Chapter 441 - 441: Lotus Pond

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Zhou Jia smiled and said to Li Yu, ‘Yu’er, I was in the government office and heard them discussing in private that the Fan family has been corrupting a lot of gold and silver for decades. Do you think they hid the gold and silver somewhere on the farm?”

When Li Yu heard this, she recalled that in her previous life, a corrupt official had hidden the money in the pond. She thought about how the Fan family had planted lotus flowers in the pond and would be digging lotus roots in two months. She felt that it was impossible. Could it be that it was laid under the tiles? Li Yu looked at the green bricks under her feet and wondered if she should dig up the tiles and take a look.

“That’s possible. Find an opportunity to see if there’s a wall on the manor and if it’s hidden under the tiles.” Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu’s money-grubbing appearance and sat up with a smile to pinch her nose. “Silly girl, if there’s really gold, silver, and treasure, it’s not safe for you to live on the manor. Even if there’s really gold and silver, I think His Majesty would have long sent people to look for it. Do these tiles underground look like they’ve been relaid?”

Li Yu turned her head to take a look and nodded. She suddenly thought of Yangyang and the others who liked to slack off. They might have already gone to the lotus pond. Thinking that the water in the lotus pond was not shallow, she held Zhou Jia’s hand worriedly. “Get up quickly. Perhaps Yangyang and the others have alreadv gone to the lotus Dond. Let’s co out and take a look.” “Alright, let’s go see our son.” Zhou Jia smiled and kissed Li Yu. The couple got out of bed. When they went outside, they saw Mr. Wen wearing a straw hat and walking out.

Zhou Jia smiled and asked, “Sir, are you going out?”

Mr. Wen smiled at the two of them. “Ah Qing, Mr. Qian, and Yang’er have gone to the lotus pond. I plan to take a look too.”

Li Yu smiled and said, “Sir, we also plan to take a look. Since everyone is there, let Xing Hua, Aunt Zhang, and the others take some fruits there. We can sit and enjoy the shade.”

Mr. Wen waved at the two of them happily. “Let’s go!”

They walked toward the front courtyard. Just as they reached the front courtyard, they saw Zhao Cai enter the courtyard. Zhao Cai reported to the two of them, “Master, Madam, Han San’s mother and wife want to meet you and Madam.”

Zhou Jia nodded. “Alright, bring them in.”

After a while, Zhao Cai brought Han San’s family into the courtyard. The two children looked curiously at the melon rack in the courtyard and pulled their parents’ hands to the main hall.

After the family greeted Li Yu, her husband, and Mr. Wen, Li Yu said to Han San’s family, “You’ll be members of the Zhou family in the future. As long as you abide by the rules, the Zhou family won’t treat you badly.

“There’s Aunt Zhang and the others on the stove. You can take care of the livestock in the backyard and the lotus pond, as well as the few acres of cornfield at the door. Also, there’s a kitchen in the back room. You can collect the rice, grains, oil, and salt and cook for yourself.

“When Han San just arrived, his monthly salary will temporarily be the same as Uncle Liu’s. The salaries of Auntie Han and Sister-in-law Han will be half of

Han San’s! In the future, you don’t have to kneel and kowtow for no reason. Just follow the rules in your heart.”

Seeing Li Yu’s warm tone, the family kowtowed happily. “Yes, Madam. We’ll remember. Thank you, Master! Thank you, Madam.”

Mr. Wen looked at Old Madam Han’s hands, which were bent and swollen like chicken claws. He frowned. When the Han family got up, he waved at Old Madam Han and said, “Old Sister-in-law, I see that your hands are seriously rheumatized. Come over and let me take a look at you.”

Old Madam Han was stunned and stammered, “Old Master, I’m used to it.”

When Han San heard Mr. Wen’s words, he kowtowed to him in joy and thanked him. “Thank you, Old Master. My mother’s hand hurts when it comes into contact with cold water.”

Mr. Wen smiled and waved his hand. “I’m just a physician. There’s no need to be so polite.”

“Yes, Old Master.” Han San got up with a smile and pushed his stunned mother to sit opposite Mr. Wen. After seeing this, Mr. Wen said, “Try not to touch cold water in the future. There’s medicine in the capital residence that I prescribed. Tomorrow, you and Zhao Cai will return to the capital residence and let Master get the medicine for you.”

“Thank you, Old Master.” The family bowed happily to Mr. Wen and left.

Xing Hua, Aunt Zhang, and Granny Chen carried fruits, cakes, and stir-fried goods to the front courtyard. Seeing that Li Yu and the others were still in the courtyard, Xing Hua smiled and asked, “Madam, are you still going to the lotus pond?”

“Go, send the things over first!” Li Yu said with a smile.

The group walked towards the lotus pond. When they arrived, Zhou Jia stood outside the wooden door in the fence and looked at the lotus leaves in the pond. He smiled and said, “The Fan family has indeed spent a lot of effort in the lotus pond garden. There are flowers to see almost all four seasons.”

Li Yu pointed at the clusters of Chinese roses of all colors and smiled. “Look at the colors of those Chinese roses, right? Oh! Look, those children ran to the pavilion to lie down.”

Li Yu walked over and touched Yangyang’s hand. Yangyang opened her eyes and saw Li Yu. “Mother, it’s so cool to sleep here.”

Li Yu kissed his forehead and said with a smile, “Yes! Then sleep for a while more. Father, Grandmaster, and I will sit in the pavilion over there for a while.”

When he walked to the pavilion at the end of the lotus pond, Zhou Jia looked at the circle of hooks left on the pavilion and said with a smile, “These hooks are used to hang the gauze to prevent everyone from spying on you.”

Mr. Qian’s voice sounded. “The Fan family might never have thought that his delicate daughter would be sent to the education office to be a singer one day!”

“That’s right! We have to use the rest of our lives to make up for the wealth we’ve enjoyed. A family like the Fan family is too dissatisfied.”

Mr. Wen looked at Zhou Jia and Li Qing. “Jiahe, Ah Qing, I know that you’re good children, but I have to remind you that you have to take the Fan family’s matter seriously. Don’t covet the immediate benefits and harm your descendants.”

The two men bowed. “Yes, sir. We’ll remember.

Mr. Wen nodded in relief. “Okay, you guys talk. I’ll go walk around.”

Mr. Qian smiled and went forward to support Mr. Wen. “I’ll go shopping with

Old Master too.”

Zhou Jia looked at Mr. Qian and smiled. “Alright, accompany Old Master.”

After Mr. Wen and Mr. Qian left, Li Qing smiled and said, “We walked around the lotus pond a few times and looked around. We plan to come to the farm to play when the cinnamon fragrance wafts.”

Hearing Li Qing mention the fragrance of cinnamon, Li Yu remembered that it was already the tenth of July. The Zhongyuan Festival was about to arrive.

“Ah Qing, the Zhongyuan Festival is in a few days. Remember to buy sacrificial items when you return to the capital. While your brother-in-law is here, let’s go to town tomorrow to prepare the ingots and paper money for the sacrificial ceremony.”

“Sister, Uncle reminded me yesterday. He even asked if you were going back to the capital for the Zhongyuan Festival.”

Li Yu didn’t want to go back and socialize with others. She felt so tired that she panicked. “No, I plan to go back before you get married. You and I don’t understand the customs. At that time, you can invite Granny Yang to your house to guide us so that we are mindful of the decorum.”

“Sister, if Granny Yang wants to help in the residence, you don’t have to go to my house.” Li Qing smiled. “Mother-in-law said to ask her if there’s anything she doesn’t understand. If not, we can send an old woman to help. Aunt also said that you’re not feeling well. When the time comes, she’ll go to my place to help..”