After listening, Ji Yangzong said, "If you’re busy in town, there’s no need to call Uncle Fan and the others over to help with the autumn harvest. We can just hire a couple of villagers, no point delaying important matters."
"With five or six of them, the fieldwork at home can be finished in two days. It won’t cause any delays."
Ji Yangzong thought about it and found it reasonable. Those men were all strong and capable workers, and with the hired laborers at home, they had plenty of sturdy hands. Though the family had a lot of land, it couldn’t withstand so many people working it.
"Alright then, once the date is set, I’ll let you know in advance."
With that, Ji Yangzong picked up some food for Ji Taoyu and, surprisingly, also gave Huo Shu a serving.
"The butcher just slaughtered a fresh pig. Eat up."
Ji Taoyu watched as his father served Huo Shu, a clear sign of his growing approval of this son-in-law, and teased:
"With such heavy rain outside, you usually fret endlessly when summer brings too much water. Yet today, you’re in such high spirits?"
Huang Manjing said, "Your father finds the two of you worry-free. Of course he’s happy."
Ji Taoyu raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Your second uncle’s daughter, Sister Chun, her husband secretly partnered with someone on a business deal without telling the family. By the time they found out, his partner had already run off with the money."
Huang Manjing continued, "That worthless husband of hers squandered their entire family fortune. Now Sister Chun has come home in tears, leaving their household in complete disarray."
Ji Taoyu’s second uncle’s daughter, Ji Yuanchun, had gotten married in the third month this year. She had even performed the hair-combing ritual at his own wedding, but unfortunately, he was away at the time and couldn’t attend her wedding banquet.
He’d heard she married into a town family that owned a small fan shop—a modest but decent property.
The parents were honest folk, but their son was unreliable, lazy, and far from diligent.
During the matchmaking, Ji Yuanchun hadn’t been very interested, but the family thought it was a good match.
It wasn’t a far move to the town, the parents had property, and with only one son, the shop would eventually be theirs.
His second uncle was the stingiest among the Ji family’s uncles and brothers, so after some calculations, they settled on the marriage.
Ji Taoyu asked, "But wasn't Sister Chun's husband known to be lazy? What made him suddenly try his hand at business?"
"Earlier this summer when Yuanchun visited, she brought some fans from her husband's shop as gifts. She must have mentioned how well you'd done after returning home. That husband of hers—lazy as he is, he's got plenty of pride. He probably took it as Yuanchun belittling him and vowed to prove himself by making a fortune too."
Huang Manjing shook her head.
Ji Yangzong took a sip of wine. It wasn’t that he took pleasure in his brother’s misfortune.
Back when their family only had Ji Taoyu, how many people whispered behind their backs that they’d die without an heir? Now, with such a fine son-in-law, they were no worse off than families with sons and daughters.
Compared to that, Huo Shu was capable, and more importantly, worry-free. Naturally, he felt deeply comforted.
After listening to the family gossip for a while, Ji Taoyu helped clear the dishes and washed them with his mother in the kitchen.
Suddenly, voices came from the main hall.
"Who's come at this hour? Surely not Third Aunt again?"
Ji Taoyu craned his neck, trying to glimpse the visitor.
Huang Manjing wiped her hands on her apron. "Your third aunt hasn’t visited us in quite some time."
Noticing Ji Taoyu's distracted fidgeting, she waved him off. "Go on then - wipe your hands and see who it is."
Ji Taoyu agreed and slipped out of the kitchen.
To his surprise, it was his eldest uncle.
"This rain just won’t stop. All our prayers this year were wasted."
Ji Yangkai patted his sleeves and sighed.
"Eldest Uncle, what brings you here?"
The rain had darkened the sky outside, making everything dim and murky, though it wasn’t fully night yet.
At this hour, in this weather, few people were still out and about.
"I was passing by and thought I’d drop in. Heard Huo Shu secured a large plot in town. How’s the leveling coming along?"
Ji Yangzong poured his elder brother some water. "The rain’s caused delays. It’s been several days, but they should be nearly done."
"With so many hands and still not finished, the land must be vast. Among all the sons-in-law in the family, yours, Huo Shu, is the most capable."
Ji Yangkai said with a smile.
Ji Yangzong chuckled but didn’t respond.
"Did you come from the You family’s side?"
The You family’s land purchase and house plans had caused quite a stir in the village. Not long after, it was said that Ji Yangkai’s construction team would take on the You family’s project.
Ji Yangzong didn’t say much—after all, the rift was between his sixth branch and the You family, not the rest of the Ji clan.
Besides, his eldest brother made his living through construction work. Taking on the You family’s project was a good opportunity.
But Ji Yangkai hesitated before replying, "The You family insisted I take it. As fellow villagers, it was hard to refuse."
"With bad weather, more work is always good."
Ji Yangkai nodded and seized the moment to ask, "Huo Shu plans to build a horseback archery range, right? Has he found workers for that yet?"
Listening from outside, Ji Taoyu immediately understood why his eldest uncle had braved the rain to visit.
"Not yet. Do you have reliable contacts who could offer a good price?"
Ji Yangzong said this.
Ji Taoyu breathed a slight sigh of relief. His father, at least, hadn’t cheerfully rushed off without even hearing the other party’s purpose first.
Thank you for the update!!!!
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