Chapter 356: Pretending to be Clueless!

the fire, they ate with the white flour cakes they had brought from home. It was enough to fill their bellies. 。Just as the rabbit was freshly roasted, two young girls, about fifteen or sixteen years...The village head of Dafui**un was very articulate, and right now his expression was filled with admiration.

"The Li family said, 'With the imperial court relocating, too many people have come to our area, and they all need food. They can't rely on the imperial court for handouts. We'll wait three years. By then, the imperial court will have weathered the difficult times, and we can contribute taxes from several villages.'"

"Indeed," said the inside right of Da Xiao Wang Zhuang, "The Li family said that the imperial grace is vast, and they can repay a little bit!"

All the people were awed, some admired the Li family's magnanimity and honesty, while others said that the Li family was seeking attention and flattering the court. Some even said that the Li family was flattering the imperial court!

But the grain tax from the three villages, a total of over two hundred bags of grain, had all been paid.

The clerk in charge of collecting grain was greedy and wanted to pocket some for himself, but he hesitated. After all, hundreds of people were watching.

Thus, the clerk reported these surplus grains.

Shangguan heard that Suijin Beach had taken the initiative to pay taxes and grain, and reported it upwards...

In the palace, the Emperor had a few local officials from noble families for lunch. They were just chatting idly when news of this arrived.

The Chief Eunuch was also clever. Knowing that the Emperor had recently been troubled by food shortages, he declared in court, "Your Majesty, the Marquis is loyal, and even the young Lady Kangle refuses to accept hundreds of bags of grain. She insisted on sending them all to ease your worries." He didn't forget to add a few compliments at the end.

The Emperor glanced at several ministers and coldly snorted, "Indeed, there's a country before there's a home. This basic principle, even children understand it, yet so many pretend not to. Do you think they're feigning ignorance"

The eunuch supervisor mumbled, "This old slave is foolish. I don't really know what these people are thinking. But this old slave does know that the fruit on Suijin Beach will be ripe soon. I hear it's a sea of red all over the mountain, a new sight for the capital."

"In a few days, the Li family will surely have to pay tribute. When that time comes, Your Majesty will reward this old servant with one, won't he This old servant also longs to taste what kind of flavor the fruits grown in this blessed land are like!"

"Such a glutton!" The Emperor chuckled, his face softening. "You'll be in charge of the arrangements then. Make sure no one leaves empty-handed. These people are so sincere; I can't bear to disappoint them."

The chief eunuch hurriedly complied and then withdrew.

Several officials held chopsticks in their hands, as if they weighed a thousand pounds.

Their family was almost entirely made up of local landed gentry, accumulating wealth over generations. Their landholdings spanned thousands of acres, yet their tax payments were meager.

The court is short of food now, and they know it.

But to blame oneself for filling the huge hole in the imperial treasury, no one would be willing.

Originally, I was thinking that even if we were going to support food aid, we should wait a little longer and give the family some benefits in return.

Don't want to, halfway kill out the broken gold beach this Cheng Yaojin.

If they don't immediately offer grain, they won't even be as good as the Li family, who came from a line of refugees!

With no other choice, several people could only get up and kneel down, actively offering grain...

The Emperor listened to their expressions of loyalty, but his eyes gazed outside the hall. The late autumn sky was a piercing blue, pure and simple.

My uncle always said that the Li family was his lucky place, and now it seems like he was right!

Now, even the Emperor himself is benefiting from this good fortune…

In the midst of Sùjīn Beach, no one knew that they had been numbered in the Emperor's heart.

Still actively preparing baskets, poles and other tools, in preparation for starting work tomorrow.

Men by the river bank, skillfully set up three grass shelters.

Three large stoves were built in one room to prepare lunch for the workers and villagers. The other two rooms were furnished with tables and chairs, providing a convenient space for meals and temporary rest.

There is no shortage of vegetables at this time. Families just need to bring some bags of rice and noodles from the granary, and gather some pots, pans, and utensils.

The village head designated several women to be responsible for cooking and making tea. For half a morning's work, they were given four work points. Tao Hongying would come over every day when she was free just to take a look.

The rest of the chores are taken care of by the men, as for the orchard on the mountain, it's left to the elderly and children.

Jia Yin is young, so she couldn't participate in all of these.

She spent a while in the morning with her master and two younger siblings who only knew how to eat and sleep, then she went to the Ye family's courtyard.

The Marquis had something urgent to attend to and returned to Kyoto.

Winter Plum had stayed at Li's household with He Grandma, Shui Ling, and Shui Yun for several days. She felt that she had gotten a good understanding of the preferences and personalities of everyone in the Li family, as well as the general situation of the various households in the village.

Then, she decided to send the three of them to Li's house. As it turned out, Jia Yin arrived first.

Several people quickly bowed. Jia Yin waved her hand and asked in a sweet voice, "Grandma He, do you know the etiquette of getting married"

Grandma He was taken aback by the question, but quickly recovered and replied: "Miss, although I have been in the palace for many years, I don't know much about the etiquette of marriage. Let me tell you, Miss, if there is anything inappropriate, please forgive me."

Jia Yin smiled and said, "Grandma He, my stepfather said that from now on you'll be my grandmother. He said you can trust him, and you can ask you anything you don't understand. Don't be so polite. In our family, we don't hit or scold people. If you make a mistake, don't be afraid."

"He Mama's tight back relaxed a few points, slightly lifted her head and replied: "Miss forgive me, the old slave is used to it, I will definitely change in the future."

Gia Yin pulled her hand toward the house and called out to Shui Ling and Shui Yun, "Please ask Grandma to come over."

Shui Ling immediately went out and soon brought Lao Tai Li into the east guest room.

The east wing of the Ye family's house, much like the main courtyard of the Marquis' mansion, was always kept tidy and clean, even though Jiayin rarely stayed there. It was ready to be used at any time.

At this moment, Jia Yin was sitting on the head of the kang eating snacks, while He Grandma and Dongmei sat on the edge of the kang.

When the old woman came, everyone stood up.

Jiao Yin pulled the old lady onto the kang, "Grandma, what are the rules for getting engaged"

"Really" The old woman was delighted, she took Grandma He's hand and said: "Big sister, you heard it too, right My son Huan is going to marry the daughter of the scholar from Luoan Academy. But, our family is just farmers, we really don't understand the customs of scholars."

"You guys should tell us more. It's no big deal if we make a fool of ourselves at home, don't let the other girl be wronged. After all, marriage is a lifelong event."

Grandma He wouldn't dare to put on airs. She quickly bowed and paid her respects, then told them some details she knew, even mentioning some gossipy anecdotes about other families' conflicts or awkward situations.

Everyone listened intently, occasionally nodding or chuckling.

Finally, He Mama summarized a few points, “Madame, people who read books actually value appearance more, and pride themselves on being noble. So, whether it’s the greeting gift or the dowry, they don't like things that are too valuable, for fear that others will say their family is greedy for money when they marry off their daughters.”

"Well, then," the old woman mused, asking, "I originally planned to give Miss Peng a pair of gold bracelets, a pearl headdress, and four bolts of silk on her betrothal day. It seems this won't be possible... So how should I change it"

Jia Yin blinked her big eyes and chimed in, "Grandma, Uncle brought back so many pearls earlier. Could he give Sister Peng a box and let her string them herself"

He Mam immediately nodded, "Madam, this is a good idea from the young lady. It's said that Miss Peng is skilled with her hands. Why not send her two pieces of new and unique fabric so she can sew herself a dress she likes And as for the pearls, she can also craft jewelry she prefers."

"Most importantly, outsiders wouldn't think we were showing off our wealth."

"Alright, then it's settled. I'll add a set of writing utensils and two boxes of snacks to make four items in total." The old woman readily agreed.d""Good, our family will come to propose marriage on time then." Li Lao Tai felt a huge sense of relief.This matter is now considered resolved, and after a few polite exchanges, Lao Li took her son an...