「The next morning.」
News that Su Changliang was going to the city to beco an Official spread through Changliu Village like wildfire.
For a ti, the residents of Changliu Village were positively green with envy.
This was an Official, after all!
It was even more enviable than having a family mber beco a Traveler or so so-and-so striking it rich in the city.
After all, from now on, Su Liyan’s family would officially be part of the magistrate class!
More importantly, as long as Su Changliang didn’t make any major mistakes, his children would also gain official status, provided they weren’t complete imbeciles.
This was, for all intents and purposes, a leap in social class.
Of course, everyone knew that all of this, every last bit of it, was because the Su Family had a good son-in-law.
And this son-in-law was the Black Widow’s own nephew.
It was all truly, deeply enviable.
But beyond their envy, not a single person dared to utter a jealous word.
After all, there would be plenty of situations in the future where they might need a favor from Su Changliang.
Common folk suffered far too many injustices these days.
And what was worse than being wronged was having nowhere to turn for recourse.
They were illiterate and had never traveled far.
Even if they made it to Taiping City, most wouldn’t know how to find the Governnt Office to plead their case.
So, for most matters, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and endure it.
But now that the village had its own Lord Official—and one who worked in the city, no less—things were completely different.
This ant they had connections in the city!
For example, at the very least, when the Court officials ca down to collect taxes each season...
...the tax-collecting Official might give the wooden asuring bucket a couple of kicks, claim your family’s grain was short, and demand you hand over a few more pounds.
Normally, people would just have to bite the bullet and pay up, not daring to offend the Official.
But now that the village had Su Changliang...
...the visiting Officials wouldn’t be so brazen, nor would they dare to casually demand extra taxes.
And so, starting that morning, there was a constant stream of visitors at Su Liyan’s doorstep.
The villagers all ca bearing gifts.
This was especially true for those who had previously bad-mouthed or had conflicts with the Su Family.
They ca bearing even more generous gifts.
These people didn’t have anything original to say.
It was all just variations of, "Changliang is heading to the city, and we’re all neighbors here, so we just wanted to give a little sothing."
"Here’s a new washbasin we just bought. Changliang can take it with him."
"This quilt is made from freshly carded cotton. Changliang can use it."
Or, "Here are so eggs we’ve been saving. Changliang can eat them on his journey."
But Su Liyan’s mother had been around the block; what kind of spectacle hadn’t she seen?
Did they really think she couldn’t see right through their little sches?
She imdiately turned every single one of them away.
Her reasoning was simple. "Our son-in-law left us both money and grain the last ti he was here for the banquet."
"We’re not short on anything, and with the New Year approaching, everyone’s funds are tight. You should keep these things for your own families."
’Accepting gifts ans you owe them a favor.’
How could Su Liyan’s mother not understand this principle?
’Her son was only able to beco an Official entirely thanks to her son-in-law.’
’He hasn’t even started his post yet, and he’s already accepting gifts and favors.’
’Won’t he be completely out of control in the future?’
’If he gets into trouble, wouldn’t that just cause problems for their son-in-law?’
So, under no circumstances could she accept them.
Whatever gifts these people brought with them, they took back untouched when they left.
Su Liyan’s mother didn’t keep so much as a single chicken feather.
Finally, having run out of options, she simply locked the main gate.
Su Changliang was heading to the city, so he needed to take his bedding and buy so daily necessities.
Su Liyan’s father and her second uncle had to climb over the west wall just to get out.
Her third uncle climbed the east wall to arrange for a cart to take them into the city.
The front gate was completely and utterly blocked.
「anwhile, in Taiping City.」
Lu Yuan and his family finished breakfast in the East Wing.
Song iqin had already sent soone to the Governnt Office.
Everything had been handled smoothly.
She had sent soone over when they sat down for breakfast. By the ti Lu Yuan’s group had finished their al, the ssenger had already returned, reporting that everything was settled.
It was all handled exactly as Lu Yuan had instructed.
Su Changliang’s official identity was to be the son of a distant relative of the County Magistrate’s family—not a particularly Close relation.
This would at least give Su Changliang so status.
After all, Su Changliang was a Snake-man.
Although people in the city weren’t as openly prejudiced as in the countryside, they worried soone might try to sabotage him behind his back.
After breakfast, the won of the house stayed put.
Beautiful won like Aunt Zhao and Song iqin were used to a life of pampered luxury.
They rarely went out on a normal day, even when they had nothing to do.
So with it being so cold outside and so warm in the house, they were even less inclined to leave.
’Isn’t it so much more comfortable at ho?’
Su Liyan, anwhile, continued practicing her writing and learning new characters.
"Aunt Zhao, Aunt Song, could you two teach Liyan for a bit? I’m going out to take care of sothing."
Having finished his al, Lu Yuan wiped his mouth and started putting on his outdoor clothes to leave.
However, Lu Yuan’s words imdiately triggered a worried reaction from both Zhao Qiao’Er and Su Liyan.
After all, just the night before last, Lu Yuan had said he was going out to "take care of sothing," claiming he was just going drinking and gambling.
The next thing they knew, he had taken a group of n to Xilingzi to hunt the undead.
Looking back on it now, both Su Liyan and Zhao Qiao’Er felt a wave of retroactive fear.
If sothing had happened to Lu Yuan at Xilingzi, what would have beco of them?
The mont Lu Yuan finished speaking, two pairs of small, delicate hands grabbed him, one on each side.
Zhao Qiao’Er raised an eyebrow, her expression wary.
"What are you up to now?
Even my mother has nothing going on and is staying ho, so how can you be so busy?
It’s freezing outside, why are you always looking for an excuse to go wandering?"
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