They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 101 The Magistrate's Banquet

Uncle Liang and the others were stunned by this incredible good news, after all, it was a banquet hosted by the county magistrate!
Their youngest son is going to attend the county magistrate's banquet! He'll be dining at the same table as the county magistrate (or so they think)! This is an incredibly auspicious sign, like their ancestors' graves emitting auspicious smoke!

I was so happy that I didn't think about anything else.
Liang Mingxiang would never have forgotten about the reward money, but he had been in a very bad mood these past few days and had neglected it.

It wasn't until the two messengers who brought the good news had been gone for quite some time that Liang Mingxiang suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!" and realized, "Since the two messengers have come to deliver the invitations, our family should give each of them a red envelope and a few coins each."

Zhang felt distressed: "Do we still have to give them money?"

A few coins per person, that's quite a lot. She felt a little relieved: thank goodness she didn't give them any.

Uncle Liang's expression changed, and he stamped his foot in regret: "Really, how could I forget such an important thing!"

Liang Mingxiang's expression darkened further: "Father, go ask Liang Mingxuan's family if they gave anything, and how much they gave?"

“Alright, alright,” Uncle Liang hurriedly said, “What does Mingxuan, a mere child, know? And Xu Shi, a woman, knows even less. They definitely didn’t give it to him! I’ll go ask him right now.”

Uncle Liang rushed in and asked, Xu Zhichun paused for a moment, then understood: They must be so happy they didn't give it to him, right?
"Just tell me now!"

"Give it."

"How much was given?"

Xu Zhichun was speechless. Was this even polite of him to ask?
Seeing that Uncle Liang was determined to make a scene, Xu Zhichun vaguely said, "Twenty coins per person."

"How much exactly?"

"."

There is no big word.

"Twenty-six coins."

"You're quite wealthy, but don't be wasteful of the money Minglang left behind. It all belongs to Mingxuan, and you can't just do whatever you want with it."

Uncle Liang was both angry and anxious, and then he became furious and embarrassed: "What's wrong with you? You didn't even bother to discuss it with us so that we could all give the same amount, and you just gave it to yourselves like this?"

Xu Zhichun: "."

“Uncle, it seems we don’t need to ask you about our own family matters.”

"presumptuous!"

"After all, we didn't eat the rice from my uncle's house."

Uncle Liang was furious: "Fine, fine, Madam Xu, you're something else. Mingxuan has only passed the preliminary examination, and you're already so arrogant, showing no respect for your elders. In my opinion, your vision is too short-sighted. What does passing the preliminary examination mean? If you're so capable, wait until he passes the county-level examination before you become arrogant! I wonder if you have the luck to do so!"

Xu Zhichun couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

I can't stand it anymore.

"Uncle, is this how an uncle should say such things? After my Mingxuan came back from Quanshan Village, I told you so many times that he was only studying at home temporarily, and would find another school after taking the imperial examination. You all know how much gossip you've spread outside. On the day we went to take the imperial examination together, you all made sarcastic remarks, saying that Mingxuan would not pass. On the day the results were announced, you even went so far as to lie. Do you really not want Mingxuan to do well?"

"you--"

“Mingxuan achieved such excellent results in the exam, and we were originally planning to hold a grand banquet to celebrate. Since you said not to, then we won’t. I don’t want to say anything, after all, you are the eldest uncle, and we should listen to your advice. Besides, Minglang has only been gone for a short time, and not holding a celebration at home is a way of remembering and respecting him.”

"But what you said today has reached my limit! What exactly do you mean, Uncle? We've already separated our households, haven't we? Am I not allowed to make decisions about my own affairs? Is it considered arrogant for Uncle to make decisions about his own family matters?"

"You, you, you—" Uncle Liang never dreamed that Xu Zhichun would be so disrespectful to him, actually saying everything she should and shouldn't have said in one go. He was angry, anxious, and resentful, and in the end, he could only utter one sentence: "How dare you be so disrespectful to your elders!"

Uncle Liang couldn't stand it any longer and sneered, "Mingxuan is a member of the Liang family. It's not your place to act arrogantly. Just you wait and see!"

Uncle Liang stormed home, his face dark with anger.

Xu Zhichun is not afraid of anything, he just waits and sees. Even his fourth aunt and the others say that he can rely on Mingxuan to make himself look good, so what does what he says mean?

On the morning of their trip to the county town for the banquet, Xu Zhichun and his group went into town to sell konjac tofu, konjac noodles, and about thirty catties of braised meat—they hadn't eaten it in a long time, and mainly because their own family wanted to eat it, so they made a lot of it.

Liang Mingxuan went into the city with them.

As the carriage left the village, everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Uncle Liang didn't go to Liang Lizheng's house yesterday to ask for the oxcart, they were still a little worried this morning that the family of three might suddenly come and ride the cart.

We've already left the village, but no one has come.

They definitely won't be coming.

Great.

I'm really afraid of that family of three's mouths and their attitude; having them around makes anyone uncomfortable. Unless you're willing to smile and agree with them and shower them with compliments.

Zeng Xiaoyan: "I was really afraid of them. It's good that they didn't come!"

Liang Mingliang asked in surprise, "Are they going to walk into town if they don't come? Mingxiang should also be attending the banquet at the county magistrate's, right?"

Zeng Xiaoyan: "Duh, they can rent oxcarts from other companies."

Xu Zhichun laughed and said, "Right? Several families in our village have oxcarts, so we don't have to worry about them."

Aunt Pearl laughed and said, "That's true!"

Xu Zhichun understood that she had given her proud uncle a good talking-to the other day, and Liang Mingxiang was definitely not happy to be with her Mingxuan. Even if her aunt was worried about the car rental fee, the father and son would rent the car without hesitation.

I've really offended them this time; the relationship between the two families will probably be strained from now on. Oh well, it wasn't going to be any better anyway.
Nobody wanted to keep talking about them, and soon the conversation shifted to something else.

Upon arriving in the city, the carriage stopped at the street corner next to the county government office, and Xu Zhichun escorted Liang Mingxuan there.

"You guys go ahead and do your work. I might have to stay outside for a while. I'll go to the market by myself later."

"Okay, Sister Zhichun, take your time."

"Ah."

Xu Zhichun accompanied Liang Mingxuan, smiling as they walked, "I've reminded you of everything I needed to. You're smart, so I don't need to say more. I don't understand the affairs of you scholars. I'm completely clueless about the etiquette and rules of the magistrate's banquet. Anyway, don't be nervous. Just be humble, low-key, and give way to the older ones. Don't try to stand out. You can handle the rest yourself. I think you can do it. Don't worry or be afraid."

Liang Mingxuan listened attentively, nodding occasionally to reassure Xu Zhichun: "Don't worry, sister-in-law."

Xu Zhichun smiled and said "Hey," but it was impossible for him to be at ease.

Who knows what will happen at the magistrate's banquet?
If something unexpected really happens, there's absolutely nothing I can do.
I don't want to think about it anymore, the more I think about it, the more nervous I get!

(End of this chapter)