A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 158 Returning to the Du Family with Glory

The servant Shouren came to report,

"The eldest and second sons of the Du Changshi family came to invite Shi Niang to return home to worship her ancestors and visit her relatives."

Li Yi also finished his instructions to Liu Heizi at this time. All the servants and female guests who went to the Du family today had to wear clean and tidy clothes. When they arrived at the Du family, they had to stand and sit properly.

"Everyone who accompanies me today will be rewarded with 100 yuan. When you return, you will be rewarded with two Hu cakes. Just one. Don't be disrespectful and embarrass yourself."

"Don't worry. We started rehearsing three days ago. We prepared the clothes and shoes yesterday. They're all the same style, blue clothes and blue shoes. They're all new. There's no patched-up old clothes. They all took a bath and washed their hair last night."

Just made winter clothes for them.

"Also, you are not allowed to spit, urinate or make loud noises anywhere,"

They are a group of refugees who have been recruited not long ago and have very poor hygiene habits.

"Don't worry, these 360 people are all led by our own people."

Hearing that the brothers Du Gou and Du He had arrived, Li Yi invited them in.

Two handsome young men, in embroidered robes,

When she came in, she said sweetly, "Greetings to my uncle and aunt."

Shi Niang called the two of them over and shook their hands.
"You came here on horseback? Was it cold on the road? There was a heavy frost this morning."

"We are wearing cloaks, deerskin gloves, and fox fur coats underneath, so we are not cold. Auntie, Aye has already made preparations at home. Today we have invited all the relatives and friends from all branches of the clan, and we slaughtered sheep and pigs yesterday."

Ten-year-old Du Erlang added with a smile, "It just so happened that two cows on our Fanqu farm had a fight and broke their legs. We had to report it to the authorities and slaughter them. We still have beef to eat today."

"Is the old lady okay?"

"The old lady has been feeling unwell recently and has returned to Fanchuan to recuperate."

Li Yi chuckled as he listened nearby. It was estimated that Guo was no longer able to be the head of the family now. Du Ruhui was making such a grand ceremony, which was just a slap in the face of Guo.

I guess Guo must be feeling a little regretful now. She is old and confused. The last incident certainly made Li Yi lose face, but it also hurt her granddaughter Shi Niang even more and brought complete shame to the Fengxiang Marquisate.

After all, he couldn't bring himself to see Li Yi and Shi Niang today, so he returned home.

It’s better that he’s not here, so that this old fool won’t cause any trouble.

"Are you two the only ones here?" Li Yi asked.

"Not only that, my father sent a carriage and asked my third great-uncle and third great-uncle to come and pick us up with many servants and maids."

Li Yi was not surprised to hear that Du San and his wife were also here.

Now it seems that Du Ruhui is the head of the Du family.
He had heard that Du Ruhui's brother was killed by Du Yan in Luoyang, and his younger brother Du Chuke was still imprisoned. This incident also completely tore the relationship between Du Ruhui and Du Yan, uncle and nephew.

After his brother was killed, Du Ruhui
He took over the Du family directly in the name of the eldest grandson of the family.

Du Yan is not here again.

Who could stop Du Ruhui? After all, his father was the eldest son born to his grandfather's first wife. Now that the eldest grandson was gone, he, the second grandson, naturally had more say than the second son at home who was far away in Luoyang.

Du San and his wife were just illegitimate children. They usually took care of some miscellaneous matters in the mansion and obeyed Guo. But now Guo was actually controlled by Du Ruhui, and they could only listen to Du Ruhui.

Hey,
These powerful families fight even more fiercely.

Just like the Li Mu family, the original owner of the northwest corner of Pingkangfang. After his death, his youngest son and eldest grandson directly killed people in order to compete for the title and property.

He even asked outsiders to help fight for the family property, which ended up destroying his family and making all the property belong to others.

"Go and call your third great uncle and third great aunt to come and have something to eat, and also have the servants from your Du family come in and have breakfast.
Our Pingkangfang Li family may not be as famous as the Jingzhao Du family, but we will never lose our proper etiquette."

Liu Heizi and the others went to invite the Du family in.
Prepared lard steamed buns,
tube full.

Not only the Du family has a share,
The hundreds of people from the Li family who went with them today were all well-fed with lard-fried dumplings.

Li Yi is not short of this little money now.
The emperor has just awarded another 72 ingots of gold, which is worth nearly 2 million yuan.

The three tofu skin workshops alone now have a daily income of tens of thousands of dollars. Although it is not as profitable as when there was only one workshop, being able to manage hundreds of workshop workers and deduct the overhead costs, there are still tens of thousands of dollars in profit at the end of the day, which is actually a very high profit.

The plowing shop can earn 18,000 coins a day.

The liquor store and soap shop are still in the trial operation stage, but they have received good feedback.

He still has several thousand acres of land.

The scene of five or six hundred people eating noodle soup is still very spectacular.
Du San initially declined, but then said they would just eat outside.

So, the dozens of people who came to greet the Du family today squatted outside the door for half of the street, each holding a big bowl of lard steamed buns and drinking it happily.

It must be said that even the servants of Jingzhao Du family,
The meals on weekdays are also ordinary, mainly millet porridge.

If you want to eat white flour, you can only do it once every ten days or half a month, and that's only during the holidays. Not to mention adding so much lard and some green vegetables, it's so delicious.

Everyone is eating happily, and sighing quietly,
"Our son-in-law is even more generous than our family."

"I'm done eating, hurry up and ask for another bowl,"

After finishing the meal, more food was served. The servants of the Li family brought buckets of steamed buns, holding large spoons and shouting generously.

inside the door,

People in the outer courtyard and the east courtyard were also eating noodles.

Du San and his wife, along with Du Gou and his brother, had breakfast with Li Yi and Shi Niang and his wife, but what they ate was buckwheat noodles and mutton soup.

Du San felt very uncomfortable.

When I first met Li Yi, it was his son-in-law Guo Er who brought Li Yi to meet him.

At that time, he was the third son of the Jingzhao Du family, and Li Yi was just a young Taoist priest who had just returned to secular life and was trying to sell his pot in exchange for food.
It was at his suggestion that his son-in-law Guo Erlang helped Li Yi get the job of village chief.

At that time, Du San never thought that Li Yi would one day have a higher status than him in the Du family.

I feel a little depressed and helpless.

It's not just because he married Shi Niang and became the son-in-law of the Du family that he is above him.
In just half a year, this Li Yi actually became the founding earl of Qianshui County, a fifth-rank doctor, and a ninth-level honor.

And a sixth-rank deputy envoy of the palace.

If someone had told him half a year ago that Li Yi would one day achieve these things, he would never have believed it.

Now I still have to look at Li Yi's face and say a few nice words from time to time.
It really proves the saying, "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west."

This Jingzhao Du family is five feet away from the sky.
How come it can't suppress a small path?

Why did Shi Niang and her nephew Er Lang both take such a fancy to Li Yi? Even the King of Qin and the Sage appreciated him?
He couldn't figure it out, and Guo couldn't figure it out even more.

But whether you want to understand it or not is not important. Now the Jingzhao Du family, at least the Fengxiang Marquisate branch, is headed by the eldest son Du Ruhui.

Although the fourth brother Du Yan is the old lady's legitimate son, everyone can see that the Luoyang court he respects is on the decline and will not last long.

What about the Minister of Personnel?

Once the Luoyang court falls, it is hard to say whether we will survive in the future.

Maybe she still has to rely on Du Ruhui, the confidant of the King of Qin, to help plead for mercy. This may be the most helpless thing for the old lady.

After eating a meal of steamed buns,
Du Ruhui sent another group of people to invite him.

So Li Yicai took Du Shiniang out,

Shi Niang wore a neat flower crown and a dignified dress. Li Yi also wore a black crown and sent Shi Niang to the carriage.

He rode his own horse,
Ji took out a cloak and covered him with it, "It's cold, don't get caught in the cold wind."

The team set off for Anrenfang.

Li Yi specially invited the band that played music on his wedding day today. It was very lively with all the music. The people in the band were surprised. They didn't expect that the business would increase so quickly and there would be a second one.

Even Li Erlang from Li Jing's family came over curiously.

"Brother Wuyi, what's this?"

"Accompany my wife to worship the ancestors and visit relatives."

When Li Dejiang heard that it was Du Ruhui who made the arrangements and came specially to invite him, and also held a grand banquet to invite relatives and friends, he also smiled and said that he wanted to join in the fun.

One hundred and eighty young men and one hundred and eighty young ladies.

There were also eighteen young servants and eighteen young maids.

There was a maidservant named Hong Xiao beside Shi Niang, and Yu You Niang, Ji Lingyi, and Jin Yushu were in attendance, and four maids from the Afu family and the Agui family were serving.
The pomp and ceremony were as grand as that of a queen.

The Li and Du families had more than 30 carriages, dozens of horses, and a huge crowd of people, stretching the road for half a mile.

Passed along the way,
Countless people watched sideways.
We came all the way to Anminfang.
Du Ruhui and his wife went to the Wutou Gate to greet him in person.

Gave enough face to Li Yi and his wife.

"Oh, my second brother, I want to apologize to Shi Niang first. I received a call from the King of Qin last time and had to leave Beijing for urgent official business. I was unable to attend my sister's wedding.
Your parents, brothers, etc. are all in Luoyang, and your grandmother is unwell. There is no one at home who can take care of the family.

It was really my brother's fault that you were ignored on your wedding day.

Today, my brother has invited all the relatives and friends from the clan to come back and visit your family and worship your ancestors."

Countless Du clan members and many Du relatives, including those from famous families such as the Jingzhao Wei clan and the Hongnong Yang clan, saw that Du Ruhui was so grand today, and it was actually for Li Yi and Du Shiniang.
I was also very surprised.

The last time Du Shiniang got married, it was so simple, so hasty, and so unexpected.

This time, Shi Niang's visit to her parents was too grand and lavish.
Both times were strange.
Everyone looked at Li Yi in a black crown and Shi Niang in a flowery hairpin and phoenix robe, and they were secretly amazed. They were truly a perfect match.

This Li Yi went from a commoner to a founding earl and deputy supervisor of the palace gardens in just half a year. It was truly remarkable.

Many people felt that Mrs. Guo was indeed old and had made a mistake in her judgment.

Li Yi and Du Shiniang were solemnly invited into the house by Du Ruhui and his wife. Originally, this ancestor worship should have been arranged at the Du family's ancestral land in Duqu, Fanchuan.
But Shi Niang asked to come to Anminfang,

No matter how miserable she was when she got married, she will return home to visit her parents in glory.

"Du Erlang is so kind to this cousin. They say Du Erlang and his uncle Du Zhili don't have a good relationship, but it seems that's just a rumor. If they didn't have a good relationship, why would Du Erlang be so kind to Du Zhili's daughter?"

"Yes, Du Erlang is indeed broad-minded!"

Waiting for Li Yi and his wife to come in,
All guests are invited in. Ancestor worship is actually just a simple ceremony.

The real purpose of today is not to worship ancestors,

In front of all the guests, Du Ruhui handed the dowry he had prepared to Shi Niang.

The dowry is large.

Two farms of more than 200 mu, a house of 10 mu in Chang'an, a villa in Fanchuan and Lishan, and several shops in the East and West Markets.

As well as slaves, cattle and horses, money and silk, various jewelry, silks, furs, robes and brocade clothes.

One after another,
From food to daily necessities, from all kinds of furniture to kitchen utensils, nothing is left out.
If someone were to add up all these, the money would already be more than one million.

Finally, Du Ruhui also announced that Shi Niang's dowry was as much as two million coins.

"Is the Du family returning the one million yuan as a gift?"

"That's right. The whole of Chang'an is talking about it, saying that the Du family sold their daughter. I guess they can't stand it either."

Shi Niang stepped forward to thank her brother and accepted the belated dowry. She was not polite about the fact that the original one million was reduced to two million, and she hoped that A Lang would also give two million.

Du Ruhui didn't feel bad about it. After all, the family had not been divided yet and they lived together and owned the property. It was not his private property.

"Your maidservant Shuying, as well as your mother and wet nurse who served you for many years, and more than a dozen others, were all sent to a farm in Tongzhou by Azu. After I found out, I took them all back and now hand them over to you."

As he spoke, Du Ruhui handed a stack of slave contracts to Shi Niang, then waved for Shuying and others to come over to meet him.

Du Shiniang was originally quite ordinary.
When she saw Shuying, who had lost a lot of weight, she couldn't hold back her emotions and burst into tears.

Although Shuying is a maid, they grew up together and have been close for more than ten years, like sisters. The last time she was suddenly taken away by Guo, she has always been worried about it, but she has no way to find her.

"Thank you, brother."

Du Ruhui smiled slightly and said, "I was the one who promised to help with your marriage. I didn't do it well, so I'm making up for it now."

He turned to Du San and said, "Uncle San, tell them to serve the food. We have a lot of guests today, so please treat them well and don't neglect them. Those who came from Wuyi's family should also be treated well."

"Remember to give everyone a tip!"

(End of this chapter)