Chapter 306: Take Me Along, I’m Going Too
Soon, the day of the kinship banquet arrived as scheduled. The village chief rose bright and early, patrolling the village to inspect the condition of each household. Though the occasion couldn’t quite match the grand scale of when the imperial decree was delivered previously, things still had to be kept spotless and tidy, leaving no negative impression on the noble guests arriving for the feast.
Over at the Wen household, every member of the family—old and young alike—had changed into brand-new clothes. The guests arriving today were all people of high status, so they naturally couldn’t be treated with any slight. Old Madam Luo had brought out all the fabric gifted by the Empress Dowager back then, tailoring a set of clothes for every single person in the family.
The old lady even hung the ruyi jade gifted by the Empress Dowager around her neck, wearing the hair ornaments sent by the Qiu family on her head. The styles from Jiangnan were all the latest fashion; with this attire, coupled with the subtle guidance of Old Mistress Qiu and Nanny Shi off to the side, she truly exuded the aura of an official household’s matriarch.
As for Li Yi, who served as the “bait,” he had nothing to do today—he merely needed to play his role as the Heir of Prince Fu and put on proper airs. The task of entertaining guests was handed off entirely to Magistrate Chen, the chief “social butterfly” of Yunwu Town.
Before long, a villager stationed to keep watch at the entrance of the village came running back to report that the first guest had arrived.
By the time the horse carriage came to a steady halt before the door of the Wen residence, Wen Xiuyi and Magistrate Chen were already waiting.
Unexpectedly, the person stepping down from the carriage turned out to be an acquaintance—Prefectural Governor Lu Ning and his wife.
“Lord Wen, Lord Chen, long time no see! Lord Wen, congratulations, congratulations!”
As their official ranks were lower after all, Wen Xiuyi and Magistrate Chen hurriedly stepped forward to greet them.
“Lord Lu, forgive us for not welcoming you from afar.” The two bowed politely.
Poking his head out to cast a glance into the courtyard, Lord Lu hurriedly helped the two up, saying with a smile, “Today is the joyful day of Lord Wen adopting a goddaughter; Lord Wen is the main character here, so dispense with these empty formalities.”
Saying that, he asked them in a low voice, “Where is the Heir of Prince Fu?”
Magistrate Chen offered an understanding smile: “Lord Lu, this way please.”
The two led Lu Ning off to see Li Yi, with Master Qiu and his son trailing behind them all along.
Following closely, guests arrived one after another in a steady stream. Before long, the carriages parked outside the door of the Wen residence filled the space entirely. Many uninvited guests arrived as well; since the guests had brought gifts right to the door, there was no reason to turn them away.
Everyone knew whom these visitors were coming for, but since they had come regardless—whether out of sincerity or pretense—their presence ultimately added to the prestige of the Wen family and raised the standing of the Qiu family as well.
It was a good thing they had made thorough preparations. They had originally arranged five tables each for the male guests and female guests, but as more and more people arrived, two additional tables were added to each side at the last minute before everyone could barely be seated.
Once the guests had mostly arrived, accompanied by the Qiu family members and under the witness of Li Yi, Master Qiu, and numerous guests, Qiu Rongrong brought Xie Anyi to kowtow before Wen Xiuyi, offering tea and addressing him as Father. Xie Anyi called him Maternal Grandfather as well, officially making the matter public.
During the feast, many people ran over to toast Wen Xiuyi, inquiring in a roundabout manner about his family’s relationship with Prince Fu.
Wen Xiuyi was no fool; after a few cups, he used the excuse of having drunk too much to slip away, leaving the scene to Magistrate Chen and Master Qiu, two men who were skilled at socializing.
On the female guests’ side, Old Madam Luo was similarly plagued by endless annoyance. Many female guests looked down on them entirely—a fact Old Madam Luo understood very clearly, as she could read it directly from their disdainful gazes. Yet she still had to greet them with a smiling face. Facing their subtle probing regarding Li Yi’s affairs, Old Madam Luo merely offered vague laughs, talking around the subject or simply pretending not to understand.
After all, she was merely a country old lady; failing to understand these indirect hints was only natural.
In their hearts, many looked down on her as a mere country old lady putting on official airs with them, yet because the Heir of Prince Fu was genuinely staying at their house, they had no choice but to show her humble respect, desiring only to pry out a bit more information about the Heir of Prince Fu.
Who could have guessed that after an entire day, these female guests—never mind seeing the Heir of Prince Fu—failed even to pry out a single piece of news about him? The members of the Wen and Qiu families seemed to have planned it together, proving entirely impenetrable.
There were even ladies who attempted to bring their daughters along under the pretext of taking a tour, wanting to head over toward Wen Xiuyi’s residence, only to be stopped by Nanny Shi, who had made preparations well in advance.
Having spent so many years in the capital, Nanny Shi could read what intentions these people harbored in their hearts at a single glance.
Many felt thoroughly displeased in their hearts—had it not been for the Heir of Prince Fu, who would have come to attend a feast in this wretched place? Yet for the sake of face, they could only endure it.
Regardless of whether they were willing or not, this kinship banquet was ultimately carried out successfully. News that Wen Xiuyi had adopted the divorced lady of the Xie family as his goddaughter spread quickly, and Xie Yushan naturally learned of it as well.
Ever since Qiu Rongrong left the Xie estate, the Xie household could be said to have fallen into complete chaos. Xie Yushan had never imagined that this household could genuinely not function without Qiu Rongrong.
Old Mistress Xie had originally felt that it was fine for that woman to leave, but when she truly stepped up to manage the household again, she realized that the Xie family had long lost its past glory. Over these years, they had relied entirely on Qiu Rongrong to barely maintain the surface of prosperity.
As for the farms and shops belonging to the Xie family, the combined monthly profits of all of them didn’t even match that of Zui Xian Tower for a single month, let alone the roast duck shop and milk tea shop.
Only at this point did Old Mistress Xie feel a tinge of regret for letting Qiu Rongrong leave the Xie family. Yet it was already too late; now, Qiu Rongrong had not only left the Xie estate, but had even taken her youngest grandson away. Nowadays, who in Yunwu Town didn’t address her as Manager Qiu?
Fortunately, the Xie family was considered an established clan of many years, and its foundation in Yunwu Town wasn’t so easily ruined. Though the process of taking back control of the household was somewhat arduous for Old Mistress Xie, she ultimately managed to prevent the Xie family from becoming a laughingstock in the mouths of others.
Yet she simply couldn’t swallow this surge of resentment.
Regardless of how things fared on the Xie family’s side, after the kinship banquet concluded, Qiu Rongrong completely changed her form of address, calling Wen Xiuyi Godfather, and addressing Old Madam Luo and Old Man Wen as Grandpa and Grandma. Her visits to the Wen household grew even more frequent; sometimes she simply didn’t return to the estate, staying directly with Wen Yao instead.
Although Xie Anyi was reluctant, under the coaxing and threats of his companions, he ultimately changed his form of address to Uncle and Little Aunt as well.
With the affairs of the Xie family resolved and Qiu Rongrong’s kinship adoption concluded, the members of the Qiu family felt reassured leaving Qiu Rongrong here alone, and prepared to set off on their return to Jiangnan.
It was at this moment that Li Yi announced he ought to return to the capital.
The staff for the roast duck shop and milk tea shop had actually been trained long ago. Li Yi’s visit this time served two purposes: first, to satisfy his cravings by eating and drinking at the Wen household, and second, for the business partnership.
Li Yi had originally planned to leave after the kinship banquet; just as the Qiu family brought up their departure, he took the opportunity to bring up his own as well, even taking the initiative to invite the Qiu family members to ride on the official ship with him, giving them a ride along the way.
Just as the Qiu family members were wondering how to express their gratitude, they heard Wen Xiuyi say, “Take me along, I’m going too.”
Ever since hearing Master Qiu describe the rice yields of Jiangnan earlier, Wen Xiuyi had been constantly thinking about going to take a look.
He wanted to know if the Jiangnan of this world was the same as the water towns of Jiangnan in their former world. If it was the same, he might be able to find good rice seeds as well.
