Zhou Shuren felt emotional in his heart, the emperor was really good at calculating, even if his essay was not good enough to be ranked second during the palace examination, the emperor would still promote him to second place based on his situation and value. The emperor really calculated everyone. When he thought of the emperor's good health, this time it was not just Zhulan who felt sorry for the princes, he felt sorry for them too.
Zhou Shuren took Wu Chun back to the team. Wu Chun went to meet the Yang family. Zhou Shuren said to Zhu Lan who was sitting in the carriage, "I was thinking of going into the city to notify Wu Chun to pick you up and take you back to the house you bought. Now that Wu Chun is here, you and Wu Chun go back to the house first. I'm going to take the officials and food to the government office for handover. I think I'll be back in the evening."
Zhulan let out a long sigh and finally arrived, "Okay, go ahead and do your thing. I'll take care of everything at home. You don't have to worry about us."
Zhou Shuren smiled and said, "With you here, I have nothing to worry about."
He gestured to Zhulan to take out his account books and official documents. He handed the things to the official following him, got on another carriage and went into the city first.
There is no need to leave guards behind for Zhulan, as Wu Chunlai brought a lot of guards with him.
Wu Chun saw that his grandparents were in good health, and saw his mother, wife and children. Wu Chun's eyes were red, but outside was not a place to talk. He knew that his father and second uncle were helping his uncle to harvest and plant crops, and he felt sad for his uncle's hard work.
Wu Chun calmed down for a while before meeting his aunt, "Aunt, you've had a hard time along the way."
Wu Chun sighed, no wonder mother always said that aunt was the most blessed, it was not only blessed, but now she had been granted an imperial decree.
Zhu Lan said, "It's great that you can come. We don't have to go into the city and wait. Take us to the house your uncle asked you to buy."
When Wu Chun thought of his uncle's request, at least a large house with three courtyards, a well, and a garden, preferably as big as the Zheng family's house in Lijia Village, he really put a lot of effort into finding one, and even borrowed 1,000 taels of silver.
Wu Chun said, "Aunt, I'll lead the way, you guys follow."
Zhulan said: "Okay."
Even if the team escorting the grain was gone, the team was still not small. The Zhou and Yang families had enough, not to mention they had also bought a lot of grain seeds and food.
The convoy was moving forward in a mighty manner. It was heading to West City. Many people from Lizhou City had returned one after another, and there were more people in the city.
Zhulan opened the car curtain and looked outside. There were many beggars on the streets of Lizhou City, and not many shops were open. Looking at the houses in the city, many of them had been in disrepair for many years and looked quite dilapidated.
The carriage soon arrived in front of the house that Wuchun bought for the Zhou family. Zhulan got off the carriage and looked at the gate. It was so magnificent.
Wu Chun helped his grandparents get off the carriage, then came to his aunt and said, "Aunt, I only made simple renovations after I bought the house. If there's anything you don't like, I'll slowly change it after you move in."
Zhulan looked at the house and said, "It has been renovated very well. Let's go in."
Wu Chun asked someone to look after the house. He knocked on the door and it opened soon. Wu Chun introduced the house as he walked: "The houses in Lizhou City are different from those in the capital. The houses are divided into small courtyards. There is a long corridor at the entrance, and independent courtyard gates on both sides. This house covers a large area and has a garden that my uncle requested. There are courtyards for six owners to live in, two for servants and for raising horses. I originally wanted to buy a bigger house, but no one wanted to sell it. Although Lizhou City is still depressed, people with foresight still keep their houses."
Zhulan expected this. They had already entered the corridor. "This house is so nice, why are you selling it?"
Wu Chun said: "The owner of this house has only one daughter. Her son-in-law was scammed and lost a lot of money. He had no choice but to sell the house. With the money from the sale of the house, the whole family has gone to Jiangnan."
Zhulan thought that gambling was really harmful, "How much silver did this child cost?"
"This house is more expensive than when I bought it. Plus, it occupies a large area, so I spent six hundred taels. The house is too big, so I spent one hundred and fifty taels on renovations. I also had to buy new furniture and household items, so the total cost was almost one thousand taels."
Zhulan followed Wuchun through the corridor and turned to the east gate. Wuchun introduced: "This is the courtyard where the head of the family lives. The courtyard is a small second courtyard. There is a door on the side of the back house that leads to the garden. The main entrance to the garden is inside the corridor."
Zhulan asked, "I remember you bought a three-story courtyard."
Wu Chun smiled and said, "The original owner of the house I bought was from the capital. He built the house according to the layout of the capital, so it is a three-story house. Lizhou City also has many buildings from the capital, but none of them can meet my uncle's requirements."
As they were talking, they had already arrived at the main house. The room was mainly furnished with a kang (a bed), and the space was not small.
Zhulan went to see a few smaller courtyards. The smaller courtyards were not as big as the main courtyard, and there were not as many houses as in the main courtyard, but having an independent courtyard was already very good.
Zhulan counted and found that there were quite a lot of rooms in the whole house. Zhulan was very satisfied. She felt that the money was well spent.
Zhulan and Wuchun were really tired after a long walk. When they returned to the main courtyard, the Zhou family's luggage and food had already been unloaded from the carriage. This time when they came to Lizhou City, Zhulan's family bought another carriage. Now the Zhou family has a total of five carriages.
Wu Chun was left to look after the house and helped Boss Zhou get familiar with the yard, so Zhulan didn't have to worry about storing grain in the granary.
Zhulan returned to the main courtyard, took out one thousand taels of silver and handed it to Wuchun, "This is the silver you spent."
Wu Chun accepted it. He had borrowed all the money. "Aunt, I'll take my luggage back to the house first. I'll come over when I have arranged everything."
Zhu Lan said, "Okay, you can all stay here and rest today. I will personally take your grandparents over tomorrow."
Wu Chun smiled and said, "Hey, Aunt, make something delicious tonight."
Zhulan smiled and said, "Okay, let's make something delicious for dinner this year."
After Wuchun left, Zhulan sent her parents and sister-in-law to a separate courtyard to rest. Wuchun was a thoughtful child, so he piled up a lot of firewood in each courtyard. Knowing the news in advance, every courtyard lit a fire and the kang was warm.
Zhulan said to her parents, "Dad and Mom, you guys take a rest first."
Yang Dayong finally arrived at Lizhou City, feeling relieved. "You go and do your own thing. Don't worry about me and your mother. After we have rested, we can go for a walk."
Zhulan smiled and said, "Okay."
Zhulan arranged for her family to rest, declined her sisters-in-law's help, and returned to the main courtyard.
Xue Han had already brought the luggage back to the main courtyard. "Mom, I have counted all the luggage we brought back. Nothing is missing and it is all here."
Zhulan smiled and said, "My daughter is really amazing. She has helped me a lot."
Xue Han was a little excited. She could help her mother now. "Mom, do you have any work for me?"