In the evening, Anning sent the children to bed, let her hair down, changed into pajamas, and lay down on the bed.
Xiao Yuan also lay down, wearing pajamas of the sa color as Anning’s.
Anning asked Xiao Yuan, "What was that act you pulled with Yin’er today?"
Xiao Yuan stroked Anning’s long hair while saying, "The Eldest probably wants to have the old couple co over to our place, so I beat them to it."
Anning frowned.
She was unwilling to have the old man and the Old Madam co to live with them.
If the old man and Old Madam treated their family well in general, Anning wouldn’t mind being filial to the two elders.
But those two really don’t treat the third branch well, and they have loads of issues.
Old Madam favors the eldest branch, the old man favors the second branch. If these two co over, they’ll bring a lot of trouble, and they’d definitely be thinking about how to take things from the third branch to support the eldest and second branches.
Anning didn’t care about losing a few belongings; what he cared about was them becoming the eyes and ears of the eldest and second branches, spying on the third branch’s every move.
She and Xiao Yuan had too many things to do, and if those two were watching them, it would create many inconveniences.
Xiao Yuan felt the sa way.
He patted Anning’s back, "Don’t worry, I’m here. I won’t let them co over."
After discussing the elder’s matters, Xiao Yuan brought up another issue.
"Tomorrow, go and tell the Fourth Family to stay put at ho these days and to keep their children under control."
"Alright." Anning agreed with a smile.
Xiao Yuan sighed, "This winter might not be peaceful."
Anning pointed further south, "Is there pirate trouble?"
Xiao Yuan nodded, "Yes, I assu the sea pirates are coming ashore."
Southern Yi is quite close to the seaside, so sea pirates often co ashore to burn, kill, and loot. Jingtian Village is slightly safer since it’s not directly by the sea, but several nearby villages and towns often suffer.
"We still have too few hands."
Xiao Yuan sighed again; he wanted to seize the opportunity to make a na for himself and gain the qualification to lead soldiers, but it’s hard for him to do this alone.
Anning thought for a while, "How about we adopt a few godsons and goddaughters?"
Both Anning and Xiao Yuan had done the adoption thing several tis before. They had even widely recruited apprentices, so they were experienced in raising children.
Xiao Yuan pondered for a mont, "That’s the only way."
Early the next morning, Xiao Yuan went out, and Anning knew he was going to the county to find connections.
Anning went to the fourth branch, telling the Hui Family to keep the children in check for the next few days and prevent them from running around outside, also keeping her own five children at ho.
The Hui Family now listened closely to Anning, and she would definitely keep the children in check as instructed by Anning.
Xiao Yuan was out for the entire day, and upon returning at night, he shared news with Anning: "County Magistrate Yu is about to recruit soldiers; he must be aware of the pirates coming ashore. You prepare so Silver, I’ll deliver it to the county governnt tomorrow."
Anning nodded and promptly prepared 300 taels of Silver for Xiao Yuan.
The next day, Xiao Yuan went to the governnt office again and returned with a docunt. The docunt granted him permission to recruit village soldiers.
The Southern Yi area is a place where various ethnic groups coexist, and with so many people from different ethnicities, disputes are naturally frequent. Many rich families maintain nurous house servants and village soldiers, mainly to ensure their own safety.
And Xiao Yuan exchanged 300 taels of Silver for a respectable status.
He took the docunt and went to see the village chief, explaining that his family had few people and he wanted to adopt so godsons and goddaughters, asking the village chief to help find so children who were fatherless and motherless and couldn’t make a living.
After discussing the matter with the village chief, Xiao Yuan then called Xiao Ling to talk.
Xiao Ling was seventeen this year, not young anymore. He should have been looking for a bride, but after family matters delayed him, now in Southern Yi with no clear return to the capital, he had to seek a bride in Southern Yi.
Xiao Yuan asked Xiao Ling to co over to discuss this.
Xiao Ling ca over, thinking sothing was wrong, sweating profusely, "Third brother, what happened?"
Xiao Yuan pointed to the chair beside him, "Sit."
After sitting down, Xiao Ling examined Xiao Yuan, "Third brother, what’s going on?"
Xiao Yuan laughed, "Nothing’s wrong, just wanted to ask you what kind of bride you’d like, so your Third Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law can help you look."
Xiao Ling’s face instantly turned red, "I... I have no preference, just... whatever you and Third Sister-in-law decide on, it must be good."
This showed Xiao Ling regarded Xiao Yuan as his guardian.
Understandably so, his concubine mother died early, and he couldn’t rely on his biological father, so he had to count on Xiao Yuan and Anning.
Just then, Anning ca over with tea and pastries, hearing this and laughed, "You need to give us a goal, whether you want soone beautiful, gentle, lively, or capable..."
Xiao Ling knew his situation, now being a commoner, he naturally had no chance of marrying an official’s daughter, so he said, "Just a girl from the village is fine, as long as she’s kind and capable, soone who can help build a household."
This wasn’t difficult.
Xiao Ling was handso, with a decent brick-roofed house, and when he moved into the new ho, Xiao Yuan gave him so Silver. He also had land; just by farming well, he wouldn’t lack food or drink. Marrying a village girl was sure to yield a good match.
Xiao Yuan glanced at Anning, who nodded.
Xiao Yuan spoke with Xiao Ling for a while before Xiao Jin arrived.
Xiao Yuan then told Xiao Jin, "Go get so Copper Coin, we’re going to the Eldest’s place."
Xiao Jin paused, "Why go to the eldest branch?"
Xiao Yuan laughed, "To take father and mother so elderly care money."
Xiao Jin imdiately understood.
He went ho to fetch a string of Copper Coin; Xiao Yuan also took a string of Copper Coin, and the two brothers carried them as they walked half the village to reach the eldest branch.
They naturally encountered people along the way, and so asked them what they were doing.
Xiao Yuan replied, "I wanted to bring my parents over to live with , but they insist on living with my elder brother, so I thought of delivering so money to them to prevent my elder brother from complaining over ti."
Xiao Jin shook his head and sighed wryly, "We have no other choice; while coming, our parents gave all their money to our elder brother. I don’t mind the money; I just wanted to bring them over to live with and Third Brother for a while to show so filial piety, but they don’t want to. We can’t upset our elders."
The brothers discussed as they walked, and by the ti they reached the eldest branch, most people knew the old man intended to live with the eldest family for life, relying on them for elderly care, with the third and fourth sons fearful he’d be wronged, they specially went to deliver money to the eldest.
Xiao Jue was about to suggest to the old man that he stay with the third and fourth branches for a while since there were several brothers to rotate elderly care. But before he spoke, Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin sent money over.
Going out, Xiao Jue found many villagers knew the Old Man Xiao and Old Madam only wanted to live with the Eldest.
The villagers said it was fitting, as the eldest branch generally provided elderly care.
Xiao Jue’s face turned dark.
How could he get the elders to move now?
Was he supposed to care for those two elders forever?
Mrs. Zhao was quite angry too.
When Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin ca over, they were t with hostility and did not get a warm reception.
Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin didn’t stay long, delivering the money and leaving.
Leaving the eldest branch, so asked what was going on, and Xiao Yuan said, "Luckily we sent the money over; my elder sister-in-law was having a fit at ho. Had we delayed by two days, my elder sister-in-law might have cast aside the parents."
These words, upon hearing them, almost infuriated Mrs. Zhao.
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