flow around rocks will eventually become great rivers."

After pondering for a moment, the two replied, "Your disciples understand, Master!"

"Qing Song, come here."

Chen Qingsong walked over to Old Liang.

"You still have two years to prepare for the imperial examinations. They say that even dragons’ sons differ in their abilities. Your eldest brother may have been the top scholar, but that doesn’t mean you will achieve the same. If you face setbacks along the way, don’t be discouraged. Prepare anew and try again—I believe you will succeed."

"Yes!"

"Alright, I’ve taught you all I can. The rest of the journey depends on yourselves."

The three knelt and bowed their heads to the ground in unison. "Thank you for your guidance, Master!"

"Rise. When I first took you in, I never imagined we’d come this far. You haven’t disappointed me, and I, too, have gained recognition through your achievements in the imperial examinations."

The regrets of the past were finally laid to rest in Liang Boqing’s heart.

The imperial examinations? Hah, mere trifles!

*

The day of Chen Qinghuai’s wedding was a quiet affair, as most of the connections and acquaintances the family had built over the years were in Laizhou, Jizhou, and Shanzhou.

Still, all the family members who could attend were present, leaving no regrets.

During the wedding procession, Wang Ying caught a glimpse of the bride. The Bai family’s daughter was truly beautiful—elegant and scholarly, like a figure carved from jade. Brother Huai is truly fortunate!

After the ceremony, the guests headed to a nearby banquet hall for the feast. Worried that Fourth Aunt might be overwhelmed, Wang Ying stepped in to help host, staying busy until evening before returning home.

After the wedding, the relatives stayed in the capital for two days before it was time to depart.

Especially Cao Kun and Liu Changyi, who had pressing official duties to attend to and couldn’t afford delays. Qing Song still had to continue his studies, and Qing Yun’s child was too young to be away for long. So, they set off for Jizhou on the chosen day.

Wang Ying was genuinely reluctant to see them go. As they prepared to leave, he held his mother-in-law and third aunt’s hands and said, "Take care of yourselves. Do visit again when you can."

"Of course. You take care too in the capital. Discuss things with Qinghuai and the others, and if anything urgent comes up, write to us."

Yuanbao pouted, tears streaming down his cheeks. Li Shi’s heart ached at the sight, and she quickly turned away, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, afraid that one more look would make it impossible to let go.

As the carriage started moving, Yuanbao cried out at the top of his voice, "Grandmother, you must think of Yuanbao!"

"I will, I will…"

The child cried so hard that Wang Ying feared he might work himself into a fit. He quickly had Chen Qingyan carry him into the courtyard, while he secretly wiped away his own tears.

Such were the drawbacks of ancient times—transportation was terribly inconvenient. A distance of a few hundred li, which would have been a few hours by car in his previous life, now took over ten days to traverse. Who knew when they would meet again?

On the twenty-fourth of February, Fourth Uncle’s transfer order finally arrived. He was reassigned as Prefect of Yanzhou. Though it was expected, Fourth Uncle still felt a tinge of regret. Given his current fourth-rank position, it would have been difficult to secure a vacancy in the capital.

Life is full of regrets—he had grown accustomed to it. Still, Yanzhou was far better than Shanzhou, and it was relatively close to both the capital and Jizhou, making future visits more convenient.

Once everything was packed, Fourth Uncle set off with his wife and children for his new post. Old Liang tagged along for the excitement. The house grew quiet again, returning to its usual state.

But Wang Ying found himself busier than ever. He needed to set up the experimental fields, organize the icehouse and store ice, and, most importantly, his first agricultural book was about to be printed.