Chapter 2436: Chapter 28: Tang Family Follow-up
Chapter 2436: Chapter 28: Tang Family Follow-up
Although their family wouldn’t become extremely wealthy even after moving to the capital, managing living expenses wouldn’t be a problem.
But Father Tang refused; he wanted to return to Dongan Province with Madam Tang.
Madam Tang’s emotions were still unstable. If she were to go to the capital, she would surely interfere in her son’s and daughter-in-law’s affairs. He only allowed Tang Wenqian to take Ms. Jiang to the capital. With Ms. Jiang there, he could be more at ease.
Thus, Father Tang and Madam Tang returned to Dongan Province, while Tang Wenqian and Ms. Jiang went to the capital.
This past Spring Festival, when Shu Yu’s family returned to Eldest Uncle’s home in Shangshi Village, they saw Father Tang and Madam Tang once.
Madam Tang had become significantly thinner and much quieter.
Shu Yu did not inquire much about the Tang family’s affairs, but Madam Liang often did.
It’s said that Madam Tang mostly doesn’t socialize outside now. In contrast, Father Tang, who previously had little presence, now walks about the village frequently.
Madam Tang feared being ridiculed. Back when Tang Wenqian became an official, she was quite the spectacle! There was a constant stream of visitors congratulating her, and she reveled in it for a few days. Eventually, she left Shangshi Village amidst everyone’s envy and hadn’t returned for years.
Now, with her son having resigned, the couple returned to the village in a rather humiliated state, aware of the ridicule they might face.
But in fact, the situation wasn’t as bad as Madam Tang imagined. As soon as they returned, Father Tang explained their circumstances to Village Chief Fan.
Village Chief Fan helped clarify matters for the curious villagers who wondered why they returned.
The current Shangshi Village is not like it was before. Most of the villagers have extended their horizons by growing sunflowers and working in workshops alongside Shu Yu, no longer fixated merely on their small plots of land.
Some even felt that Tang Wenqian was ambitious. Although being a scholarly official is also commendable, he dared to resign from his post to retake the exams, using his knowledge to re-enter the court. What courage!
Moreover, after Meng Yunzheng, who had once scored at the top but returned home after resigning, the villagers were already very accepting of such situations.
Aside from a few who were never on good terms with Madam Tang saying a few spiteful words behind their backs, the people of Shangshi Village were quite friendly to them.
After Father Tang returned, many villagers who sent their children to study approached him, asking how they had educated Tang Wenqian back in the day. In their eyes, Tang Wenqian was still a rare prodigy in Shangshi Village.
Shu Yu didn’t know how Tang Wenqian was doing at the Imperial College, but he knew that Father and Madam Tang were living quite comfortably in Shangshi Village.
Since they weren’t very familiar with the present county magistrate of Chenggu County, they didn’t visit the county office. After spending a day at the Meng family’s escort agency, they returned to Changjin Prefecture early the next morning.
Afterward, the convoy set off once again, heading towards the capital.
This time, however, the convoy was a third smaller, as there was no need for the shipment team that went to Changjin Prefecture to head to the capital; they headed straight back to Dongan Province instead.
Changjin Prefecture is much closer to the capital. The group quickened their pace, and by the time they reached the capital’s gates, there was still over half a month before the Scripture Reading event commenced.
Even though there was still plenty of time, the capital was already teeming with scholars from all over the country. As far as one could see, most were clad in elegant gowns, their conversations filled with matters of the Scripture Reading event.
Fortunately, they had sent word in advance to have accommodations prepared. Otherwise, with such a crowd, there might not have been a place even to rest.