This matter somehow reached Old Lady Hu's ears.
Old Lady Hu then went to Lu and said, "Your clan elder brother's eldest grandson is twenty-three and is going to get married, and they still lack a Bedding Madam of Full Happiness and a Golden Boy Jade Girl to press the bridal bed.
His eldest daughter-in-law wanted to invite you and your two children to go, but the old clan elder felt that our two families' backgrounds don't match and was unwilling to bring this up."
As soon as Lu heard this, she laughed and said, "What's so hard about bringing this up? Although I'm the Bedding Madam, I'm still the daughter-in-law of the Jiang Family.
I'll go talk to him right away and say that the three of us will take on this job."
Old Lady Hu smiled and said, "That's the proper etiquette. When you married Third Young Master back then, it was the old clan elder's mother-in-law who laid out the bridal bed for you.
It's a pity that she passed away early and wasn't able to see her eldest grandson's wedding.
Now that you're going to lay out the bridal bed for her grandson, first, it repays that favor. Second, given your status, it's also saving face for our groom's side.
It will let the other side's young lady see clearly that marrying into our Jiang clan means exceptional good fortune."
Lu curiously asked, "Does Mother know which family's young lady it is?"
Old Lady Hu said, "I think it's some relative of his aunt's side. I heard the young lady's family is quite well-off and she's bringing a considerable dowry!
They probably wanted to invite you to add prestige, considering this."
"It's settled then!" Lu happily said, "I heard that laying out the bed and spreading the canopy comes with red envelopes. I'll go tell the old clan elder right away that I've earned those red envelopes."
Old Lady Hu chuckled and scolded her, saying she's not lacking those two red envelopes, then sent her on her way.
Let us put Lu aside for now and say that she personally went to the old clan elder's and said she wanted to be the Bedding Madam of Full Happiness for the new couple.
Her two children were also willing to be the Golden Boy Jade Girl to press the bed.
This news truly delighted the old clan elder's family.
No matter what, since Lu was willing to do it, it firmly saved face for the groom's side.
When the bride's side learned that the new groom's family had actually invited the Qingzhou Marquis Residence's Madam to be the Bedding Madam to spread the canopy, and the Qingzhou Heir and Young Master of the County would press the bed, they were also extremely happy.
Firstly, it proved the close relationship between the new groom's family and the Qingzhou Marquis Residence. Secondly, it also showed respect for the bride's side.
Because of this, the bride's family voluntarily added another 30% on top of her already very generous dowry.
The Twenty-Second of the Twelfth Lunar Month
The day before the wedding. After eating breakfast, Lu took two maids and went to the old clan elder's home.
They busied themselves for a morning, laying out the bridal bed and covers for the new couple, and prepared the things to spread the canopy for them tomorrow, before being kept to eat lunch and only going back afterward.
In the evening, Lu and several aunties once again neatly groomed and prettily dressed the young brother and sister pair and sent them to the old clan elder's home.
Seven-year-old "Golden Boy" Jiang Yuchuan and two-year-old "Jade Girl" Jiang Yuqing were responsible for pressing the bed for groom Hua Ziguo. This alluded to the wish that the new couple would be blessed with many children and grandchildren, and a family full of joy.
The result was that brother Jiang Yuchuan couldn't fall asleep in an unfamiliar bed and tossed and turned all night.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yuqing was kept awake by the groom's thunderous snoring and also tossed and turned all night.
Isn't it said that men about to take a new wife would be too excited to sleep the night before?
Or was this clan brother of hers exceptionally calm (thick-skinned)?
At dawn, the groom got up early, happily groomed himself anew, and went to fetch his bride.
The pitiful Jiang siblings meanwhile each sported a pair of panda eyes as they staggered back home, immediately falling asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows.
Before dozing off, they both thought the same thing - they must tell Mother that they absolutely must never be made to press beds for others again in the future.
Those red envelopes were not worth it at all.
The siblings slept so soundly that they perfectly missed the noon banquet, only waking in the evening to eat a little food.
Sleeping too much during the day resulted in not being able to fall asleep again at night. It wasn't until the next day that they finally adjusted back.
Starting from New Year's, the Jiang Family successively received New Year gifts from all sides, both from local gentry and celebrities, and from the capital.
For example, gifts from Jing Yan, Li Deshun, the Duke of Protector's Mansion, and the Pingyang Marquis Mansion. Likewise, the gifts the Jiang Family sent them also arrived around these days.
The Thirtieth of the Twelfth Month
After eating the New Year's Eve dinner, the children gathered in the yard to set off firecrackers and play, while White Little Nine and White Little Ten also excitedly frolicked in the crowd.
White Little Nine was nearly one year old now, and had grown into a large, sturdy figure. When squatting motionless, it looked quite majestic and domineering, with the dignity and aura of a mountain king.
But the moment it moved, that air would instantly drain away without a trace.
Not only did it leap and bound about, its tail shook erratically too, as if it had learned from some village mutt.
Fortunately the family's yard was all laid with clean, neat green bricks. Otherwise sweeping up dust everywhere it went would be simply too lively.
Relying on bloodline suppression, when idle on ordinary days it would just recklessly tear around the village.
Bullying dogs and terrorizing geese, throwing its weight around. It would often scope around outside people's pigsties and chicken coops.
It wouldn't eat anything, just like an ADD-afflicted child, purely curious. Scaring the homeowners witless all the while.
Wherever it went, either this family's sow had difficulty birthing, or that family's chickens and ducks stopped laying eggs. Because of this, the family had no end of trouble cleaning up after it and placating others.
Everyone patiently advised it and told it where it could and couldn't go.
It listened well and responded properly. But it was useless, since when it came to making trouble, it still made trouble.
It couldn't be beaten or scolded. Finally out of options, Jiang Yuqing threw it into the Spirit Realm and had White Little Ten look after it.
Although White Little Ten was a young lady, she was after all an ancient exotic beast, and her combat ability completely crushed White Little Nine.
If ever it was disobedient she would beat it, sometimes beating it three times a day.
After being beaten for a period of time, White Little Nine finally settled down.
Wherever White Little Ten was, it would obediently follow like a big cat, exceptionally easy to mind.
Jiang Yuqing felt assured letting it back out to play.
While the children made a ruckus outside, the Jiang adults remained inside keeping the vigil while discussing farming arrangements for the coming year.
The family's fields here were all mature. Of the original 51 mu of land, 30 mu grew watermelon and 21 mu sweet potato.
The large farm grew all rice paddies.
Before New Year's, as per the little daughter's request, the family bought over the adjacent wasteland slope bordering the large farm.
After New Year's they would hire more laborers to open up the wasteland and plant premium alfalfa and pigweed.
Then they would purchase several capable tenant farmers and raise dozens or even over a hundred heads of cattle, sheep, pigs and the like.
Not only could they yield meat, fermented pig and cow manure was excellent organic fertilizer, and could continuously provide nutrients for the fields' crops.
And the harvested straw could also be used as livestock bedding and feed.
This would create a virtuous cycle.
Jiang Wenyuan carefully recalled his precious daughter's original words - what did she say? Oh right, sustainable development.
The three thousand mu farm on the outskirts of the capital couldn't be left idle either.
They had to find a capable person to first go take it over. But the family was already so shorthanded that they couldn't spare anyone.
Jiang Wenyuan figured that if it really came down to it, they would just leave it for the time being.
Jiang Yuqing happened to finish lighting a fairy flame firework and came in for tea and fruit. Upon hearing that there was no one to manage the three thousand mu farm and land on the outskirts of the capital, she was deeply distressed.
She immediately grabbed Jiang Wenyuan's hand and said, "Daddy, I'll go farm it, I'll go farm it."
Jiang Wenyuan rejected it without a second thought: "No, darling, although you're smart, you're still too young. Daddy doesn't feel assured about you going to such a remote place alone. What's more, farming is very tough work, Daddy doesn't want you to suffer that hardship."
Little Bun's big eyes blinked as she looked seriously at her father, "Daddy, I won't be alone. Teacher will be there too. Teacher also wants to go to the capital."
As Little Bun spoke, she went to pull her teacher's hand, looking at him pleadingly.
Doctor Qiu understood at a glance what his little apprentice was up to, and helplessly poked her on the forehead.
He said to Jiang Wenyuan, "A few days ago I received a letter from my eldest apprentice inviting me to the capital to see a difficult patient.
As you all know, in my life I've only been interested in perplexing and complicated illnesses, so I was planning to make a trip to the capital.
Although Little Bun is small, since she's taken me as her teacher to study medicine, she can't quit halfway. In the future, she will also often accompany me to travel everywhere. I trust you all understand this in your hearts.
What's more, although your farm is big, with Little Bun's intelligence and talent, she may not necessarily be unable to manage it. Take it as practice for her."
After Doctor Qiu finished speaking, the room instantly became silent.
After quite a while, Jiang Wenyuan finally took a deep breath and said, "This seems to be the only way. My dear child is still young, I'll have to trouble the esteemed doctor to take extra care of her."
Doctor Qiu said, "You need not worry. My love for her is no less than yours. You know your daughter well. She is a phoenix, born to soar in the skies, not to be cooped up in a corner, which would only break her wings."
"The doctor's teaching is wise," Jiang Wenyuan nodded in agreement.
On further thought, he did have old friends from his time in the capital. If it came down to it, writing a letter to ask Qin Jue to keep an eye on things shouldn't be too difficult.
Speaking of which, he was already planning to send grain seeds to the Pingyang Marquis Mansion and the Duke of Protector's Mansion, 600 catties of each type to each household. He might as well have his young daughter deliver them together.
"When does the esteemed doctor plan to set off? We should make preparations ahead of time."
Doctor Qiu shook his head. "There is no rush. The patient's condition is chronic, it has persisted for a year or two already. A short delay makes no difference. We can leave after the new year, when the weather turns warmer and the journey will be less arduous for the child."
Jiang Wenyuan nodded in agreement. And so the matter was decided.
The fireworks outside finished and everyone started playing pitching pots. Jiang Yuqing had played all night but still scored zero. She got quite a bit of teasing from her brothers.
Unable to bear watching his precious daughter bullied, Jiang Wenyuan stepped in. He hugged his daughter and crushed the nephews with his skill, getting sweet revenge for his darling girl.
After a noisy, lively night, midnight came and the new year arrived.
The children kowtowed and wished their elders a happy new year, received their red envelopes, then went off to sleep one by one. The adults also returned to their rooms to rest.
As soon as they entered the room, Lu said anxiously, "Husband, our dear child is barely three years old. How can you bear to send her so far away from her family? I do not agree to this."
Lu's eyes were red. If not for the fact that today was New Year's Day, she might have already shed tears.
Jiang Wenyuan put his arm around his wife and gently patted her back. In a slightly hoarse voice he said, "How could I bear it? She's my one and only daughter, and still so young, as precious as a gem.
But you've seen it with your own eyes, her abilities have not only blessed our family, but also benefited many people in this world.
Just as the doctor said, our dear child was born to be a phoenix soaring in the skies.
As her parents, we cannot clip her wings and confine her to become a useless mountain hen that can only flutter about.
We should believe in her and set her free to fly. When she grows tired, we will still be her safe harbor. This is the greatest love we can give her."
"Alright..."
Jiang Yuqing, already fast asleep and unaware of her parents' difficult decision made behind her back...
On the first day of the new year, they went around the village paying New Year visits as usual.
On the second day, married daughters returned to visit their natal families.
Jiang Wenkang's family from the main household brought cartloads of gifts back to the Lin family. Old Lin the Convoy Head laughed so wide his mouth couldn't close.
Back when he married his daughter to Jiang Wenkang, many relatives had gossiped sourly. They said with his status, he could have chosen any family in the city stronger than the Jiangs.
Yet now his son-in-law had been granted an official title simply by farming, even if it was a low rank. This gave him tremendous face.
At the new year gathering and wine drinking this year, no one dared to gossip a word before him. He was extremely satisfied.
Old Lin the Convoy Head was elated. The more elated he got, the more he drank. The more he drank, the more crazy he acted, drunkenly crying out about his son-in-law Wenkang this and Wenkang that.
Finally, he didn't forget to admonish his son-in-law not to take concubines after getting rich and successful. If he ever wronged his daughter, Old Lin would break his legs.
This left Lin rolling her eyes in exasperation. She quickly helped her brother drag their father back into the room to sleep it off.
Jiang Wenxi's family from the second household went to pay new year visits to his master first, then went to Uncle Zhu's place.
Zhu also had a cousin sister who had returned to visit her natal family today. With the entire family gathered, they barely managed to squeeze around two tables, and it was very lively.
After the meal, they sat for a while then prepared to leave. Uncle Zhu even packed a pile of local specialties for them to bring back.
As he saw them out the door, he noticed Blind Zhu peeking from around the corner, and Zhu's cousin brother quietly asked her, "Do you want to go take a look over there?"
