Chapter 677 - 350: The Burden of Fame

Chapter 677: Chapter 350: The Burden of Fame

Qingnan Village suddenly burst into life. The village now had three new Scholars, which was an incredible event for the villagers!

The Zhang family’s home, in particular, was as crowded as a marketplace.

Not only had Zhang Yang become a Scholar, but he had also earned the title of Sanyuan in the student examinations for all of Huzhou. This was no small honor. Jing Country had nine prefectures in total, and it was uncommon for anyone to place first in all three stages of the student examinations.

In an age without modern communication, it was a mystery how the news spread so quickly, but it seemed as if all the surrounding villages knew overnight. As a result, many distant relatives the Zhang family rarely saw suddenly appeared. Some came to congratulate them, some to pry, and some to curry favor. Others hoped to register their farmland under Zhang Yang’s name to reduce their taxes. He and her husband were so busy entertaining them all that their heads were spinning.

Seeing that Juhua was growing heavier with child each day, He worried the noise would upset her. It would be terrible if Juhua started to feel unwell. So, she had Juhua return to the Zheng Family Courtyard to rest, where her mother, Madam Yang, could look after her.

This morning, Juhua sat in her family’s courtyard, watching Little Hulu crawl back and forth on a reed mat. He would struggle to his feet, wobble for a moment, and then his legs would give out, and he’d plop back down onto the mat. He repeated this over and over, endlessly amused.

Madam Yang had picked a lot of red peppers to dry in the courtyard. She had also brought back a few fresh ears of corn, planning to steam them on the side of the pot while cooking rice. As she shucked the corn, pulling away the husks and silks, she smiled at Juhua. "Your mother-in-law must have a splitting headache. Why are those people so hard to get rid of?"

Juhua smiled. "They’ll probably leave once Yangzi comes back and says something. He went to his teacher’s place early this morning, so he’s not home right now. Huai Zi went to the fields, too, so they’re just refusing to leave."

It turned out that it wasn’t just relatives. The matchmakers had descended upon them again. He would see one group out, only for another to arrive. She spent all day dealing with them, and you can imagine how frustrated she felt.

Madam Yang shook her head and chuckled. "Who does that? Do they really think a marriage can be settled that way? Brainless. So, have they set a date for the banquet? With three families in the village celebrating, it’s going to be lively for quite a few days."

Juhua gently stroked her belly, feeling the little one growing restless inside as it kicked her a few times. "They’re holding it in a few days," she said. "The boys won’t be home for long anyway. They’ll be heading back to Huzhou for school soon. Mom, when are Grandma and Laishou coming over?"

Madam Yang replied, "They have to wait until after the corn harvest. I told her to come earlier, but she can’t bear to leave home. She’s afraid your Second Uncle will be too tired if she’s gone, and your Second Aunt isn’t exactly a capable homemaker. Sigh, parents always favor their youngest son. Your Second Uncle is a grown man, but she still can’t stop worrying about him."

Juhua frowned. "What do you mean, favor? It’s a classic case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease! First Uncle’s household is managed in perfect order, so of course she doesn’t worry about them. Second Uncle’s family is a bit worse off, so she can never let go. She doesn’t stop to think that her hovering isn’t a long-term solution. Besides, can she watch over him for his whole life? Laicai is much more mature now and can help out at home. This is the perfect time to let him take on more responsibility. It’s no wonder the kids don’t amount to anything when she’s always fussing over and protecting the youngest."

Madam Yang nodded. "I’ll go back to my family’s home one of these days and talk to her. Your Second Aunt is a bit better than before. It’s the right time to let her handle things on her own, even if she fumbles a bit. That way, your grandmother can come stay with me for a while, and I can have a chance to show my filial piety."

As she spoke, she picked up Little Hulu to help him relieve himself, then placed him back on the reed mat, cooing, "Our Hulu is such a good boy. He never pees on himself."

She gathered the corn and was just about to get up and go to the kitchen when she heard a knock on the gate. She hurried over and peeked through a crack. "It’s Huai Zi," she said. "I thought Hulu’s parents were back." She opened the courtyard gate to let Huai Zi in.

"Mom!" Huai Zi called out to Madam Yang.

Madam Yang asked in surprise, "Oh! Are you back from the fields? Why are you home before noon? Don’t tell me you came back just to help your mother chase away the matchmakers? Come, have a drink of water."

Huai Zi couldn’t help but laugh. He walked over to Juhua, crouched down, and gently stroked her belly. "Not exactly," he said with a smile. "Dad and I finished harvesting the half-acre of huangdou and carried it all back. While we were at it, we sent those people away. Now I’m heading to Xiatang Market to buy some things for the banquet. I just wanted to come see you first, Juhua."

Hearing this, Madam Yang quickly asked, "Do you need Qingmu to help? He and the others are also harvesting huangdou and should be back soon."

Huai Zi quickly stood up. "No need. There isn’t much to buy. We’re butchering a pig, so there will be more than enough meat. We don’t need to buy fish, and we already have side dishes, tofu, vermicelli, and dried vegetables at home. We just need to get some sweets and drinks. I’ve asked Sanshun and Uncle Zhao San to go with me. If we all buy together, we can get a better price."