Zhou Shuren changed his position and lay down. His buttocks were a little painful from the bumps. “Tomorrow we will go to the Yang family. The Zheng family will leave in seven days. The Yang family’s boy has been in martial arts since he was a child. There are people in the northwest to look after him. As long as he is willing to fight, The Yang family can fight for their future.”

Zhulan understood that Zhou Shuren had planned an opportunity for the Yang family to fight for the future. “My father doesn’t say it, but in his heart, he hopes that his zhízis¹ will succeed. Tell him clearly, and he will be happy.”

Early on the next morning, Second Zhou drove the bullock cart, and Zhulan and Zhou Shuren went to Yang’s house.

Old Man Yang and Sun Shi were shelling corn kernels in the yard. Zhou Shuren followed his father-in-law into the house to talk. Sun Shi took her daughter and said, “You just came during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Changyi sent medicinal wine again. Why are you here again today? What big thing happened?”

Zhulan picked up the corn cob and peeled the corn, “Mom, it’s a good thing.”

“What good thing?”

Zhulan said while peeling the corn: “This started when our family wanted to buy something.”

Zhulan didn’t mention the Zheng family’s house or any promises; she only said there was a connection between the Zhou family and the Zheng family, with some distant relatives involved, which is why the Zheng family could take care of him when he enlisted.

Sun Shi grinned after hearing this, “It is indeed a good thing. It will be much safer if someone is watching over you. Your father didn’t say it, but in his heart, he still longed for his descendants to honor their ancestors. Otherwise, he would not have allowed Yang family men to practice martial arts since they were young.”

Back then, the old man was unlucky, and he was caught up in the war. The old man hoped that his descendants could stand out. There was no chance before, but now the opportunity had come.

Sun Shi patted the corn on her body, “I’ll call your eldest brother and ask him to buy some good food. At noon, Shuren and your father will have a few drinks.”

Zhulan hurriedly stopped her, “Mom, we’ll have it go back soon. The Zheng family is going to the county government to transfer the ownership. The deed will be delivered at noon.”

Sun Shi said regretfully, “That’s it, then mother won’t keep you.”

Sun Shi was also worried about how much land her daughter had bought. Her daughter and the family were going to Pingzhou, how could they take care of the fields?

Zhulan explained Zhou Shuren’s plan. As for why the Yang family didn’t need to take care of them, firstly, Sunjia Village and Lijia Village were too far away from each other and it was inconvenient. Secondly, the Yang family really didn’t lack money. The Yang family just didn’t want to attract attention, so they didn’t buy more land.

Therefore, considering all aspects, Li Shi’s natal family was the most suitable option.

Sun Shi smiled and said, “The son-in-law’s method is indeed good. It helps the in-laws without hurting their feelings. In the future, when you are in Pingzhou, the Li family will take care of you, so you can rest assured about the land and the house.”

Zhulan smiled and nodded. Zhou Shuren and her father came out. Zhulan put down the corn cob and stood up, “Mom, Shuren, and I are going back first.”

Sun Shi, “Okay, you guys go back first.”

After the oxcart came out of the Sunjia Village, Zhulan asked, “What did Dad say?”

Zhou Shuren said, “Father will discuss with our elder and second brothers today, and they will bring back a reply tomorrow. I’ll go back now to prepare, and both father, mother, elder brother, and second brother will come. We need to prepare more food for the gathering tomorrow.”

Zhulan, “Yes.”

Zhou Shuren set up the ladder, and it will be up to the Yang family to work hard in the future.

Upon returning home, Zhulan called for Li Shi and the Boss. She instructed them to buy the meat and vegetables needed for tomorrow’s cooking from the county. Li Shi seemed unaware of yesterday’s events because Eldest Zhou had planned to wait until the transfer of ownership before informing her.

At noon, Zheng Shi’s eldest brother came in person. “The deeds are all here.”

Zhou Shuren took them and said, “Brother, let us go please.”

Zheng Shi’s eldest brother smiled, “Help us take care of my sister’s family in the future. I’m willing to make more trips.”

Zhou Shuren said, “We are relatives, and we must take care of you.”

Boss Zheng was about to go back, he had a lot of things to do at home, “Please stay.”

Zhou Shuren stood at the door, “Brother, go slowly.”

Boss Zheng got on the oxcart and waved, “Go back.”

Zhou Shuren waited until Boss Zheng had gone away, then returned to the house and handed the deed to Zhulan, who flipped through the red deed. The name above was Zhou Shuren, and these fields belong to her family. Zhulan organized the deeds, took out the box specially for the deeds, and put the deeds away. Originally, the box only contained the deeds for her twenty acres of land. Now there was a stack of deeds in the box. These were all the property purchased in a year.

Zhulan locked the box and put it away again, “The fields still make people feel at ease!”

Zhou Shuren smiled, “I will buy more fields in the future.”

Zhulan said, “Buying a house is also not bad. Except for the wars, house prices in ancient times have not changed much. If you have a chance buy more houses and shops.”

Zhou Shuren asked: “You also have a lot of real estate in modern times, right.”

Zhulan, “Didn’t I mention it to you?”

“No.”

Zhulan carefully recalled and realized she hadn’t mentioned it before. She smiled and said, “Indeed, there are quite a few. When my grandfather passed away, I also received some inheritance. I didn’t receive cash, but I got two properties: a storefront in the capital and a three-bedroom apartment in a high-end residential area. In addition to the coming-of-age gifts, my parents gave me one set each. Counting the ones I bought later, I have a total of five properties.”

Zhou Shuren thought about the houses he worked so hard to buy himself and remarked, “Being born into the right family is truly a skill.”

His “skill” at being born into a good situation was lacking; he was born as an abandoned baby and left at the orphanage in the middle of the night. Fortunately, it wasn’t during winter; otherwise, he would have died long ago.

Zhulan’s eyes curved with a smile. “Indeed, my ‘skill’ at being born is quite good,” she said with a smile.

Zhou Shuren didn’t want to talk about this heartbreaking issue, so he turned around and went out, “I’ll go talk to the boss and ask him to accompany Li Shi back to her house.”

“Yeah.”

An hour later, Eldest Zhou and Li Shi came back with his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Zhou Shuren and Li Shi’s father, Li Cong, were talking outside. Zhulan and Li Xu Shi were chatting in the house, and Li Shi was waiting to serve tea.

Although Li Xu Shi’s family had been divided since her mother-in-law passed away, the family still had a lot of things to worry about. The first thing that bore the brunt was that her grandchildren were all grown up and they were all young men. At the age of marriage, the house was ready, but there was not enough money to buy a betrothal gift. It was difficult.

This year, with favorable weather and abundant harvests, they earned more silver, and life improved somewhat. But as life got better, the bride price also increased. Nowadays, the minimum standard for marrying a bride was five taels of silver. If you wanted to marry someone you truly fancied, you needed even more silver. The silver from dividing the family property was really not enough to marry wives for the grandsons.

She fully understood the feeling of her mother-in-law being exhausted mentally and physically. She wished she could break a copper coin into several petals, but the young ones in the family had more to eat, so they really couldn’t save much money throughout the year.

She had already thought about it. When winter came and her in-laws were done with their work, she and the head of the family could come to ask if her in-laws could share some ideas. Unexpectedly, before they came, her in-laws came to help her.

Zhulan drank a cup of tea, and Li Xu Shi finally calmed down her excitement, “Qīnjiā², try the dim sum. The dim sum from the northwest is delicious.”

The snacks she brought back from the Zheng family were loved by the whole family. If it weren’t for controlling themselves from overindulging, they would have finished them all in just one day.

Li Xu Shi recalled when the Zheng family had arrived, striding in grandly with swords, the Li family village had buzzed with excitement for quite a while. However, the Zheng family kept a low profile and didn’t interact much with the villagers. The clan leader of the Li family had warned everyone not to provoke the Zheng family, so no one dared to approach them. Since the snacks were not local, they must have been brought back from the Zheng family. Li Xu Shi picked one up and tasted it. ‘They’re really good,’ she remarked.”

Anyway, everything tasted delicious in her mouth. Their family couldn’t compare to Zhou’s family, so there was nothing wrong with in enjoying the snacks wholeheartedly.

(End of chapter)

---

Footnote

1. Nephews (sons of brother)
2. In-laws