The old Zhu family house was emitting cooking smoke. Zhu Ping'an's third aunt was in the kitchen preparing a al, while Old Man Zhu sat in the yard puffing on his dry tobacco pipe, still wearing his nearly new blue cloth tunic. Old Lady Zhu sat across from him, picking vegetables.
The two of them chatted casually.
"Those who brought good news have been here for several days now, but why hasn't Zhi'er co back yet?" Old Man Zhu murmured as he puffed on his pipe.
Old Lady Zhu stopped picking vegetables and shook the ones in her hand. "Stop complaining, we've already split up the family."
Old Man Zhu glared. "Even if we've split up, he's still my grandson. And anyway, it was you who spoiled the eldest and the fourth."
"Now you're blaming ? Back then, wasn't it your idea to split up the family?" Old Lady Zhu retorted sharply.
Old Man Zhu forcefully tapped his tobacco pipe twice against his chair. Her words had struck a sore spot in his heart. How much better it would have been if that accident had never happened. If only he hadn't insisted on sacrificing the second son to preserve the first. Now, Zhi'er's honor of being the top scorer in the imperial examination had been slightly overshadowed.
Now, sigh… Old Man Zhu had sighed more than once already.
"Alright, he's still our precious grandson, no matter what, that won't change." Old Lady Zhu, feeling pity for her husband, saw the regret on his face and hurriedly put down the vegetables she had picked, trying to comfort him.
Old Man Zhu sighed again.
Just then, they heard the sound of the main gate creaking open.
"Grandfather, grandmother."
A naive and youthful voice ca from the gate.
Hearing that voice, all the regret and sighs on Old Man Zhu's face vanished in an instant. He quickly jumped up from his chair, his face full of joy.
Old Lady Zhu dropped the vegetables she was holding, turning around in disbelief to look at the gate.
"Ah, Zhi'er is back! Oh, and he's brought chicken! And such a big chunk of at…"
The fourth aunt suddenly appeared from sowhere, and as soon as Zhu Ping'an spoke, she had already taken a big bowl from his hands and began chattering away.
It had been a while since he last saw her, the enthusiastic Fourth Aunt.
"Fourth Aunt, hello," Zhu Ping'an greeted her with his usual silly smile.
"Good, good, good! Zhi'er is even better. You don't know, the commotion from this visit was bigger than last ti. You wouldn't believe it—soone from the county even got lost and ca to the wrong door! At first, we thought your uncle had won the lottery." Fourth Aunt said enthusiastically, then grabbed Zhu Ping'an's arm and pulled him towards the courtyard. "Why are you still standing there? Co on in!"
When Fourth Aunt ntioned the wrong door, both grandparents couldn't help but blush a little, even after so many days had passed.
"Zhi'er is back!" The third aunt, who had been tending the fire in the kitchen, walked out after adding so dry wood.
"Third Aunt, hello," Zhu Ping'an greeted her with a silly smile.
"Zhi'er has really brought honor to the family," Third Aunt praised him.
"Quick, quick, co inside and talk," Old Man Zhu waved his pipe, his face beaming with a smile.
"Mm." Zhu Ping'an nodded and walked toward his grandfather.
"Zhi'er is back!" The eldest aunt appeared from the house at that mont, looking sowhat wistful.
Zhu Ping'an also smiled and greeted her.
Zhu Ping'an spent quite a while inside talking to his grandparents, Third Aunt, Fourth Aunt, and others. His grandparents were much kinder than usual, and Fourth Aunt and the others were much more enthusiastic than before. Without his grandmother even having to say anything, the water was already poured, and even a plate of fried lon seeds was brought out.
"Zhi'er, go back and tell your father. In a couple of days, our old Zhu family will hold a feast with flowing wine and invite everyone in the village to join in the fun." Old Man Zhu puffed on his pipe, very eager about the idea.
No need to, right?
"Not long ago, the head of our village ca over and ntioned it. Your position as the top scholar in the village is a big deal. It's also the highest honor in our town. It's a good opportunity to inspire the younger generation in our village," said Old Man Zhu proudly.
"Mm, alright, Grandfather," Zhu Ping'an nodded.
After talking for a while at the old Zhu family ho, Zhu Ping'an politely declined his grandmother's invitation to stay for dinner, taking his empty bowl and heading ho.
Before reaching ho, Zhu Ping'an noticed his mother, Chen, sitting under a large tree, enjoying the sunset and chatting happily with five or six of the aunts in the village.
It was almost ti for dinner. Why was his mother, Chen, out chatting? She hadn't been one to engage much with these older won before.
"Zhi'er, co here."
His mother, Chen, waved at Zhu Ping'an from afar when she saw him.
Zhu Ping'an responded and walked over quickly.
"Hurry, tell again, what are the benefits of being a scholar? You ntioned it at ho, but I didn't quite catch it," his mother Chen asked, her face full of pride.
Zhu Ping'an almost forgot how much his mother loved to show off.
At tis like this, Zhu Ping'an knew exactly what to do—just cooperate fully.
"Oh, from now on, I won't have to pay taxes, and military service and corvée labor won't concern either," Zhu Ping'an began, playing along with his mother.
With each word Zhu Ping'an spoke, Chen's pride grew even stronger, and her eyes glead with anticipation, waiting for him to continue.
"I am a scholar, which ans I'm one of the best among the students. The governnt will provide with six dou of rice every month, along with fish, at, oil, and various other allowances," Zhu Ping'an continued, understanding exactly what his mother wanted.
"Every year, the governnt will also give at least four taels of silver," Zhu Ping'an added.
At this point, the aunts around his mother gasped in surprise. Of course, hearing their astonishnt only made Chen's smile and pride grow more pronounced.
"And there's more, I heard you ntion sothing about being equal to the county magistrate," his mother reminded him.
She rembered everything so clearly but still said she didn't? Bad, Mom.
"I don't need to kneel when I et an official. I can also present a petition and visit the county magistrate whenever I like," Zhu Ping'an fully cooperated with his mother.
"Even if I make a mistake, the governnt won't punish , let alone give a beating, unless the official from Yingtian removes my title…" Zhu Ping'an continued.
"Spit, spit, spit! We won't break the law!" His mother quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear anything bad, even if it was just a hypothetical situation.
"Of course, I wouldn't break the law," Zhu Ping'an quickly assured, making his mother smile happily.
"Ah, no wonder everyone wants to beco a scholar! It turns out that being a scholar is so powerful," one of the aunts remarked.
"Yup, you just wait to enjoy the blessings," another added.
"Your second child really has a bright future," yet another said.
At this mont, the aunts around were both surprised and envious, causing his mother's laughter to grow louder.
Even on the way ho, his mother's smile didn't fade.
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