Yun Sanman drank his wine alone, his face etched with melancholy and indignation.
"Father, Mother, you must take this three hundred taels of silver. I'll go back to the county town tomorrow and bring the banknotes over!" Yun Sanman said gloomily.
After working like an ox and horse for the Gao family for so many years, could he not even afford three hundred taels of silver?
Madam Gu sighed, "Sanman, your mother has already said that we don't lack money at home now. Don't let this matter cause discord between you and Fengjuan..."
"You should go back tomorrow morning. Your father and your elder brothers are enough to rebuild the house!" She knew of Sanman's filial piety. He had sent a lot of money home over the years... Madam Gu was not a greedy person. Since Sanman was now part of the Gao family, she couldn't keep taking their money.
"The money can be refused, but the effort must be given!" Yun Sanman said with a determined expression, "Your son has nothing else, but this pair of arms is always full of strength!"
Little Xi Tian heard this and giggled, "Third brother is the best!"
Yun Sanman was deeply touched and rubbed his sister's little head, "It's still my sister who is the most amazing, driving your sister-in-law away with just a few words!" If it weren't for Little Xi Tian speaking up just now, Gao Fengjuan wouldn't have remembered the matter of the Yao Men Zhi Jia...
The men had a little drink and then returned to their rooms to sleep. Tomorrow, they would move all their belongings to Fu Daqiang's house and then begin dismantling the old house.
Little Xi Tian climbed onto the large kang. Just as she was about to lie down, a "tap-tap" sound came from the window lattice. Without even guessing, she knew it must be that brat throwing pebbles...
She walked out and saw Xiao Jinheng sitting on the wall, looking at Little Xi Tian with a stern expression.
"Hey, you brat, why are you smashing my window in the middle of the night?" Little Xi Tian asked indignantly.
Xiao Jinheng took out a bag of spiced walnuts from his embrace and threw it to Little Xi Tian, "Eat this. I asked Granny Jin to buy it specifically for you!"
Little Xi Tian's stomach was already round and full from eating too many pies, so she couldn't eat anything else... She threw the walnuts back, "I can't eat anymore!"
Xiao Jinheng didn't argue with her. He took out a walnut, cracked it open with a stone, and ate it.
"Little village girl, do you really not want to live with me?" Xiao Jinheng asked abruptly. He now only wanted to be neighbors with the Yun family. No, he wanted to live in the same large courtyard...
Little Xi Tian looked confused, "Why should I live with you?" She had heard Kong Xingzhuo's words that day. Xiao Jinheng intended to build two large houses with no wall in between. Both families would drink from the same well and live in the same courtyard... Moreover, Xiao Jinheng would cover all the costs of building the houses. This made Little Xi Tian somewhat uneasy. As the saying goes, "He who eats from another's mouth is short of words, and he who takes from another's hand is soft-handed." What would it be like for their family to live in a house built by Xiao Jinheng? They were not related by blood or marriage, and it would inevitably lead to gossip and slander.
"Because we are neighbors!" Xiao Jinheng swung his short legs and smiled mischievously, "Little village girl, don't you want to be neighbors with this young master?"
"It's okay to be neighbors, but living together... it might not be very appropriate!" Little Xi Tian murmured. Moreover, her mother and father were stubborn, and they would definitely not move in. By then, when that brat finished building the houses, it would be awkward if her family refused to move in.
Xiao Jinheng snorted, "What's not appropriate? This young master only cares about your opinion. Whether others move in is their business..." If possible, he really wanted to build a small building for Little Xi Tian alone. The first floor would be a reception hall, and the second floor would be a bedroom and study. However, there were no multi-story buildings in Xiaoshui Village; most were thatched cottages. If he rashly built a multi-story building, it would be too conspicuous and attract the attention of those with ulterior motives...
Little Xi Tian lowered her eyes and rubbed her two fingers together, asking in a milky voice, "Do you really want me to move in?" Abandoning her parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews to live in a large courtyard with that brat, and letting her family squeeze into a small house?
Xiao Jinheng said lightly, "This young master never forces others. If you are unwilling, then forget it. The houses will be built anyway!"
Little Xi Tian: "..." Can we just have a normal conversation?
"Mother and Father said that we will provide the lumber and bricks and tiles for building the house ourselves!" Little Xi Tian said.
Xiao Jinheng frowned slightly when he heard this. Were the Yun family members all so stubborn? Why not accept the charity generously?
Xiao Jinheng bypassed this topic and glanced at the main door of the Yun family, "Your family is now the Yao Men Zhi Jia. In the future, the plaque can be hung high above the doorframes of both our houses, and this young master will also have some face..." Little Xi Tian rolled her eyes at him. That brat, pretending to be weak to hide his strength. She would definitely expose him one day. A dignified prince, and he still cared about the words 'Yao Men Zhi Jia'? It sounded as if he was benefiting from the Yun family.
"If we live together, you can eat all sorts of delicacies, and Xiao Bao and Jin Shan can drink delicious sweet tea every day." "Uncle Yun and Aunt Yun will have Ruyue and Rihua serving them, and Brother Daman and Brother Erman can also drink fine wine..." Xiao Jinheng said, observing Little Xi Tian's reaction. To his surprise, the little girl just stared at him blankly, showing no reaction.
"Brat, what you're saying, our family doesn't seem to lack now!" Little Xi Tian rubbed her nose. What was this brat trying to tempt her with? Their family had maids, they didn't lack food or wine. It was just that they didn't often drink sweet tea...
Xiao Jinheng frowned and snorted, "Anyway, I've said what I have to say. You can think about it yourself!" With that, Xiao Jinheng stepped on the ladder and clumsily climbed down.
Little Xi Tian covered her mouth and smiled, calling out, "Wait a moment!"
Xiao Jinheng's eyes lit up, and his little head shot up, but his expression remained calm.
"Little village girl, have you changed your mind?" Xiao Jinheng asked indifferently, suppressing the excitement and joy in his heart. He silently thought: Agree quickly, agree quickly...
Little Xi Tian smiled mischievously, "No!" She suddenly wanted to eat spiced walnuts.
"Walnuts, I want to eat them!" Little Xi Tian said crisply.
Xiao Jinheng: "..." This damned girl, all she thought about was eating. He got happy for nothing.
"Little glutton, catch!" Xiao Jinheng said with a cold face and threw the spiced walnuts down.
"Thanks!" Little Xi Tian's eyes curved with a smile, and she went back to sleep. Tomorrow morning, she still had to move with her family, and the five dogs also had to be taken. Fu Daqiang's house didn't have a doghouse, so she planned to build a temporary shed herself for the dogs to live in...
The next morning, as soon as it was dawn, the Yun family got up and started moving things. The mat, bedding, curtains, and cooking utensils were all packed into the carriage and transported to the new house in the backyard of Fu Daqiang's house. Yun Daman was responsible for loading and unloading, while Old Man Yun took Erman and Sanman to dismantle the doors and window sashes. While the Yun family was busy, Governor Chen arrived in a carriage in a hurry...