Chapter 18: End of the Year

"Master, do you think the master will have the kitchen cook braised pork for the New Year? I heard they brought in two big pigs yesterday."

Wang Zhao said with glowing eyes.

He could even still smell the fragrance of last year's braised pork.

That taste, he wouldn't forget it no matter how many years passed.

Ordinary people in Qinghe might not even get to eat meat once a year, but it was possible at the Zhu household; this was also the reason why some were willing to sell themselves into slavery.

Li Rui gave Wang Zhao a flick on the forehead.

"Always thinking about eating."

"By the way, have you remembered everything I taught you about adding beans and eggs, and how to tell if a horse has indigestion?"

Wang Zhao nodded proudly: "I've remembered it all."

Master is so good!

These were all the secret skills of a coachman, and he had passed them all to him at once.

But soon, Wang Zhao seemed to think of something, and his face immediately turned mournful.

"Master, are you going to die?"

"You must not die... at least wait until after the New Year."

He often heard the old people in the village say that people have a premonition before they die; his great-grandfather changed into clean clothes and went to bed himself before he died.

Master's behavior these days looked like he was arranging his affairs.

Li Rui glared at Wang Zhao: "You brat, are you cursing me to die?"

Seeing Master's reaction, Wang Zhao felt relieved instead.

Li Rui looked at Wang Zhao's carefree appearance and sighed inwardly.

Their master-disciple relationship had come to an end.

With his current abilities, it was quite good to be able to withdraw himself; it was impossible to take Wang Zhao with him. The Zhu household was a top-tier wealthy family in Qinghe, and he couldn't afford to provoke them.

After he redeemed his freedom, Wang Zhao should be able to become the next coachman.

This position should have originally been Ma Yang's, but he was too impatient and ended up losing his life for it.

As for Old Yang, there was no need to arrange much.

Yang Yong was a guard, and his status in the Zhu household was quite good; at most, they would just drink a few rounds of wine.

During this time, he had already arranged everything properly.

"Tomorrow is the day of redemption."

The Zhu household was a wealthy family with many rules; preparations for the New Year had begun a month ago.

Opening the ancestral hall, cleaning, tidying up sacred objects, inviting the spirits, changing the peach wood charms...

The New Year was a major event for a family and could not be sloppy; it not only concerned family style, but if not done well, they would be laughed at by other families in the city for a year.

Not only did the Zhu household's eldest mistress urge them tightly, but even Master Zhu often inquired personally.

They had to be busy until the 29th to finish.

Which was today.

On this day, the master generally shows kindness and gives the servants a day off; families with better family style even provide funds for the servants who have been busy all year to have a good meal.

Last year's braised pork was eaten at this time.

Only this year, there was a difference.

Because someone in the Zhu household was about to turn seventy.

According to the laws of the Yu Kingdom, seventy is auspicious, and the local magistrate needs to visit personally. But the person who came to the Zhu residence today was not the County Magistrate, but the Registrar, the fourth-in-command at the government office.

"Registrar Ma gracing our humble residence truly makes it shine."

Zhu Ping, the head of the Zhu household, received him personally.

The Zhu household's business was large, but it couldn't do without the help of the county government; naturally, he was polite to these officials.

Registrar Ma was a lean, middle-aged man.

Ten years ago, at the age of forty, he passed the imperial examination and became a Provincial Graduate, and only then did he sit in the position of Registrar. The position of Registrar was responsible for the rituals and laws of a place.

"Master Zhu, I heard your residence has an elder of seventy; I have been entrusted by County Magistrate Zhang to come and visit."

Zhu Ping's eyes, which were not big to begin with, disappeared as he smiled: "It is indeed a coachman named Li Rui in the residence, who will turn seventy in the spring."

Someone living to seventy was a major event that could be written into the county annals.

The Zhu household would also benefit from this.

Crucially, in ancient times, this was also a symbol of family prosperity.

Zhu Ping's attitude toward Li Rui over the years had actually been quite good; wasn't it because he was worried Li Rui would die before reaching seventy?

As he spoke, he invited Registrar Ma into the main hall.

Then he ordered the steward to call Li Rui over.

A dignified imperial official, even if he were seventy, for an official to personally go see a servant, what kind of decorum would that be!

Soon, Li Rui was brought to the main hall by Steward Zhu.

Seeing the person sitting in the main seat with Master Zhu, he recognized at a glance that it was the Registrar of the county government.

He bowed down to pay his respects.

Registrar Ma waved his hand in advance: "At seventy, there is no need to bow to this official anymore; this official cannot bear it."

Hearing this, Li Rui simply straightened his back.

Registrar Ma laughed: "You are Li Rui, turning seventy in the spring?"

"Replying to the official, that is correct."

"Very good, very good. With Elder Li here, it shows that Qinghe is governed well, and our Great Yu is peaceful and prosperous."

Registrar Ma was in a very good mood.

With a seventy-year-old elder in his jurisdiction, he could add a stroke to his political achievements.

Political achievements accumulate one by one; perhaps one day he could become a Registrar or even an Assistant County Magistrate.

As for County Magistrate, he didn't even dare to think about it.

As a scholar from a humble background, becoming an Assistant County Magistrate would already be smoke rising from his ancestral grave.

Master Zhu of the Zhu household was also full of smiles.

This was a political achievement for Registrar Ma, and for him, wasn't it also evidence of his good family governance? The Zhu household had gone from an unknown small family to the largest family in Qinghe in just thirty years.

Besides the Zhu brothers' daring and fighting spirit in their early years, it was inseparable from Zhu Ping's emphasis on family governance.

He knew very well that if he wanted the Zhu household to become a family of a hundred or even a thousand years.

Family style was very important.

The servants who came out of those great families were more decent than the direct descendants of small families; this was the gap in family governance.

That was why he was so disgusted by his second brother's behavior.

Dabbling in the fringe sects was not a long-term plan after all.

Registrar Ma asked Li Rui about his well-being, expressing the "consideration" of a parent official for the people.

Of course, it was just asking.

Li Rui was also sensible and didn't make any requests that would make things difficult for Registrar Ma.

Registrar Ma couldn't help but sigh; if the people of Qinghe were all as easygoing and obedient as this old man, how good that would be.

He turned to look at Zhu Ping, signaling that the last part of today's proceedings could begin.

Zhu Ping was full of smiles.

"Old Li, how has the Zhu household treated you?"

"The master has treated me extremely well."

Hearing Li Rui's answer, Zhu Ping was even more satisfied.

"Old Li, let's calculate; you've been at the Zhu household for fifty years, serving three generations of the Zhu family, with great merit. If you are willing, you can stay at the Zhu household; if not, you can leave."

Zhu Ping looked confident.

Li Rui was already seventy; once he left the Zhu household, he couldn't even farm, and he had no wife or children, a widower; there was no reason to leave the Zhu household.

That was why he was so certain.

But Li Rui shook his head.

"I am not willing."

"Please, Master, grant this old servant the grace to be removed from the slave register."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 19 =====