Chapter 176: River God Festival, Settled

The doorway was bustling with activity, with people vying to pass on good news.

People moved back and forth through the courtyard without pause.

"Put all the chests into the east wing room and stack them up."

"Separate the porcelain; take the plates and jars over there, and put the tea sets in the study on the north side of the second courtyard."

"Master Liang, where should this screen go? The study?"

A screen?

Liang Qu scanned up and down, his gaze fixing on the palm-sized table screen in the speaker's hand, which had a piece of cloud stone inlaid in the center.

So it was an inkstone screen.

Specifically placed in front of an inkstone to block the wind, allowing the ink to dry more slowly.

These were all family assets.

Why is it always said that a lean camel is bigger than a horse? A wealthy family's casual belongings—never mind using them, one might not have even seen them before, yet taking them out was worth a fair amount of money.

"Auntie Zhang, please do me a favor and take them to the study."

The third courtyard was not small, and they didn't dare wander around without instructions.

"A-Xing, stop chopping grass. Go to Pingyang County for me and tell my master that I've earned a title through the method of reading I used last time—and don't get it wrong, it's a Great Creation Title!"

Liang Qu arrived at the stables and shouted to the young stable boy who was chopping grass.

Fan Xinglai, a thirteen-year-old boy, helped him manage the stables, feed Chishan, and was also responsible for cleaning the courtyard and running errands.

His father, Fan Xianfa, was a stableman at the Yang Prefecture, so going to the Yang Prefecture was familiar territory for him.

"Alright, I'll go right away."

"Wait, take this." Liang Qu pulled two small silver ingots from his bosom. "Take a flatbed cart yourself; it'll be faster."

"Master Liang, a flatbed cart doesn't cost that much."

Fan Xinglai clutched the two small ingots; one small ingot was two taels of silver, so two was four taels of silver.

Never mind that a flatbed cart only cost a few copper coins; even a maiden getting married in a sedan chair wouldn't cost that much.

He suspected Liang Qu was used to being extravagant and didn't know how much a flatbed cart from Yixing Market to Pingyang County cost.

Liang Qu waved his hand: "I know it doesn't cost that much; it's just for you."

There were only three hired hands in the house; regardless, he had earned a title, so why be so stingy? One reward for each person.

Fan Xinglai was overjoyed; his monthly wage was only six mace of silver, so he hurriedly tucked the money into his bosom!

"Thank you, Master Liang! I'll go right away!"

"I told you to be fast, not to be reckless! Watch out for falling!"

Liang Qu shouted at his retreating back, then turned to look at Chishan, who stomped on the horse stall and snorted twice.

It hadn't eaten yet.

"What's the rush? I'll chop it for you, alright?"

Liang Qu took the bundle of grass from the ground and chopped it into sections of a certain length.

As the saying goes, "Chop grass into three sections; even without feed, they'll put on weight."

Chishan's feed was not cheap at all; it had to eat specialized Lang grass mixed with meat and soybeans. Ordinary families simply couldn't afford to raise this big guy.

After feeding the horse, the chores in the courtyard were mostly finished.

Several large chests were placed in the east wing room as instructed, and the useful utensils inside were all laid out.

Liang Qu gave everyone two small silver ingots each to show his gratitude.

"Master Liang is high-minded!"

"Many thanks, Master Liang! Congratulations on your promotion, Master Liang!"

"It is you all who have worked hard!"

Liang Qu bowed and saw everyone out.

At dinner that night, all the household utensils were brand new, and even the bowls and dishes for serving food had patterns on them.

After finishing his Golden Body cultivation for the day, Liang Qu touched the heavy seal in his bosom, feeling very happy.

Life was getting better and better.

The next morning.

West of the third courtyard.

Liang Qu squatted on the ground, fingers inserted into the soil, as muddy water flowed out through the gaps in the soil particles.

"It's about that big; that's enough."

Liang Qu rubbed his hands, wiped the soil on the ground, casually inserted a tree branch, stood up, and looked around.

The scattered branches outlined a circular piece of land, not too large, with a diameter of more than ten meters.

After surveying, he decided to dig a pond on the west side of the third courtyard.

Having a pond behind the house leads to family decline and empty households, so it shouldn't be dug there.

The west belongs to metal, and metal generates water; the side of the third courtyard was the best location, and digging it there wouldn't affect the feng shui.

Liang Qu's family was relatively poor before, and the place they lived was more remote.

To the west and behind was a small forest and a small dirt slope; there were households, but they were scattered, making it very convenient to expand without any obstacles.

At that time, a wooden deck would be built outside the side room on the west side of the third courtyard, extending out to form a platform to overlook the pond and watch the lotus flowers in summer, with a layout similar to Master Yang's house.

The old giant clam could stay in the small garden to bask in the sun, and usually enter and exit along the underground river.

Its slow speed was only relative; it still had the pace of a normal person walking, and along the underground river, it only took a few quarter-hours to reach the river.

"Shunzi! Bring that shovel over here!"

Little Shunzi, who was digging holes and mud on the side, clapped his hands and dragged the shovel over.

Liang Qu took the shovel and shoveled a circle around the perimeter to mark it, waiting to hire people to dig the pit tomorrow.

"Brother Liang, someone from the prefecture is looking for you!"

Fan Xinglai ran over, panting, and shouted.

"Got it." Liang Qu nodded. "Shunzi, stop playing and go back for lunch. Are you eating at my house today?"

"My mother made something delicious today!"

"Then go back early and don't chat with passersby."

Shunzi nodded, grabbed a straight tree branch, and shaved off the lush spring grass all the way home, making "shua-shua" sounds with his mouth.

Watching Shunzi enter the door, Liang Qu followed Fan Xinglai into the hall.

"Master Liang!"

The visitor who had been waiting for a long time bowed in salute.

"What business do you have with me?"

Liang Qu sat in the head seat and drank a cup of tea.

The butler bowed: "My master heard that Master Liang wants to organize the River God Festival, so he specifically instructed me to come..."

Liang Qu put down the teacup and tapped the table twice with his knuckles.

"It's not that I want to organize it; ever since I was born, the River God Festival in Yixing Market has never been missed. You all come from other places and don't live along the river, so you don't understand the significance of it."

Things must be clearly distinguished, otherwise, one would owe a debt of favor.

The butler lowered his body even further: "Master Liang is right."

"Who is your master?"

"Master Li from the Li residence in the east. He cannot compare to Master Liang's youthful promise; the family only has some meager property and a few shops. Coming this time is just to express an attitude; my master will definitely support the River God Festival..."

The news spread faster than imagined.

Less than half an hour after seeing off this butler from the Li residence, someone else came to the door.

"Master Liang, my master says..."

"Master Liang, I heard last night..."

One after another, several large households sent people to inform him that they were willing to support the holding of the River God Festival.

For large households, supporting a River God Festival only took a bit of effort and was nothing at all; if they could use this to curry favor with Liang Qu, that would be a great thing.

Evening.

The former Yixing Market elder and Chen clan patriarch, Chen Zhaoan, personally came to the door, and upon entering, he expressed his support for Liang Qu to be the Yixing spokesperson—cough, to organize the River God Festival.

"Not at all, not at all. As a junior, I know too little and fear offending the River God; at that time, I will still need Elder Chen's help."

Liang Qu said hurriedly.

The group of elders in Yixing Market were impacted by the new villagers, and their lives were not going very well; only Chen Zhaoan had not declined but had instead firmly established himself, definitely a capable person.

All kinds of customs and sacrifices could not do without the local elders; they understood the most.

Chen Zhaoan was overjoyed to hear this: "Among our more than a thousand people in Yixing Market, Master Liang is the first one to prosper without forgetting the fellow villagers! If the River God Festival can be held, everyone will have to rely on your blessing!

I don't care about others; when the time comes, the thousands of people in Yixing Market will definitely all come! Whoever dares not to come is forgetting their roots!"

"Elder Chen, you are too kind."

The population of Yixing Town surged, and many of the newly moved-in people were not fishermen and did not practice that River God Festival routine.

Money was a small matter; Liang Qu didn't care if every villager chipped in those few dozen copper coins; what he wanted was people.

As long as the people were there, he wouldn't mind paying for it himself.

He had originally thought about releasing the news to use his own status and influence to affect others' thoughts.

With the large households taking the lead and playing a guiding role, the rest would naturally fall into place.

He hadn't expected the effect to be so good.

River God Festival, settled. ===== CHAPTER 177 =====