Chapter 66: Qian Gui's Boasting and the Myriad Lights of the City

Before the city gates of Long County were completely shut, the village representatives who had come to attend the meeting today hurried out of the city one by one. Most of them had arrived in mule-drawn carts, and upon their return, not only did they carry back plenty of New Year goods for their fellow villagers, but more importantly, they also brought back New Year gifts awarded to them personally.

There were quite a few items, but what mattered even more was that these were bestowed by Lord Li, which made the significance entirely different. Among these villagers, which of them had ever experienced such a high-ranking official wishing them a happy New Year in the past?

At that moment, Brother Yun exchanged farewells with Qian Gui and then went home happily. He had been extremely busy all year round and had not had a proper meal with Xinniang for a very long time.

Qian Gui smiled and shook his head, instructing the bailiff to sweep the rear hall and head home early as well, before picking up his own basket of gifts and walking home.

He had also purchased a double-courtyard house near the county government office, though he rarely lived in it normally.

By this time, the sky had grown somewhat dark, and as Qian Gui walked, he curiously glanced at the contents of the basket. Inside were two strips of pork, a large chunk of mutton, six eggs, a package of flaky pastries, a package of malt sugar, and a large bag of steamed white flour buns.

These items were neatly sealed inside the basket, with a red silk cloth tied across the top, looking very festive for the approaching New Year.

One had to admit that Brother Yun was truly adept at winning people's hearts through such minor details. This single basket of New Year goods was enough to make the village elders and commoners who attended today's meeting feel immensely grateful for the rule of the Li family.

Stepping through the biting cold and nearing his home, Qian Gui suddenly paused. From a distance of just over a dozen paces, he saw three carriages parked right outside his front gate, surrounded by twenty guards scattered about on perimeter guard.

"Zhiyi!"

While Qian Gui was still dazed, he suddenly saw the fabric curtain of one a carriage lifted. A figure jumped down and came running joyfully straight toward him.

"Uncle!"

Qian Gui had originally been worried about his family members, never expecting that they would arrive precisely at the juncture of the New Year!

Soon, the people from the carriages alighted one by one, and only then did Qian Gui see clearly that his uncle Qian Fu, his cousin Qian Jue, and his wife Lady Pang had all arrived.

Carrying the basket, Qian Gui immediately said, "Quick, quick, everyone follow me inside. It's cold outside, let's get some charcoal fire going inside the house to warm up properly."

As he spoke, Qian Gui exchanged a glance with Lady Pang, the deep affection between husband and wife needing no further words.

Once the group was settled, Qian Gui could not even spare the time for intimate talk with Lady Pang. He merely instructed his daughter Qian Lingjun to take good care of her mother, while he hurriedly went to greet Qian Fu and Qian Jue.

His uncle Qian Fu was only thirty-five years old this year, even two years younger than Qian Gui himself. He was a late-born child of his grandfather, something outsiders always found astonishing.

Although Qian Fu had never taken an official post and had always studied while farming at home, Qian Gui treated him as an equal and a close friend. This time, purely out of trust in Qian Gui, and based solely on a single letter, he had immediately brought Qian Jue along to Liangzhou to pledge allegiance to a father-and-son duo of the Li family whose literary fame had hitherto been obscure.

Now, as turbulent times descended, the Qian family was just like the Xun and Zhuge families during the chaos of the Three Kingdoms era—their eggs could not be placed in the same basket. The younger generation of the family was either still adopting a wait-and-see attitude or had already begun serving in various governor's mansions.

Yet, no matter how scattered, there had to be a focal point.

Among the younger generation of the Qian family, the one who received the most attention was Qian Gui. Now that Qian Gui had cast his lot with the Li family, and had even single-handedly summoned Qian Fu and Qian Jue, he had practically taken away the smartest minds of the Qian family. This was not merely a matter of talent; to support Qian Gui, the Qian family's various networks and resources would also begin to tilt toward the Liangzhou Li family.

Now that Qian Fu and the others had arrived, following the usual habits of strategists, one had to first demonstrate one's value so that the lord could recognize your superiority. No matter how arrogant you were, you had to prove yourself; otherwise, how would anyone know whether you were a thoroughbred horse or a donkey?

And to prove one's value, one first had to understand the Liangzhou Li family's current power structure, governance philosophy, and so on. Otherwise, doing things in total darkness would yield nothing.

Fortunately, it was the New Year holiday period. Although his wife and the others had arrived and Qian Gui longed to spend quality time with his wife and children, official business came first.

He had to have a thorough discussion with Qian Fu and the others about everything that had happened during this period, so as to make them even more convinced of the Liangzhou Li family and enable them to stay, shine, and contribute alongside him.

Thus, inside the study, a wisp of blue smoke rose from the charcoal fire.

Qian Gui placed an iron rack over the charcoal, alongside a pot of tea and slices of meat cut from the meat in the New Year gift package.

"Uncle, Cousin, let's roast, eat, and talk at the same time."

Qian Fu himself was someone who did not stand much on ceremony, but Qian Gui had not been like this before. It seemed that this Liangzhou Li family was truly remarkable to have changed Qian Gui so much, making even his personality much more lively.

The three of them chatted freely along the way. As Qian Gui's detailed explanation deepened, the other two gradually developed a curiosity about that young lord. Could he really be this clever at such a tender age?

The Li family had lost their nation several centuries ago; how could such a born sage be born among them?

While they were still wondering, they suddenly heard a knock on the door. Seeing no response from within, the person outside began to shout in displeasure, "Lord Qian, it is time for your dinner. No matter how busy you are with official duties, you still have to eat. And you cannot eat too much roasted meat, especially at night.

The young master specifically instructed me that you are not allowed to have barbecues at night anymore. Who told you to skip dinner after eating that and then work until midnight? Do you want your health or not? If you don't care about your health, please don't make things difficult for me; the young master will surely dock my monthly wages!"

Qian Jue instinctively frowned, thinking that this servant was remarkably bold and devoid of manners, something that would incur a beating with a staff in the Qian family.

Yet Qian Jue saw his cousin give a familiar slap to his own forehead, before hurriedly opening the door with a smile and saying, "I won't eat it anymore, please don't go telling the lord about this, or he'll make me run morning jogs again."

The cook outside the door was fair and plump. Although her words sounded ungracious, her actual actions showed no overstepping of boundaries whatsoever.

Muttering under her breath, she carried in three food boxes and said, "Sir, you tell me, your health is what matters."

As she spoke, she laid out the dinner. It was not exquisite, but the portions were generous and the taste was good. Then she briskly cleared away the barbecue plate, brush, and other items.

After the cook left, Qian Gui patted his head in slight annoyance and said, "Long County is located in a remote place, and there are not many capable people available. Sometimes when I get busy, I forget to eat. The lord is also something else—he specifically found this cook to watch over my three meals a day, and she would drive me crazy if I didn't eat on time. He also makes me set aside time for exercise every day.

He is still young himself and struggles to get up in the morning, yet day after day he wakes up early to make me run with him. My body couldn't stand the running at first, but he forced me to do it. I must admit, my health has indeed improved quite a bit now."

At first, Qian Fu and Qian Jue had thought to themselves, *How can this Li family member be so unreasonable and force others?* But the more they listened, the stranger it sounded. Was Qian Jue regretting and complaining? To them, it sounded much more like showing off.

However, if the lord was truly like this, he certainly valued him deeply.

One had to ask, among the lords of this world, who else would go to such lengths? This was true trust and appreciation. Moreover, judging by the way Qian Jue interacted with that yet-unseen lord, the other party truly believed in his subordinates and entertained no suspicions—that was the part that truly made people envious.

Which official seeking to serve a lord would not wish to encounter such a master?

While Qian Gui was secretly showing off, those who had hurried back to their villages to prepare for the New Year the next day were also arriving home one after another in the dead of night.

Down in the Dixiatia Village, at the home of Gouzi.

Gouzi's mother had not yet gone to sleep. Chen Mugen had gone to Long County during the day yesterday. This year, life in Dixiatia Village had improved quite a bit: not only had they borrowed draft oxen to till all their fields, but the agricultural tax collected was also a lenient one-thirtieth, and the poll tax had been waived entirely. Although the mulberry harvest had been slightly poor this year, resulting in the household's woven hemp, silk, and other items just barely covering the tax in kind, leaving no extra fabric for the family to make clothes.

Yet it was said that the court had not levied any extra conscription fees or equipment fees through Lord Li. Coupled with the surplus grain this year and the money Chen Mugen earned working with the outside construction team, the family finally had some savings by the time the New Year arrived.

Thinking that her young children were also eagerly looking forward to eating something nice, Gouzi's mother had taken out some of their remaining money and told Chen Mugen to go to Long County to buy some meat, a small piece of cloth, and some new cotton wadding.

Taking advantage of the New Year break, she planned to loosen up the old cotton wadding in the family's winter clothes and stuff some new cotton in so that everyone could spend the winter in comfort.

Actually, Chen Mugen had originally planned to go this morning, thinking that with a brisk pace he could make it back by the dead of night. But yesterday, the village elders and others said they were going to Long County for a meeting a day early, offered to give Chen Mugen a free ride there, let him stay for free at an inn in Long County, and promised to bring him back today.

Gouzi's mother knew that all of this was because Gouzi was promising, and now their family was looked upon with greater respect in the village.

It was all thanks to Gouzi's prestige.

Yet why hadn't Chen Mugen returned yet? The dogs in the village had remained completely quiet, indicating that the mule cart of the village elders had not yet reached the village. It was truly anxiety-inducing.

Refusing to sleep, Gouzi's mother was kept company by her eldest son, Chen Niu, while the younger ones were already fast asleep on the heated brick kang.

Suddenly, several dogs in the village began to bark one after another, and from afar came the robust, resonant voice of one of the elders shouting, "Don't bark, it's me!"

"They're back." Gouzi's mother immediately opened the door and looked out.

After a short while, she saw a figure groping through the dark toward them. Walking past the field ridges and up close, the rarely lit oil lamp inside the house allowed Gouzi's mother to see clearly at a glance that it was Chen Mugen.

"Why are you so late? You worried me to death." Gouzi's mother grabbed Chen Mugen and pulled him into the house, only to see that he was carrying a huge basket of things along with a large cloth bag.

Gouzi's mother immediately took the items; they were very heavy.

"I tell you, I asked you to buy some cloth and cotton wadding, what on earth did you buy to make it this heavy? Are you out of your mind with our livelihood?!" Gouzi's mother still suspected that he had spent all the grain and money the family had managed to save. She carefully held the items for fear of dropping them, her tone a mix of exasperation and annoyance.

Chen Mugen rubbed his hands and laughed, "Look, look, the copper coins you gave me are all right here. Here, take them and put them away."

"Is Dad back?" At that moment, the younger children, who had been only lightly dozing, all woke up.

Chen Mugen sat down beside the brick kang and laughed, "Don't be anxious. When I entered Long County this time, I happened to run into Gouzi, and these are from him.

Take a look at what's inside that big basket—I haven't opened it yet. Gouzi said these were New Year gifts prepared by Lord Li for the village elders and the others who attended the meeting, and this particular portion, meant for Lord Li himself, was given to Gouzi. Gouzi originally planned to send someone to deliver it to me, but who would have thought I'd just happen to enter the city and get it directly."

"Whoa!" Gouzi's mother had already carefully untied the red silk cloth bound over the basket, and the first thing she saw was a large cloth bag.

Opening it up, goodness gracious, inside were steamed white flour buns—a full fifteen of them, each as big as two fists combined. "So much meat!" Chen Niu looked at the three strips of pork resting at the very bottom, and his saliva instantly began to flow.