Evergreen Immortal..

Chapter 18 New Year’s Eve
"Master, do you think the master will ask the kitchen to cook braised pork for the New Year? I heard that two big pigs were carried yesterday."

Wang Zhao said this with his eyes shining.

He could even still smell the aroma of last year's braised pork.

I will never forget that taste no matter how many years pass.

Ordinary people in Qinghe may not be able to eat meat once a year, but in the Zhu family it is possible, which is why some people are willing to sell themselves into slavery.

Li Rui gave Wang Zhao a chestnut.

"I just want to eat."

"By the way, did you write down what I taught you about adding beans and eggs, and about identifying whether the horse has food accumulation in its stomach?"

Wang Zhao nodded proudly: "I've written it down."

The master is so nice!

These were the groom's most valuable possessions, and they were all passed to him.

But soon, Wang Zhao seemed to have thought of something, and his face suddenly became sad.

"Master, are you going to die?"

"Please don't die. At least wait until after the New Year."

He often heard old people in the village say that people have telepathy before they die. Before his great-grandfather died, he changed into clean clothes and went to bed alone before he died.

The master's behavior these days seems like he is making arrangements for his final affairs.

Li Rui glared at Wang Zhao and said, "You kid, are you cursing me to death?"

Seeing his master's reaction, Wang Zhao felt relieved.

Li Rui looked at Wang Zhao's heartless appearance and sighed secretly in his heart.

Their relationship as master and disciple has come to an end.

With his current abilities, it would be great if he could extricate himself from the situation. It was simply impossible for him to take Wang Zhao away. The Zhu family was the largest and most powerful family in Qinghe, and he could not afford to offend them.

After he redeems himself, Wang Zhao should be able to become the new groom.

This position was originally supposed to belong to Ma Yang, but he was too impatient and ended up losing his life for it.

As for Lao Yang, there is no need to do anything about it.

Yang Yong was originally a security guard and had a good status in the Zhu family. At most, he just drank a few glasses of wine.

During this time, he has arranged everything.

"Tomorrow is the day to redeem myself."

The Zhu family is a wealthy family with many rules, and preparations for the New Year began a month in advance.

Open the ancestral temple, clean up, put away the sacred objects, invite the spirit tablets, and change the peach charms
The Chinese New Year is a big event for a family and cannot be taken lightly. It not only concerns family traditions, but if it is not done well, other families in the city will laugh at you for the whole year.

Not only did the eldest lady of the Zhu family supervise closely, but even the master of the Zhu family often asked about it personally.

The work will not be finished until the 29th.

That is today.

On this day, the master of the house would usually be kind enough to give the servants a day off. The heads of families with better family traditions would even pay for a good meal for the servants who had been busy all year.

Last year's braised pork was eaten at this time.

But there are some differences this year.

Because someone in the Zhu family is about to turn seventy years old.

According to the laws of the Yu Kingdom, seventy years old is considered auspicious, and the local chief official needs to visit in person. However, the person who came to Zhu's house today was not the magistrate, but the registrar, the fourth in command of the yamen.

"It is truly an honor for us to have Ma Dianshi visit our humble residence."

Zhu Ping, the head of the Zhu family, received them personally.

The Zhu family’s business is big, but they also cannot do without the help of the county government, so they are naturally polite to these officials.

Ma Dianshi is a lean middle-aged man.

Ten years ago, when he was forty years old, he passed the imperial examination and became a juren, and then he took the position of Dianshi, who was responsible for the etiquette and laws of a place.

"Master Zhu, I heard that there is an old man in his seventies in your family. I was asked by Magistrate Zhang to come and visit him."

Zhu Ping's eyes were so small from laughing that they could not be seen: "It is a groom named Li Rui from the mansion. He will be seventy in the spring."

If someone can live to be seventy years old, it is a major event that can be recorded in the county annals.

The Zhu family will also benefit from this. The key point is that in ancient times, this was a symbol of family prosperity.

Zhu Ping's attitude towards Li Rui over the years was actually quite good, but he was just worried that Li Rui would die before he turned seventy.

As he said this, he invited Ma Dianshi into the lobby.

Then he ordered the steward to call Li Rui.

How can it be disgraceful for an official appointed by the imperial court, even if he is seventy years old, to go and see a servant in person!

Soon, Li Rui was brought to the lobby by Manager Zhu.

Seeing the person sitting in the main seat with Master Zhu in the hall, he recognized him as the Dianshi of the county government at a glance.

Bow your head and worship.

Ma Dianshi waved his hand in advance: "You don't have to bow to me again when you are seventy. I can't bear it."

Hearing this, Li Rui simply straightened up.

Ma Dianshi laughed and said, "You are Li Rui, and you will be seventy in the spring?"

"Sir, that's right."

"Very good, very good. With Elder Li here, it is clear that Qinghe has a good way of governing the county. Our Dayu is peaceful and healthy."

Ma Dianshi was in a good mood.

Having a man in his seventies under his jurisdiction can also add to his political achievements.

If you accumulate political achievements one by one, maybe one day you can become a chief clerk or even a county magistrate.

As for the county magistrate, he didn't even dare to think about it.

For a poor scholar like him to become a county magistrate was already a great honor for his ancestors.

Zhu Ping, the master of the Zhu family, also had a smile on his face.

This is a political achievement for Ma Dianshi, and it is also evidence of his good family management. In just thirty years, the Zhu family was able to grow from an unknown small family to the largest family in Qinghe.

In addition to the two Zhu brothers' courage and hard work in their early years, it was also inseparable from Zhu Ping's emphasis on managing the family.

He knew very well that he wanted the Zhu family to become one of those great families that has existed for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Family tradition is important.

The servants from big families are more respectable than the direct relatives from small families. This is the difference in how to manage a family.

That's why he was very disgusted with his second brother's behavior.

After all, working in a side business is not a long-term solution.

Ma Dianshi asked Li Rui about his well-being again, expressing the "consideration" of a parent official for the people.

Of course, it's just a question.

Li Rui was also very sensible and did not make any requests that would make Ma Dianshi embarrassed.

Ma Dianshi couldn't help but sigh, how nice it would be if the people of Qinghe were as easy-going and obedient as the old man in front of him.

He turned and looked at Zhu Ping, signaling him that he could start the last part of the day.

Zhu Ping's face was all smiles.

"Old Li, how does the Zhu family treat you?"

"The master treats me very well."

Zhu Ping was even more satisfied after hearing Li Rui's answer.

"Old Li, let's calculate. You have been in the Zhu family for fifty years. You have served three generations of our Zhu family and have made great contributions. If you are willing, you can continue to stay in the Zhu family. If you are not willing, you can leave."

Zhu Ping looked confident.

Li Rui is already seventy years old. If he leaves the Zhu family, he can't even farm the land. Moreover, he has no wife or children and is a widower. There is no reason for him to leave the Zhu family.

That's why he is so sure.

But Li Rui shook his head.

"I do not want to."

"Please, sir, let me be freed from my slavery."

(End of this chapter)