Autumn goes to winter, and in a blink of an eye it comes to the end of November. Since her uncle and Wang Ma left, Xiao Yiran saw that her parents had never mentioned the matter of the Sun Mansion in Jiangning Mansion in front of her, and it was inconvenient for her to ask. It's just that half a month after my uncle left, I brought a letter. It is nothing more than thanking Xiao Guoliang for his help, etc., before leaving, he said that he would take time to bring his aunt to visit, but the letter said that he couldn't take a break for a while, and he would come back after a year.

From his mother Sun, Xiao Yiran knew that there were two boys and two girls in his uncle's family, both of whom had already married and married. It's just that the two cousins are not separated, the eldest cousin is in business with his uncle, and the second cousin is still studying, and he is already famous. I will take part in the township examination next year, and I will make a name for myself by raising people's reputation. My aunt is in charge of a large family, and it is normal that she can't leave. Xiao Yiran thought in his heart.

On the third day of the lunar month, Xiao Guoliang, who returned home from the county government, said to the mother and daughter:

"Wang Zhixian will serve for three years, and the day after tomorrow will leave for Beijing to report on his work, and the affairs of the county government will be temporarily managed by me, and it is estimated that some of them will be busy before the year."

"Husband, Wang Zhixian's term of office has expired, if he passes the assessment, he will definitely be promoted to another place as an official, I don't know if the Xinzhi County sent by the imperial court is good to deal with?"

"We don't need to worry about these things. No matter who comes, just do your part for your husband. If it's good, make friends, it's nothing, and after another year and a half, the three-year term of office for the husband will expire. ”

"Dad, I love it here and don't want to move somewhere else."

"Ran'er, my father is now an official, and I can't be the master of where I want to be an official."

Xiao Yiran really likes this place in Taicang, especially the backyard where he lives, which is quiet and comfortable.

Since the weather was cold, Xiao Yiran has not gone to the county school to study. After going to the county school intermittently for more than half a year to study, Xiao Yiran already knew that the county school was actually only for children, and it was free for him to study. The initiation class is actually a gentleman jointly funded by the officials of the county government and the local squire, so that the children of each family can study here. Only the classes are provided free of charge by the county government.

Since Mrs. Cui Tixing brought little Cui Hao to visit her home once, every time Xiao Yiran went to the county school, although Cui Hao was studying in the enlightenment class, and Xiao Yiran was studying in the children's class, Cui Hao still went to Xiao Yiran to play as long as he was free. In the middle, the mother and son of the Cui family came to the Xiao Mansion twice. Every time he invited Sun's mother and daughter to Cui's Mansion as guests, Sun agreed every time, but never went once. Not only did he not go to Cui's Mansion, but Xiao Guoliang's colleague in the county government had never been to anyone's house.

In this regard, Xiao Yiran admires his mother Sun's actions very much. After all, Xiao Yiran is a person with two lifetimes of memory, so he is impatient to socialize with those official wives, let alone those teenage children.

After the fifth day of the lunar month, Xiao Guoliang really went out early and returned late and got busy. Xiao Yiran went to the front yard every day to say hello, and often couldn't see his father Xiao Guoliang seven times out of ten.

The New Year is still as simple as last year. After the New Year, it is time to greet the New Year. Because Xiao Yiran was young and the weather was relatively cold, Sun did not take Xiao Yiran to Xiao Guoliang's colleague's house to pay New Year's greetings. is a guest who came to Xiao Mansion to pay New Year's greetings, unless he is as familiar as Mrs. Cui Tixing, the Sun family will not let Xiao Yiran come to meet the guests.

After the New Year, it is the Lantern Festival in the blink of an eye. Because Xiao Mansion has no relatives, it just symbolically hangs a few red lanterns. In the evening, the family of three ate rice balls in the hall in the front yard and guessed the riddle. Most of them are Xiao Guoliang's riddles, and Xiao Yiran and Sun's guesses the riddles. For such a warm and quiet day, Xiao Yiran can see that not only she likes it, but Sun and Xiao Guoliang also like it.

It's just that on the sixteenth day, things changed. Before the sun had completely set, Xiao Guoliang rushed back from the county office. Xiao Yiran was gossiping with Sun in the hall.

"Husband, why did you come back early today?"

There is no man who is an official like other families, and Sun has always used the previous title, calling Xiao Guoliang "husband", and Xiao Guoliang does not call Sun "Mrs.", or a "good wife".

Xiao Guoliang took out a bookbag from his arms and handed it to Sun.

"The good wife opens it and takes a look."

Sun looked at Xiao Guoliang and gently opened the bookbag, revealing a corner of paperwork inside. After unfolding it, I took a look at it and said with some surprise:

"Husband is promoted?"

Xiao Yiran stood on tiptoe, took the document from his mother Sun's hand, and saw that it read:

Wang Fuchun, the former governor of Taicang County, expired his three-year term, passed the assessment, and moved to the Wupin prefect of Jiangning Mansion. Xiao Guoliang, the former general judge of Taicang County, was recommended by the county and succeeded as the sixth county of Taicang County. After the three-year term of office expires, he will go to Beijing to report on his work.

The payment is the ministry.

"Congratulations to Daddy on his ascension."

Xiao Yiran bent his knees slightly and saluted Xiao Guoliang.

"Husband, don't you have to wait for the expiration of three years and the assessment of the state government before you enter Beijing to report on your job and be promoted? How? ”

"Now that the country has just been established, there is an urgent need for a large number of local officials. It is estimated that he did not find a suitable candidate for the time being, and Wang Zhixian recommended it, so he was in a hurry. ”

"That's going to be satisfying, right? At least for three years, there is no need to worry about leaving Taicang. ”

Sun said to Xiao Yiran with a happy face.

"It's best to stay in Taicang for thirty years."

Xiao Yiran said a very childish word.

The husband and wife looked at each other and smiled, and Sun picked Xiao Yiran into his arms and kissed her on the face.

"Good wife, do you want to write a letter to Brother Sù?"

"Husband, why don't you wait for two days. When my eldest brother left last year, he said that he was coming, and later wrote a letter saying that it would be the next year. It's sixteen now, and if the eldest brother doesn't come before twenty, it's not too late to write again. ”

That night, Sun called Shang Xiuniang and Xiaoxi, and the three of them went into the kitchen together to make a table of banquets to celebrate Xiao Guoliang's promotion to the magistrate. After the banquet, a reward was given to Xiaoxi and Xiuniang.

Back in the backyard, Xiao Yiran saw Xiaoxi take out the red envelope from her mother Sun's reward, open it, and put it in the small box where the money was saved. made fun of Xiaoxi on the little sister:

"Sister Xiaoxi, how much dowry money have you saved?"

The young lady made fun of them again. Just now Madame rewarded me with a tael of silver, and now I have saved three taels of silver. ”

"Daddy was promoted to magistrate and has to stay in Taicang for three years, and Sister Xiaoxi wants to go back to see her family, so she can only retreat."

"Miss, Xiaoxi is not in a hurry. Three years later, Xiaoxi was only sixteen years old. ”

"Sister Xiaoxi, I'll tell my mother when I turn around, and ask my mother to find a brother-in-law for Sister Xiaoxi in advance."

"Miss is only three years old after the New Year, so she will take care of the affairs of adults, beware of being told by Mrs.

A master and a servant laughed for a while, and Xiao Xi served Xiao Yiran to sleep.

The news of Xiao Guoliang's promotion to the magistrate of Taicang County spread in Taicang City the next day. For a time, there was an endless stream of people who came to visit. Although Sun opened the door to let Li Cai and Xiao Qing receive male guests, and he took embroidery to receive female guests, for the gifts sent by everyone, Sun asked Xiaoxi to assist Xiao Yiran in registering them one by one. As for whether to take it in or keep it, it will be decided when Xiao Guoliang comes back.

It wasn't until the afternoon of the eighteenth that the number of visitors gradually became scarce.

In the evening, the family of three looked at the full number of gifts, which was a little unnatural

"Husband, do you want to send Xiao Qing back one by one with these gifts?"

"Good wife, it is relatively normal for officials to exchange courtesies. As for the gifts given by the squires among them. Pick up those more valuable ones and send Xiao Qing back to others. As the saying goes, if they have something to ask for the door, some things will be difficult to say. ”

Seeing Sun nodding, Xiao Guoliang continued:

"There is another matter to discuss with the good wife and Ran'er. Now that Wang Zhixian has moved away, the county government's house has been vacated. Although this residence is not far away, after all, it is not more convenient to live in the county office. Besides, there will be more things to send in the future, and this house is too small. ”

"That's just as well. It's just, what did Yiran say? ”

Sun bent down, looked at his daughter, and asked softly.

"I listen to my father's arrangement. Just don't sell this yard, and when it's warmer, I'll come and stay here often. ”

"Hehe, don't worry, you won't sell it. Then leave Li Cai and his wife to take care of it here. After moving to the county office, you should also hire a housekeeper to take care of the housework. ”

On the evening of the eighteenth, after the three of them agreed, they began to move the next day. With Xiao Qing Xiaoxi, as well as Li Cai and his wife, as well as a group of officials from the county government to help, there is no need for the Sun family to worry about it. For this reason, Xiao Guoliang did not go to the county office, but stayed. By lunchtime, it was almost time to move. Because Xiao Yiran said that after the weather is warm, he will often come to live. Furniture and the like, almost nothing has been moved. Roughly packed up the soft at home and moved to the county government's house.

Just as the family sat down for lunch, and after lunch, they were going to live in the county office, and Sun Jidong and his wife hurried over.

I haven't seen each other for nearly fifteen years, so naturally I have a lot to say.

"Guoliang, I didn't expect to be promoted so soon."

"Big brother, it's also a coincidence. It stands to reason that a new magistrate should be re-assigned. It is estimated that there was no suitable candidate for the imperial court for a while. ”

"Little sister, after so many years of suffering, I finally got out."

Xiao Yiran's aunt took the opportunity to interject and said to Sun.

"Sister-in-law, although I have been poor with my husband over the years, it is not hard. It's the eldest brother and sister-in-law who are at home, so you have to worry about it. ”

"Little sister, don't say that. What can we bother with, the most we can do is to pay respects to our parents' graves during the New Year's holidays. The affairs of the house, your eldest brother probably told you last time. We can't intervene. ”

"I haven't seen my two nephews and eldest niece for so many years, so I miss them. I haven't seen my little niece once as an aunt. ”

"Little sister, we are here this time, firstly, to say hello to my uncle, and secondly, to move you to live at home for a few days."

"Sister-in-law, but what's the matter?"

"Your eldest grandson greeted his relatives on the sixth day of the second lunar month, and I discussed with your eldest brother, and I asked my aunt and younger sister to go back and decorate the façade."

"Big brother, sister-in-law, congratulations."

Hearing this, Xiao Guoliang hurriedly congratulated Sun Jidong and his wife.

"Rejoice, rejoice."

"Uncle, little sister, if my guess is correct, I'm afraid the two younger brothers will come to Taicang in the next two days to say hello to my uncle and little sister."