What the Yan family father and son did not expect was that the first people to arrive at the Yan family today were Liu the butcher and his son.
Just after breakfast, Yan Liqiang, Yan Dechang, Steward Lu and Zhou Tiezhu were chatting in the house. They heard someone knocking on the door, and the Lu family guards outside the yard opened the door. The Lu family guards didn't know who Liu the Butcher and his son were, but Liu the Butcher and his son were driving a ox cart with things on it. In addition, Liu the Butcher had a smile on his face and said that they were neighbors in Liuhe Town and came to congratulate the Yan family. So the Lu family guards let Liu the Butcher and his son in and took them to the house.
"It's you?" Seeing Liu the butcher and his son walk in, Yan Liqiang thought they had walked into the wrong door. Yan Dechang, who had been smiling and in a good mood, gradually restrained his expression.
The smile on Butcher Liu's face was so sweet that it could attract all the flies flying in the yard outside. He brought his son and bowed to greet the people in the house. "Yesterday, I heard that Li Qiang won the top three in the county martial arts examination. I was so happy that I couldn't sleep all night. This morning, I brought my son and collected a good pig. We slaughtered it early, washed it clean, and sent it to your house as a token of our appreciation. My father and I used to be blinded by the candle oil we ate. If we have offended you, please don't take it to heart, Brother Yan and Li Qiang. We are neighbors on this street. If you have any problems with Brother Yan in the future, just call me!"
As the saying goes, killing someone is not enough, and Yan Dechang was not a petty person. At this moment, seeing Liu the Butcher and his son surrender and come to his house to deliver gifts, Yan Dechang felt very happy. The original conflict between him and Liu the Butcher had been mostly dissipated, and his expression eased. However, Yan Dechang had a straightforward personality, and although his anger subsided a lot for a moment, he couldn't immediately change his expression and smile at Liu the Butcher.
Yan Liqiang glanced at the speechless Yan Dechang, knowing that his father was not used to dealing with such situations, he laughed and said to Liu the Butcher, "Uncle Liu, you are too polite. Dafu and I have been playmates since childhood. It has been so many years since we had a little holiday or a little conflict between neighbors. Who would take it to heart? I can't remember it anymore. Don't you think so, Dafu!"
Liu Dafu, the son of Liu the butcher, also came into the room with his head down, looking at the people in the room timidly. He didn't expect Yan Liqiang to take the initiative to talk to him. He was a little nervous and stammered in response, nodding vigorously, "Yes... yes... yes... don't take it to heart, don't take it to heart..."
"Uncle Liu, please sit down, please sit down..."
At this time, if Yan Liqiang was arrogant and even slapped him twice, Liu the Butcher would feel relieved. However, the more polite Yan Liqiang was, the more nervous Liu the Butcher would feel. He didn't know why, but when he looked at Yan Liqiang, whose smile made people feel like spring breeze, he always felt that Yan Liqiang made him more awed and frightened than the old man Hong who glared at him when he delivered meat to the Hong family before.
Although Yan Liqiang called him Uncle Liu, Liu the Butcher did not dare to really think of himself as Yan Liqiang's uncle. He understood the limits. He also knew that a dog that bites does not bark, and a tiger that eats people does not look more ferocious than a cat before it eats people.
"No, no, the things I brought are still on the ox cart outside. I'll move them in right now..." As he said this, Liu the Butcher pulled him out of the room and started to move the things.
Yan Liqiang, Yan Dechang and others also walked out of the room.
The gate of Yan's courtyard was opened, and Liu the Butcher drove in directly on a ox cart. On the ox cart was a whole fat pig and some bottles and jars. It seemed that Liu the Butcher had just prepared them early in the morning.
"A pig is too much. We can't finish it. If Uncle Liu is kind enough, just leave one pig leg!"
"Not much, not much. We'll keep some of the meat and eat the fresh ones, and pickle the rest. I went out this morning to buy salt, wine, chili powder, peppercorns, and fragrant powder. Dafu and I will be done in a short while. This is all I have!" Butcher Liu said as he hurriedly moved things under the car. Zhou Hongda and his wife hurried over to help.
In addition to slaughtering pigs, Butcher Liu is also famous in Liuhe Town for his pickled meat. The pickled meat can be kept for a longer time and tastes good. In this era, ordinary people do not necessarily eat fresh meat every day. Almost every household has some pickled meat, dried meat and the like hanging in the kitchen.
Seeing that Butcher Liu had indeed prepared everything, even buying new hooks for hanging the pickled meat, Yan Liqiang said nothing more and let him and his son do it.
Seeing that Yan Liqiang no longer refused, Liu the Butcher and his son became excited. After carrying the pork to the back kitchen, they started to work hard in the kitchen.
Lu Wenbin is a shrewd man who is experienced in doing things. Just now, Liu the Butcher and the Yan family father and son had a brief conversation, and he basically guessed the relationship between Liu the Butcher and the Yan family father and son. When Liu the Butcher and his son were pickling meat in the kitchen, he deliberately stayed in the kitchen for a while, then came out of the kitchen, came to Yan Liqiang, and whispered, "I have checked the meat and raw materials, tasted them, and there is no problem. I have asked Zhou Hongda to watch them in the kitchen!"
Yan Liqiang smiled and said, "When they leave later, apart from the leg, you can estimate how much the rest should be paid, including labor costs. Manager Lu, please give the money to the father and son..."
"Master Yan is really thoughtful!" Steward Lu also laughed. At this moment, the Yan family really didn't need to leave people with gossip for such a small thing. "Yesterday, after learning that Master Yan won the top three in the national martial arts exam, I sent someone to inform the Lu family. I guess in a while, the Sixth Master will come to congratulate Master Yan in person with gifts!"
"Mr. Lu and Mr. Liu are so polite!"
"As he should, as he should. I'm afraid that when Mr. Lu found out yesterday that Mr. Yan won the first place in the top three, he was happier than Mr. Yan himself. But yesterday, Mr. Yan's reputation spread all of a sudden in Qinghe County, and people knew that Mr. Yan hasn't got engaged yet. I think the matchmakers who came to the door these days might break down the threshold of the Yan family!" Steward Lu seemed to be joking, but his words were hinting at something.
"As for matchmakers, if they come, just send them away, Steward Lu. I think marriage is a matter of fate, and the matchmaker's words are too demanding..." Yan Liqiang smiled and looked at Steward Lu. They both understood each other tacitly. If Yan Liqiang still didn't understand what the Lu family meant at this time, he would be too slow. Steward Lu was also very satisfied with Yan Liqiang's answer. This was the attitude that a son-in-law of the Lu family should have.
Butcher Liu and his son were still busy in the kitchen when other neighbors, wealthy families in Liuhe Town, and wealthy and prominent families in neighboring towns and villages came in waves.
Many of the neighbors who came here were known to the Yan family and their son, but there were also some they were not familiar with, who still sent things to the Yan family at this time.
Some neighbors brought fresh vegetables from their fields and yards, some brought a bottle of old wine, and some brought a few feet of cloth, or fresh chickens and ducks, or a basket of eggs, some dried fruits, and a few village elders brought Yan Liqiang some auspicious and joyful words, saying things like "first in the top three" and "bringing glory to the village".
As for those wealthy families with good conditions and abundant wealth, they directly sent the sealed money over, either silver or gold, not a small amount.
Before the people who gave gifts in front left, the people behind came. Later, more and more people gathered at Yan's house, and there was no room in the living room. So everyone came to the yard, and the whole yard was bustling with activity.
Under such circumstances, Yan Liqiang had no place to practice. He could only sit in the yard with Yan Dechang and chat with the neighbors.
Before noon, the Shen family in Qinghe County actually sent a steward to deliver a gift of fifty taels of gold and two pieces of high-quality silk of different colors to Yan Liqiang.
Knowing that it was a gift from the Shen family of Qinghe County, the neighbors who gathered in the yard of Yan Liqiang's house could not help but exclaim in amazement. They looked with envy at the beautiful silk and money envelopes wrapped in red paper that the servants of the Shen family sent to the Yan family.
But the crowd's amazement was not over yet. At noon, Lu Peien and Qian Su from the Lu family in Huanglong County arrived. The Lu family's gift was even more valuable, which was a full 100 taels of gold, a top-grade sword, and ten rolls of silk of various colors.
The gift Qian Su brought to Yan Liqiang was a three-meter-long spear made by a group of craftsmen in the artisan camp using a unique species of ash wood.
With all these people together, there is no need to say much about the excitement that follows...
As for the so-called matchmakers, they also came one after another in the afternoon. Yan Liqiang did not show up, but directly asked Manager Lu to send those matchmakers away.
For the whole day, the Yan family's house was crowded with people. The carriages and people coming and going blocked the road outside the Yan family. Yan Liqiang felt like a guest greeter, and his face was almost sore from smiling.
After a busy day, Yan Liqiang could finally take a break at night. After such a busy day, he felt even more tired than when he took the national martial arts exam.
Yan Dechang was stunned for a moment when he looked at the various gifts piled up like a mountain in a side room in his house.
Yan Dechang didn't come back to his senses for a long time, "Why are there so many?"
"Many living things such as chickens and ducks and edible things are not placed here!" Yan Liqiang handed Yan Dechang a list, "This is the gift that Manager Lu recorded today. I won't talk about the cloth, silk, swords, armor and other things. Let's just talk about the money. Today, we received a total of 1,800 taels of silver and 220 taels of gold..."
"How can I store so many things at home? I feel uneasy piling them here like this. It will attract thieves. I guess I have to find someone to make a few cabinets tomorrow..." Yan Dechang said happily and worriedly.
Hearing Yan Dechang say that he wanted to find someone to make a cabinet, Yan Liqiang finally said what he had been thinking for a long time, "I think we should not only make cabinets, but also renovate the house and yard. If Manager Lu and his men leave in a few days, it will not be safe to keep the money at home. It will be easy for someone to covet it. It is better to buy land in the town and then buy two shops in the county. Then no one can take it away..."
(End of this chapter)