Chapter 795 - 797: Kowtow
Chapter 795: Chapter 797: Kowtow
Gu Wenheng stood outside the door and waited for a moment, but his mother and son had yet to appear. He turned his head to look at Jin Qianqian. "I remember the backyard isn’t that big. Why is the child taking so long?"
Jin Qianqian replied, "Heh, don’t you understand your own son?
"That boy has probably already won over the elders by now. Who would still remember you?
"Are you sure you still want to wait out here? I’m going in. If you don’t enter when you’re already at the door, you’ll be responsible for the consequences later."
After saying this, Jin Qianqian pushed open the main door. Just as she lifted her foot to step inside, she saw Li Cuicui being escorted into the courtyard by a crowd of people.
"Mother," Jin Qianqian called out sweetly. "We’re back."
Li Cuicui looked at Jin Qianqian with a face full of amiability. "It’s good that you’re back!" She wondered if they hadn’t returned, whether they would ever get to see these two old bones again.
Gu Wenheng took a step forward and supported the old lady. "Mother, your unfilial son has returned." Saying this, he grabbed Gu Ben Can. "Come here. Our family must quickly kowtow to your grandmother. We haven’t been by her side to keep her company all these years, which is truly unfilial."
Li Cuicui grabbed her grandson and refused to let go. "Don’t be in a rush to kowtow. Your father is still waiting in the room. Let’s go in together.
"Your father and I can receive your formal greetings together."
Over the years, the old lady had gained her own worldly experience. She knew that officials had to cherish their reputations exceptionally well. Even if their family didn’t have such customary practices in the past, they still had to put on a show for others. Who knew if there were spies planted by others among her son’s entourage? Her heart also ached for her son, so she suggested going to Gu Dashi’s room first.
Gu Wenheng smoothly supported the old lady. "This unfilial son hasn’t returned all these years. Have you two elders been well?"
Li Cuicui led him toward the western wing. "With so many people serving us at home, how could we not be well?
"It’s you guys out there..."
Li Cuicui had wanted to say that they had suffered, but her gaze drifted to her son’s highly bulging abdomen, and she really felt too embarrassed to continue.
"Mother, if the people around you aren’t serving you well, just tell me, and I’ll replace them with a new batch for you," Gu Wenheng said as he stood outside the door. Li Cuicui had already reached out and pushed the door open first.
Ever since Gu Wenheng’s official position rose higher and higher, the number of servants provided to the elders at home had also increased. However, Li Cuicui wasn’t used to having so many people around her, so she picked a few and rejected the rest.
"They are all quite good. You don’t need to worry about these trivial matters. If it really comes down to it, your older brothers are still at home.
"My son is meant to do great things. Just take good care of yourself outside."
Li Cuicui saw that Gu Dashi was already sitting on the heated brick bed, his eyes staring intently at the doorway.
"Your ears are getting sharper and sharper. I suppose you already knew that Old Seventh and the others were back."
Gu Dashi looked a full size fatter than when they had left. Jin Qianqian looked up and finally found the reason why Gu Wenheng was gaining more and more weight.
Li Cuicui sat on the edge of the heated brick bed and instructed the maid beside her to place kneeling cushions in front of the masters. After Gu Wenheng led his wife and child in completing their kneeling bows, he stood to the side and looked at the two elders.
"What is your official position now?" Gu Dashi stared at Gu Wenheng. He didn’t reminisce or ask about anything else; the moment he opened his mouth, he asked about Gu Wenheng’s official position.
Gu Wenheng stood to the side and said respectfully, "To answer you, Father, I am a Standard First Rank First-Grade Governor."
Gu Dashi frowned. "You were already at this official position a few years ago. Why hasn’t it changed?"
Jin Qianqian rolled her eyes at the ceiling; this eunuch really had a lot of nerve.
One had to know that in order to achieve his current official position, Gu Wenheng had paid an unknown price over the years. Gu Wenheng, however, replied with a smile, "This is already the highest official position. Father, have you been well these past few years?"
Gu Dashi muttered in dissatisfaction, "Even if you are in a high position, your father hasn’t enjoyed any blessings from you.
"Where are you going to take office this time? How about taking me along with you?"
Before Gu Wenheng could speak, Li Cuicui slapped the quilt on the heated brick bed. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting again? Looking at the state you’re in, wouldn’t you just be a hindrance if you tagged along?
"Our son goes out to do great things, to fight for the family and for future generations. If you make such unreasonable demands again, I’ll have no choice but to go find Uncle Third and the others to talk some sense into you."
As soon as Gu Dashi heard about those elders, he immediately hunched his back. "I didn’t say anything bad. Besides, I just want to follow them out for a walk. I’ve been locked in this room every day, and I’m going crazy from the confinement.
"Furthermore, you old woman, you won’t let me eat this, and you won’t let me eat that. What’s the point of me living like this? I might as well go out and look around while I’m still energetic."
"Walk?" Li Cuicui glanced disdainfully at his legs. "Do you think being carried down the street looks that good?
"Besides, not letting you eat is all for your own good. Why don’t you look in the mirror and see what you’ve grown into now?
"Have you forgotten what the doctor said? If you don’t value your life, it doesn’t matter to me."
Although Li Cuicui said this, she was still very strict with Gu Dashi’s dietary requirements. Even though this old man was an eyesore, it was better for him to be alive than dead right now. That was his only remaining value.
Gu Dashi glanced at Gu Wenheng, especially when his gaze lingered for a moment on Gao Long’s abdomen, before reaching under the quilt to pat his own belly. It seemed he really had gained a lot of weight.
"Besides, you’re the lazy one normally. I instructed people to take you for a stroll around the village, but you refused to go out to save face. What? If you follow our son out, you’ll suddenly have the guts to scurry around the streets?"
Li Cuicui didn’t even know what Gu Dashi was thinking. This village was full of clansmen and juniors; who didn’t know his current situation? Sometimes, even just going out to bask in the sun and look at the village’s situation was better than being locked in the room all day.
Gu Dashi retorted, "What’s there to see in this village? I’ve stayed in the village my whole life. No matter how much I look, it’s still just those fields and crops.
"Now that my son has become such a high-ranking official, can’t I go and bask in his glory?"
Just based on those words, Li Cuicui wouldn’t bother engaging with him anymore. She turned her head and said to Gu Wenheng, "Where is Luo Luo?"
Gu Wenheng replied, "Luo Luo is preparing to participate in the special imperial examination this time. He is already getting familiarized in Shangjing."
"Look at my memory. In your last reply, you already mentioned that the child passed the examination and became a scholar. The clan even said they were preparing to throw a grand banquet for him. However, it was stopped by Grandpa Third, who said that since we only just threw a grand banquet when he became a Scholar, we should wait until he becomes an Advanced Scholar to celebrate everything together this time."
Gu Wenheng immediately understood the elder’s intentions. Every time their family threw a banquet, the local gentry and officials would come over to give gifts. Although it gave the clan face, it was also too high-profile and would be detrimental to Gu Wenheng’s reputation.
"Is he confident?" Gu Dashi’s opening words immediately made Li Cuicui clench her fists in an urge to beat him. "So many people from our clan went to take the exams before, and they all failed. Many people tried multiple times and couldn’t even become a Scholar. It’s very difficult to become an Advanced Scholar..."
Li Cuicui snapped, "If you don’t know how to speak, then shut up."