Chapter 203 - 203 New Year
203 New Year
In the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Eve. Sausages, cured meat, chicken, duck, fish, pork, and all kinds of dishes were placed on the table. Li Yu called everyone in the family together and everyone celebrated the first New Year for the first time after arriving in Qingchuan.
On the morning of the first day of the new year, Uncle Liu opened the door and saw that the entrance was filled with villagers. Some were carrying a basket of eggs, while others were carrying chickens and ducks!
When the villagers saw Uncle Liu open the door, they placed the things in their hands at the door and cupped their hands with a smile. “Brother, please bring the things in and tell Lord Zhou that we’re here to wish him a happy new year!”
Uncle Liu hurriedly waved his hand and said, “Brothers, aunties, please wait. Let me report to Madam and Sir. Otherwise, I’ll be scolded!” Uncle Liu limped into the courtyard and reported to Li Yu, “Madam, more than ten villagers have come to visit with things!”
Li Yu and Zhou Jia hurriedly stood up and walked out. Li Qing carried the food that had been fried before the new year and ran out. When he reached the door, he only saw the bamboo basket, chickens, and ducks at the door. There was no one else.
Uncle Liu said to Zhou Jia in frustration, “Sir, I told them to wait.”
Zhou Jia smiled in understanding. “They don’t want to disturb us! Let’s put everything into the house!”
Li Qing looked at Zhou Jia and smiled. “This means that my brother-in-law is a good official! Look, there are even commoners sending things to you for the New Year!”
After putting the things at the door into the kitchen, Zhou Jia said to Li Yu and her brother, “It’s impossible for the other villagers to send things over. I guess it might be those dozen families who took back the fields that the bandits snatched!”
Li Qing said with some lingering fear, “Brother-in-law, Sister, I didn’t know it was so difficult for you when you first arrived in Qingchuan. Fortunately, you know General Shen. Otherwise, these mountain bandits would have given you a headache for some time. No wonder Mr. Lin said that it’s easier to be an official in the court!”
Zhou Jia looked at Li Qing and said earnestly, “It’s true that it’s easier to be an official in the court! Ah Qing, you have to know that Shen Wu will help us with all his might because of our friendship. However, the main reason is that we’re all His Majesty’s people. In the bureaucracy, there’s scheming and deception. You have to remember not to trust others casually.”
Li Qing bowed respectfully and said, “Brother-in-law, I’ll remember!”
Zhou Jia hugged Li Qing and smiled. “You don’t have to worry. You’re still young. Your brother-in-law and sister will help you when you’re in trouble!”
Li Qing grabbed Zhou Jia’s hand. “Yes! I know.”
Li Yu came in from outside and smiled at the two of them. “Don’t stay at home. The streets are very lively. Ruyi and the others have gone shopping! Let’s go shopping too! We’ve been here for so long, but we haven’t gone shopping properly!”
Zhou Jia and Li Qing laughed when they heard that. Zhou Jia stood up and walked to Li Yu. She smiled and said, “Ah Qing! It’s rare for your sister to want to shop. We’ll accompany you!”
The three of them went out and walked down the street. Li Yu looked at the crowd coming and going on the street and thought to herself that although Qingchuan County was currently not prosperous, there were more pedestrians on the streets. The people in the city were no longer locked at home every day. Some also started to set up stalls at the spots designated by Zhou Jia. There were patrolling magistrate officers on the streets and the people setting up stalls were not afraid of the harassment of those local hooligans. It can be said that compared to how it used to be, the current Qingchuan County was starting to radiate vitality.
Li Qing looked over and saw that the streets were clean and the vendors were in their designated positions. When the citizens in the city saw Zhou Jia and Li Yu, they stopped and bowed. Li Qing felt a sense of pride and said to Zhou Jia, “Brother-in-law, you’re really amazing. If I can become an official in the future, I want to learn from you.”
Zhou Jia shook his head and said, “Your sister taught me many things. For example, that public toilet, those stalls, and the farmers’ market in West City. It was your sister who suggested hiring disabled and lonely people to clean the streets. Your sister is a capable aide!”
Li Qing looked at Li Yu, who had walked to the front, and sighed. “Brother-in-law, you’ve made a killing marrying my sister. My sister is good-looking and skilled. Now, she even knows how to give you advice. My sister is too capable!”
Zhou Jia smiled smugly. “Of course! Look at whose wife she is!”
Li Yu walked to a stall selling wontons and said to the two people muttering behind her, “It smells quite fragrant. Let’s eat a bowl of wontons!”
The lady boss wiped the table diligently and shouted with a smile, “Husband, Lord Zhou and Madam are here to eat my wontons. Mix the sauce well!”
The boss replied loudly, “Alright!”
After the three of them sat down, the boss brought the wontons to the table and bowed to Zhou Jia and his wife. “Sir, Madam, my wontons are delicious!”
Seeing that there were also people waiting to eat wontons at the table beside him, Zhou Jia smiled and said, “Alright, business looks good!”
The boss replied happily, “Sigh! Business is not bad. No one has come to cause trouble yet. Even if we earn less, we don’t have to be on tenterhooks. My family has been selling wontons since my grandfather’s generation. We haven’t set up a stall for more than ten years. Now that you’re here, we’ve come out to set up a stall again. I have to thank you.”
As they spoke, a few more customers came. Zhou Jia said to the boss, “Go ahead! There’s no need to greet us.” The boss bowed and went to get busy.
After they finished eating, they put down the copper coins and continued shopping. When they reached the northern city, Li Yu realized that there were also vendors selling rouge and cosmetics on the streets. All kinds of hawking and the sounds of customers bargaining made the streets lively.
Zhou Jia looked at the increasingly prosperous Qingchuan Street and said to Li Yu, “Yu’er, when there are profits in the county next year, we’ll prepare some lanterns and lion and dragon dances. We’ll also invite an opera troupe here for some fun!”
Li Yu smiled and said, “Alright, as you wish.” They walked around the city. In the end, they didn’t buy anything and slowly walked home empty-handed.
The new year ended on the 15th of January. Li Qing and Li Yu discussed returning to Clearwater Town to pay respects to their parents. Li Yu thought about how the Zhou family’s fields had been occupied and had yet to find someone to get them back. She planned to return to Clearwater Town with Li Qing and bring back the fields for their parents.
Zhou Jia said reluctantly, “Yu’er, you won’t be back until mid-March.”
Li Yu hugged Zhou Jia and smiled. “Now that Qingchuan’s matters are on the right track, you can’t go back with me. When I come back, it will be time for spring plowing.”
Zhou Jia touched Li Yu’s hair and gently kissed her face. He said reluctantly, “I really can’t bear to see you leave. You have to be careful on the way. When you reach Clearwater Town, sell the shops in town and Green Mountain City. Don’t rush along the way. Come back as soon as possible!”
Li Yu hugged Zhou Jia tightly and chuckled. “You want me to not rush but you also want me to come back earlier. Which line should I listen to?”
Zhou Jia sighed and said, “Then come back as soon as possible!”