In an instant, the courtyard of Li Menglan’s home was filled with cheerful laughter and lively commotion. Inside the house, young and old alike were scrambling for pastries and candies, yet none of it disturbed the helpers on the roof beams, who were busy and focused on laying the tiles.
Crackle, pop—another string of firecrackers went off outside the courtyard.
The Li family looked at one another. Uh... who was setting off firecrackers out there now?
“Lan girl, this old man is here! Where is Lan girl?” A loud, resonant voice, full of vigor despite its age, reached the ears of the Li family from outside the courtyard.
Li Menglan paused, then quickly came back to herself. How could she have forgotten the mischievous old master of the Zhao family? “Mother, Grandma, Grandmother, don’t worry. The person speaking is the Old Master Zhao I mentioned to you before. It’s fine—I’ll go out and take a look.”
Li Menglan gave her mother, grandmother, and maternal grandmother a reassuring look, intending to go outside the courtyard.
“Daughter, is that all right?” Though Zhang Yuniang was a peasant woman, she was not a woman with long hair and short wit.
The Zhao family—the Zhao family of Qingshui Town—who among the people in the nearby villages did not know of them? Especially after Li Menglan returned, she had said that the best restaurant, teahouse, cloth shop in Qingshui Town... all of them belonged to the Zhao family. She had also heard that the old master of the Zhao family had once been a great general of Yunliang Kingdom.
A family like that... let alone meeting them, even hearing of such people was a first for the Li family. It was no wonder Zhang Yuniang was nervous.
Li Menglan smiled and nodded, glancing at Lin Sanniang and Madam Wang, who were also visibly nervous. “Grandma, Grandmother, Mother, you really don’t need to worry. Old Master Zhao is actually quite easy to get along with. I’ll just go and receive them. There’s a lot to do at home today, so you go on and keep busy!”
“All right, then your mother will go to the kitchen with your grandmother and grandmother. Those Aunties Wang of yours must be busy beyond measure. If anything happens, just call out,” Zhang Yuniang instructed uneasily before heading to the kitchen.
“Mm... I know, Mother!”
“Good granddaughter, you mustn’t slight Old Master Zhao and Young Master Zhao. For them to come to our home is a tremendous blessing for our family, understand?” Lin Sanniang also reminded her carefully.
“I know. Grandma, you really don’t need to worry!” Li Menglan looked at her family, a faint smile appearing on her face. Hehe... these were the family members she would protect even at the cost of her life—a group of lovable, kindhearted people!
Outside the Li family’s courtyard stood two exquisite carriages drawn by tall, fine horses. Many villagers of Shangliang Village had already gathered around to watch, pointing at the two carriages before them and whispering among themselves.
“Good heavens... these two carriages are truly handsome. Even more refined than the one I saw at Old Master Jiang’s house in Changban Town. How much silver must they have cost!”
“Pah... didn’t you see what the coachman is wearing? Tell me, just which family could this be?”
“Never heard that Li Dazhu’s family had rich relatives! Have any of you heard of it?”
“No...”
The carriage curtain was lifted, and the first to step out was an extraordinarily handsome, beautiful young man. “Grandfather, Lan’er’s home is here.”
Oh... how beautiful!
Once again, the villagers of Shangliang Village were dumbstruck.
A pair of clear eyes, so gentle they seemed about to drip with water, were set in a perfectly handsome and elegant face. Fine strands of long hair covered his smooth forehead, falling down to his thick, long lashes. Beneath his white robes was skin more delicate than anyone else’s; under the sunlight, there was not the slightest hint of flush. His refined face showed a somewhat sickly pallor, and his entire person exuded an air of noble, understated grace.
In a small place like Shangliang Village, when had such a young lord, as if descended from the immortals, ever appeared? The young maidens and married women of Shangliang Village all revealed expressions that could only be called infatuated.
Immediately after, an old man in a dark blue robe stepped down from the carriage. His hair was completely white, yet he was hale and spirited. It was clearly only a simple dark blue robe, yet on him, it somehow gave off the impression of luxurious attire.
The old man before them made the villagers of Shangliang Village feel an urge to look up to him.
“Grandpa, Brother Zhao, why did you come so early?” Li Menglan walked out with a charming smile.
The girl before him had a sweet smile on her rosy cheeks and wore a simple floral dress. Clearly, he had only seen her yesterday... and yet Zhao Qingyun suddenly had the feeling that it had been a very long time since they had last met...
Under the sunlight, Li Menglan smiled brilliantly. Looking at this yellow-haired little lass before him—someone who could not yet be called a young lady, only a girl—Zhao Qingyun suddenly felt his heart grow somewhat beyond his control. A strange feeling spread through his chest.
“Early? This old man didn’t even make it in time for your family’s beam-raising. How is that early?” Old Master Zhao frowned slightly and spoke with a somewhat childish air.
“Brother Zhao, Grandpa is...” Li Menglan could naturally tell that Old Master Zhao was angry. Only... what was he angry about? That, she could not guess. Li Menglan looked at Old Master Zhao with concern.
“It’s nothing, Lan’er. Don’t worry.” The way Zhao Qingyun looked at Li Menglan was slightly different from usual. As for what it meant, perhaps only he himself understood.
Zhao Qingyun explained to Li Menglan, “Grandfather originally planned to come a little earlier, just in time for your family’s beam-raising. But the carriage broke down on the road, and with that delay, we naturally couldn’t make it in time. See... Grandfather has already been angry for most of the day.”
“Grandpa, today is my family’s joyous day. You’re not allowed to be unhappy!” Li Menglan affectionately stepped forward and linked her arm through Old Master Zhao’s, speaking with a cheerful laugh.
“Good! Today is Lan girl’s family’s joyous day. This old man won’t be angry.” This was the first time Old Master Zhao had been treated so intimately by Li Menglan, and all the wrinkles on his aged face smoothed out—his heart was simply delighted beyond words.
“Qingyun, have the gifts moved into the courtyard,” Old Master Zhao ordered his grandson, in excellent spirits.
“Grandpa, it’s enough that you and Brother Zhao came in person. Why did you go to the trouble of preparing gifts?” Li Menglan had never intended to gain any benefit from the Zhao grandfather and grandson, and her expression became somewhat unnatural.
“Lan girl, don’t overthink it. Your Grandpa and Brother Zhao didn’t go to any trouble preparing anything precious. They’re all daily necessities for a farming household. Some were even taken from our own shops. They’re all worthless things.”
Old Master Zhao spoke meaningfully, giving Li Menglan a look of considerable significance as he did.
As the gifts Old Master Zhao had prepared were carried one by one into the courtyard, Li Menglan’s expression gradually relaxed. Several large pots, a basket of bowls and chopsticks, ladles and basins, as well as hoes, sickles... The most valuable items were probably a few bolts of homespun cloth and some cotton wadding.
Uh... this Old Master Zhao really was thoughtful. The gifts he gave were not valuable, but they were very practical.