Chapter 264: Chapter 260: A Lifetime of Glory_1

Translator: 549690339

Soon after, Jiang Sanlang personally delivered rice, flour, and condiments such as salt and pepper to Li Xu.

He also delivered two beds of quilt and cotton cloth to him and his mother. He told them that they could pick vegetables freely from the vegetable garden behind the school, as it was left by a predecessor.

The cotton cloth and quilts were spun from cotton, snow-white and soft, leaving Li Xu dumbfounded.

This was the first time he had seen such white and soft fabrics.

While touching the fabric, Mrs. An said to his son: “Xuxu, it seems we made the right choice coming here. The people here are simple and kind. Although you teach here, you still have time to study, which is much better than being at home.”

Li Xu nodded: “You are right, with you by my side, I feel at ease. Regardless of what happens in the future, we should stay here.”

If possible, he would like to live here comfortably and happily with his mother for the rest of his life.

Earlier, after tidying up the room, Li Xu went out for a walk and saw that every house in the village was made with blue bricks and tiles, giving an impression of extreme prosperity.

The adults and children were all kindhearted and polite, their clothes neat and tidy, showing no signs of poverty.

Li Xu was curious about what made this whole village prosper.

It was not like his hometown, where in a village there were naturally both rich and poor. The rich and the poor hardly interacted, even among the children living in the same village, who didn’t play together due to the wealth disparity.

It was as if an invisible gulf had divided them into two classes.

In the evening, the Clan Leader’s family finally returned.

Everyone got off the carriage, looking wilted, like frost-beaten leaves.

They had sat in the county government jail for more than two months. Although they hadn’t been tortured, they all appeared disheveled and haggard, all had lost significant weight, and looked like fleeing refugees.

Chen Zhu helped his pregnant wife walk home, with the old lady Tang holding a little baby, closely following behind.

The Clan Leader glanced at his wife’s back, then at his eldest and second sons and their families, sighed, and said to his two sons: “Jiaxing, Jiazhen, you will stay in your uncle’s house tonight, tomorrow you can return to your old home village.”

Both sons don’t have houses on the South Slope. They could originally stay temporarily at their younger brother Chen Zhu’s place, but judging from the youngest son’s attitude toward his two older brothers, it seemed impossible.

Without saying a word, Chen Jiaxing went to his cousin Chen Shu’s place at his beckoning.

However, Chen Shu said to the Clan Leader: “Uncle, my house is limited and can only accommodate my eldest cousin’s family.”

As for the second cousin’s family, he had to find another place.

The Clan Leader then turned his gaze to his youngest nephew, Chen Ting.

Chen Ting immediately avoided his gaze, turned around and squeezed into the crowd.

He was joking. He himself relied on his mother for meals, where could he provide for his cousin’s family?

Seeing his brother slip away, Chen Yin had to say: “Or maybe the second cousin can come to my house. Although my house can make room for one, you’ll have to make do for one night.”

Chen Jiazhen had no objections, Han Miaoniang didn’t dare to say anything, so the family of four went to their cousin Chen Yin’s house.

After the Clan Leader arranged his two sons, he sighed with relief, and then walked back to his youngest son Chen Zhu’s house with his hands behind his back.

His wife Tang didn’t pay any attention to her husband and went straight to the kitchen to boil water and wash down the bad luck for her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.

Chen Fu cleared his throat and said to his old wife: “I’ll cook, you go and knead dough to make noodles for them.”

Mrs. Tang dropped the firefork and got up to knead dough.

Chen Fu stole a glance at his old wife and silently sat by the stove adding wood to feed the fire.

Because of the disaster caused by the daughter-in-law and eldest daughter-in-law, it implicated the family of his younger son Chen Zhu and almost led to little son’s wife, Mrs. Shao, having a miscarriage. So, for his wife’s wrath, Chen Fu dared not utter a word.

From start to finish, the family of his younger son Chen Zhu was the most innocent. They knew nothing, yet they were forced to experience an undeserved disaster.

Shao and the little baby spent two months in jail. Due to fear and hunger, the mother and baby have become so skinny and like a pile of bones.

If it hadn’t been for Jiang Sanlang who sought out Constable Jin Wu for assistance and brought over another dose of pills prepared by Yingbao, it remained uncertain if Shao Family’s Lady and Xiaoyao would have survived till now.

In the evening, after Chen Zhu had washed up with his wife and child and eaten a little, he let his wife take their son Xiaoyao to rest first. He then approached his father’s room and said in a chilly tone, “Father, let’s separate our households.”

Among his three brothers, only the second elder brother had been separated because he had opened a cloth shop in town.

The household registration of him and his eldest brother had always been under their father. This was precisely why they were repeatedly undermined by their eldest brother even though their households hadn’t been separated.

First, he was forced into military service, and this time, his entire family was trapped in prison.

If it weren’t for Jiang Sanlang and Little Yingbao, his family wouldn’t even know how they died.

The Clan Leader of the Chen Family was silent for a moment, then opened the chest to take out the household registration. “Alright, tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to Lizheng to register for a new household.”

His youngest son’s family suffered significant grievances this time. No matter how displeased Chen Fu was with his youngest son, he didn’t dare to say anything and took out five silver bars from the chest, passing them to him.

“Take this money, take Shao Family’s Lady and Xiaoyao to Yingbao’s place for treatment, and buy some medicine.”

His daughter-in-law from the Shao Family was already pregnant, about seven months along. The imprisonment had almost led her to lose her life and her unborn baby’s.

This was also one of the reasons why his youngest son hated his eldest and second eldest brothers.

Alas, having more sons was having more debt, he was getting old, yet he still had to mediate in his sons’ disputes.

After this incident, he was afraid he couldn’t pass the Clan Leader position to his eldest son anymore.

His second son and youngest son couldn’t do it either, they had both been imprisoned once. Although they hadn’t been sentenced, they would be criticized.

So, he could only let his eldest nephew, Chen Shu, take over.

Chen Fu held the thick, yellowed Chen Family Clan genealogy book, speechless as old tears fell uncontrollably.

He hadn’t expected that his lifetime’s reputation would be ruined by his son’s family in his old age.

How could he face his father and grandfather when he passed on?

Luzhou’s Xiao Residence.

Xiao Mo summoned his younger brother, Xiao Chengjun.

He slammed a letter on the table, asking in a cold voice: “Chengjun! What is going on? Why did you leave the Mother and daughter of the Jiang Family halfway?”

Xiao Chengjun was taken aback, then asked indifferently: “Oh? Did they complain to you?”

Xiao Chengjun! Did you bury all the lessons you learned deep in the dog’s belly? Do you know what ingratitude is? Regardless of the fact that the kid of the Jiang Family once saved your life, she is the person that the Prince personally instructed to be safely sent back. You shouldn’t have abandoned them halfway.”

Xiao Chengjun lowered his head, not saying anything anymore.

But many questions arose in his heart.

Did that country bumpkin girl write a letter to his elder brother?

How dare she?

Xiao Mo glared at his brother and continued to question: “Where did you put her five boxes?”

Xiao Chengjun wrinkled his brows and denied subconsciously: “What boxes?”

Xiao Mo slammed his hand down on the table, rebuking in a stern voice: “Xiao Chengjun! Being a child of a noble family, you actually commit such shameful acts! Speak! Where are the luggage boxes of the Jiang Family?”

Xiao Chengjun’s face turned red. Raising his neck, he said, “What’s the big deal about a few broken boxes? Why are you shouting at me, Elder Brother?”

“I’m asking you, Xiao Chengjun, where are the boxes? They not only contain the Jiang Family’s belongings, but also the gold, silver, and textiles bestowed by the Emperor. If you can’t bring them out, you have to compensate the Jiang Family in full!”

“Why should I have to pay?”

Xiao Chengjun was furious: “She’s but a servant of the Jiang Family, how is she deserving of gold, silver, and silk satin? I’ve thrown all those boxes into the river. If they want them, they can go fish them out of the river themselves!”