Time flies when having fun. At the beginning of July, Zishou and Zixi went to the county school. Zilu had to go to the provincial school for registration and would be late for a few days, so he stayed at home alone and started working hard again. Every day, he sat in the study room for a long time and could only go to the back mountain with Ziqing in the afternoon. This was also because Ziqing strongly pulled him to go, saying that they should combine work and rest.

  Zilu said he wanted to go to the trial two years later, even if he didn't pass, he could accumulate some experience. Ziqing listened and thought it was reasonable. However, in just a few days, he also went to report to the state school.

  The days at home became even more quiet, Xu Master's woodworking was finished, leaving only some painting work. Zi Qing picked up some nanmu wood blocks and red wood blocks, planning to carve them into mahjong pieces when she had time. She also asked Li Master for some paint and repainted the old mahjong patterns.

  Hugging the small wooden block, Zi Qing suddenly thought that she should also install doors and windows on her newly purchased courtyard, as well as prepare basic living furniture. Otherwise, if Lin Kangping suddenly brought people back home, they would have nowhere to stay. So she told Master Xu, who sent his senior apprentice with a junior apprentice over, since the house still had some miscellaneous wood and was preparing for the hired workers, the requirements were not high.

  By the end of July, Master Li's painting work was also completed. Shen felt relieved and smiled: "Now that everything is ready, I'm just waiting for my wife to enter the house."

  On this day, Shen was counting on his fingers and calculating that Zifu had been out for several months, not even sending back a letter, and didn't know if the child was doing well or safe outside. Just then, Zifu entered the house.

  Zi Fu returned home on August 10th, looking worn out and thinner, but still in good spirits. It wasn't until he had washed up and sat down to rest that everyone learned what he had been through on his journey.

  He followed Lin Kangping all the way to Guangzhou, and it was quite smooth. After Lin Kangping received the goods, he wanted to return to Beijing, while Zifeng played around in Guangzhou, getting a feel for the local customs. Originally, he had thought about following the fleet to take a detour to the Western Ocean, but he knew that his wedding was on September 18th. David didn't dare bring him along. He said that this trip would not only involve crossing the sea but also climbing mountains, which was very dangerous and wouldn't be feasible in terms of time. Zifeng left Guangzhou and walked northward along the official road, discovering that the drought disaster was getting more severe as he went further. So he turned from Lingnan to Yuelu, stopping at the Yuelu Academy for half a month before continuing northward, experiencing the disaster and hunger, writing down many thoughts and travel notes.

  "Dad, this trip has made me realize that the outside world is really big. I was narrow-minded before, thinking that my experiences were the most difficult and miserable. But now I've seen so many things, including refugees who have suffered from drought, some of whom are begging for food with their wives and children, and they're all skin and bones. It's heartbreaking. Ah, it's always the farmers who suffer the most."

  Zeng Ruixiang listened and said with delight: "It seems that this trip has indeed honed you a lot, and you have gained a lot. Reading ten thousand volumes of books and traveling ten thousand miles, the ancients were not deceiving me."

  Dezi Fu rested for two days, and Shen Shi urged him to go deliver New Year's gifts to the Liu family. She followed along to Anzhou to buy things needed for the holiday. When she returned, she thought it would be better to make a new outfit for each person in the household, which would also be dignified, especially for the elderly members of the household who would have to accept kowtows. Thinking of this, Shen Shi took out the good fabric that Lin Kangping had given her last year and cut out an outfit for each person. Shen Shi specially prepared a gift for Tian Shi and He Shi to give to the new bride: a silver bangle and a silver hairpin. This was suggested by He Shi, mainly because she was afraid that if she gave something and Tian Shi didn't bring anything out, outsiders would laugh at them.

  "Although she is not pleasant to deal with, after all, she is Zifu's aunt and the mother of his wife. The children getting married is a big deal, so let's put on a good face for it, and it will sound better when people talk about it. After all, Zifu is going to do great things. This time, just listen to me, prepare a gift for her, don't go empty-handed, or others will laugh at you, thinking that you mistreated the two old folks. As for those few aunts of yours, just ignore them."

  Shen's family also agreed that the property would eventually return to their son, so they didn't mind too much and even prepared a share for his biological mother.

  Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chunyu specially brought Damao to visit. The Shen family did not let them enter the house and at the door, Chunyu told the Shen family that Damao's wedding was set for December 12th and invited everyone to attend the wedding banquet. After hearing this, the Shen family did not respond and turned back to close the door. Chunyu returned home to complain to the old master and Tian Shi.

  The days slipped quickly into September, and Shen's family discussed the menu with Zeng Rui-xiang and He Shi, and also fixed a date with five villagers who helped with cooking. They checked the reward money pouches again, and decided which household would get a whole pig, and sent messages to relatives and friends of each household. In short, if she didn't do something every day, her heart would feel anxious, so much so that He Shi and Zeng Rui-xiang teased her several times.

  On the eighth of September, they sent betrothal gifts. They hired two donkey carts and one ox cart, entered Anzhou City, and began to play music while carrying the betrothal gifts to the Liu family. The Liu family probably didn't expect that the Zeng family would give twenty-two sets of betrothal gifts, all of which were substantial items. Previously, they had already given 100 taels of silver for dowry preparations, and this time they gave another 88 taels of gift money. Mr. Liu still said it was too extravagant, but Mrs. Liu was delighted that her daughter had found a good family to marry into, ensuring her well-being for the rest of her life.

  On September 16th, Shen's family personally arranged the wedding bed, and the bedding and sheets had to wait for the bride to enter, and then put on her own. After checking the various decorations in the house, they locked the door.

  On September 17th, at noon, the kitchen staff came to test the stove. Close relatives and their families came over for dinner, as well as distant relatives such as Shen Jianshui's family, Xia Yu's family, Qiu Yu's mother and son, etc. In addition, there were six tables of chefs.

  In the afternoon, Lin Kangping suddenly came in, bringing a couple in their twenties, plus a seven or eight-year-old boy and a five or six-year-old girl. Zi Qing's heart suddenly became joyful, knowing that Lin Kangping had rushed back for her sake, fearing that with so many things happening at home, something would go wrong again. Although Lin Kangping didn't say it, Zi Qing also understood his intentions and couldn't help but feel moved.

  The people at home came and went, and the two of them had a conversation in the house. Zi Qing only then knew that Lin Kangping brought this family because they were affected by drought and were driven out by their families, and were taken in by him on the road to escape famine. The man's surname was Wang, and the woman's surname was Li.

  "I've seen their hands, they're all capable of hard work. They're from a farming family and are used to raising chickens and pigs, not to mention tending to fruit trees. It's just perfect for us to have them watch over the orchard. It couldn't be more convenient." Lin Kangping said.

  Ziying said the orchard can be inhabited now, she has already picked up two sets of old bedding and even dug a well. Lin Kangping heard this and said: "My wife is really capable, in that case, I'll send people over first, no need to make trouble at home."

  There are too many guests coming and going at home, things are too complicated. Fortunately, Zilu and others are also at home, otherwise, even tea can't be brewed in time. Lin Kangping said: "You just entertain the ladies in the house, don't worry about outside things, I'll settle them down and they will come back to help you."

  Ziying reminded Lin Kangping to buy some daily necessities on the street. As soon as Ziying accompanied Lin Kangping out, the old man personally accompanied Chunyu and her family over. After exchanging greetings with the old man, Lin Kangping left. Seeing that Ziying didn't greet her, Chunyu took the initiative to say to Ziying: "Ziying, your eldest uncle and aunt were wrong in the past, I also brought them to kowtow to your parents, now that your eldest uncle is getting married, this matter can be considered over, from now on, let's not mention it again."

  Ziying listened but didn't respond, and directly returned to the house. The old master took Zeng Rui Xiang, Tian Shi, Chun Yu, and Yan Ren Da into the house, it's unknown what they said, in short, after a long time they came out, the four people's faces all looked not very good, however, Chun Yu's family stayed behind.

  Lin Kongping returned to see Chunyu and his family still there, and quietly asked Ziqing: "In the end, they stayed, the old man personally led them in, what did he say? Won't parents' hearts soften again and forgive them?"

  Just as Ziying was about to speak, the old man came over and invited Ziying and Lin Kangping into Lin Kangping's room. The three of them sat down, and the old man spoke first: "Kangping, I know you have skills and can handle people. As for what happened with Damao, I don't blame you - after all, it was Damao's fault in the first place. What I want to say to you two today is that your eldest sister and Damao have both promised me that from now on, they will behave themselves and not plot against you anymore. Everyone can just treat each other as ordinary relatives and interact with each other normally. It's only a few times a year - when the children get married and need to give each other face, or during Chinese New Year visits. As for other days, it's up to your own discretion. Ziying, you've always been a sensible and understanding child - please advise Kangping to leave some room for maneuvering, even if things don't go well. After all, they are still relatives."

  Just as Ziying was about to speak, Lin Kangping grabbed her hand and said: "I don't like hearing this kind of thing from you, it's as if I'm not aware of what's going on. What's wrong with Ziying being aware of what's going on? Being aware of what's going on means she should suffer in silence and not resist? Should she be like my father-in-law and mother-in-law, making sacrifices for so many years without getting any return or recognition from you? I'd rather give up such awareness, I'll protect my own wife myself, it's unacceptable for her to be bullied by others. To be honest, if it weren't for your face, Father-in-law, I would have crippled his hand."

  "But they have promised to behave themselves and not provoke you again."

  "I'll let him off this time, otherwise don't blame me for not warning you in advance. And tell that Guiying, if there's a next time, I'm not afraid to hit a woman." Lin Kangping said and directly pulled Zi Qing out.

  After dinner, those who should leave have left. Lin Kangping took out the congratulatory gift he brought, and it was a white jade decoration, a child holding a lotus flower. Lin Kangping said: "Big brother, I wish you and your wife a hundred years of harmony, giving birth to noble sons, and the lotus flower is also called the water lily. I specially ran for several days to find this."

  Shen's family saw the busy saying that the gift was sent well, Zi Qing smiled and said: "This time is a big loss, the previous gift was sent in vain, unfortunately my good jade, if I had known earlier, I would not have sent it." Provoked Shen's family and two people to chase and hit, Lin Kangping hurriedly protected Zi Qing, everyone made a noise, laughed for a while, and then rested separately.