Chapter 29: The Sun Family Visits

"Who is it?"

In the small courtyard, Li Zhengshan was practicing with his saber.

Hearing the knock, he immediately put away his saber to ask, while gripping the weapon in his hand tightly.

If it were Zijun returning, he would have pushed the door open and walked right in.

It was clearly not Zijun.

He also sensed that there were quite a few people standing outside the door.

Luo Jiaorong was cooking in the kitchen; hearing the sound, she also walked out and asked, "Who is knocking at the door?"

At this moment, the voice of Sun Jintang came from outside: "Zhengshan, niece Jiaorong, it is me, your Uncle Sun."

Hearing this, Li Zhengshan and Luo Jiaorong were stunned and exchanged a glance.

Luo Jiaorong's expression immediately sank.

Li Zhengshan immediately sheathed his saber and went over to open the courtyard gate.

"So it is Uncle Sun. What brings you here today?"

Sun Jintang was dressed in a purple-gold brocade robe, looking ostentatiously wealthy, followed by his wife and daughter, and accompanied by five or six maids and servants.

Those maids and servants were all holding gifts in their hands.

Sun Jintang smiled and said, "I have been busy outside for this period of time, and today I finally have some leisure, so I brought Yan'er and the others to pay a visit."

Li Zhengshan smiled, glanced behind him, and quickly stepped aside, saying, "Uncle Sun, please come in."

Luo Jiaorong also smiled from the kitchen doorway: "So it is Uncle Sun. It is not easy to see you, sir. Last month, Zhengshan and I went to your home twice to pay a visit, but we did not see you. I did not expect you to have the leisure to come today."

Sun Jintang sighed and said, "There have been some issues at the shop during this time, and I have been running around outside all day, returning home very late every day. Niece Jiaorong, please do not take offense."

Luo Jiaorong smiled: "How could I dare, how could I dare. Please come into the house to drink some tea. I still have dishes cooking on the stove; I will be there in a moment."

Having said that, she entered the kitchen and let out a low hum under her breath.

Li Zhengshan hurriedly led Sun Jintang's family through the courtyard and into the house.

Along the way, Chen Shi and Sun Yan'er, mother and daughter, were observing everything around them.

The maids and servants stopped in the courtyard, and the gifts they brought were also placed to the side, not immediately carried inside.

Once inside the house, Li Zhengshan called toward the inner room: "Xiaohuan, come out and pour tea for the guests."

Xiaohuan was mending clothes in the room; hearing this, she hurriedly lowered her head and came out to fetch teacups, get tea, and pour water.

Boiling water was on the stove, so she could brew the tea directly.

Sun Jintang glanced at her and smiled: "Zhengshan, is this a maid you just bought?"

He remembered that there were no maids in this house before.

Li Zhengshan invited them to sit and smiled: "Bought her just two days ago."

At this time, Luo Jiaorong came over from the kitchen and smiled at the doorway: "My Zijun has grown up now, and he passed the exam to become a budding talent a while ago. He reads and writes every day and needs a maid to take care of him, so we bought one."

Sun Jintang nodded with a smile: "Indeed, a maid is necessary."

He then asked: "Didn't you send Zijun to the Pharmacy to study medicine? How did he suddenly go to take the exam for budding talent?"

Luo Jiaorong had originally wanted to show off that her younger brother had already become a budding talent, but seeing that he seemed to have known long ago, she let out a cold snort in her heart, though her face still carried a smile: "Studying and learning medicine at the same time does not get in the way. Besides, hehe, if one only learns medicine, given the status and position, one will always be looked down upon. Zijun has grown up now, and it is time for him to get married. If others ask and find out he is just an apprentice at a Pharmacy, which young lady would be willing to marry him? Uncle Sun, don't you agree?"

Sun Jintang gave an awkward smile and picked up his teacup, wanting to take a sip, but he was scalded and trembled, so he had to put the teacup back down and smile: "If one has good character and a clean family background, naturally there will be no shortage of young ladies who like him. However, niece Jiaorong is also right; the status of a scholar is indeed more popular."

Luo Jiaorong said with a face full of smiles: "That is true. Ever since my Zijun became a budding talent, there have been matchmakers coming to propose marriage every day. I am so dazzled by the choices that I do not know who to pick."

Li Zhengshan, who was to the side, hurriedly said: "Uncle Sun, drink some tea, drink some tea."

Then he looked at the young girl standing with her head lowered beside Chen Shi and said: "This must be Uncle Sun's Young Lady, right?"

Sun Jintang hurriedly said: "Yan'er, why don't you hurry up and pay your respects to your Brother Zhengshan and Sister Jiaorong!"

Sun Yan'er lowered her head, stepped out, bowed slightly, and said softly: "Yan'er greets Brother Zhengshan and Sister Jiaorong."

Li Zhengshan smiled and said: "No need to be so formal, we are all family. Uncle Sun, your Young Lady is born with a beautiful face and a gentle, graceful demeanor; she will surely be a blessed person in the future."

He was not good at complimenting people, and being able to say these few words was already quite good. Luo Jiaorong glanced at them and curled her lips without a word.

Sun Jintang sighed: "Alas, this girl has been spoiled by her mother. Now, whatever she does, she does not consult with us; she is very stubborn."

Chen Shi, who was to the side, could not help but say: "Yan'er has been reading and learning etiquette since she was young, and now that she has entered the Academy, she is not an ordinary woman, so naturally she has her own ideas. The teachers at the Academy have all said that when women study, they should have their own thoughts, and they can make their own decisions about many things. Parents' words are not necessarily always right."

Sun Jintang immediately shouted: "Shut up! Look at how you have spoiled her! How dare you talk nonsense!"

He then let out a long sigh, stood up, bowed deeply to Li Zhengshan and Luo Jiaorong, and said bitterly: "Zhengshan, niece Jiaorong, I, Sun Jintang, have let you down, and I have let down the ancestors of our two families. We came today specifically to apologize to you, alas..."

Luo Jiaorong kept a cold face and did not speak.

Li Zhengshan hurriedly stood up as well and said: "Uncle Sun, what are you saying? There is nothing to be let down about. The children have all grown up now, and some things cannot be forced."

He naturally knew why the other party had come today.

Since things had reached this point, there was no use in quibbling, as it would only make both families unhappy.

Seeing this, the expression on Sun Jintang's face became even more guilty, and he immediately turned his head and shouted: "Yan'er, why don't you hurry up and apologize to your Brother Zhengshan and Sister Jiaorong!"

!

Sun Yan'er bit her lip, turned away, and said in a low voice: "I didn't do anything wrong."

Sun Jintang was furious, immediately walked over, raised his palm, and shouted sternly: "You girl, how dare you talk back!"

Chen Shi hurriedly went to stop him.

Li Zhengshan also hurriedly went over, grabbed his arm, and persuaded him: "Uncle Sun, forget it, forget it, don't get angry. Yan'er has grown up, and now that she has entered the Academy, she must not be hit. As for apologizing or not, she is just a young girl; what sin could she have, what wrong could she have done?"

Having said this, he sighed and said: "The marriage between the two was decided by our ancestors. In the past, we indeed believed in the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers, but now the social climate has changed. Since the young ladies have entered the Academy, they are scholars, and such a lifelong matter also needs to be discussed with them. If they are not willing, we as parents cannot force them."

"As the saying goes, a twisted melon is not sweet. If the children are not willing, and we force them to live together, they will not be happy in the future, don't you agree?"

Sun Jintang heard his earnest words and selfless sentiment, and felt even more guilty: "Zhengshan, I... I have let you down!"

Li Zhengshan hurriedly tried to comfort him again.

Luo Jiaorong spoke from the side with an expressionless face: "Uncle Sun, there is no need for this. My Zijun has also become a budding talent now, and he will be taking the Academy exam next month, so he does not have to worry about not being able to find a wife. As for your Young Lady, Zijun also said that he is not worthy of her."

As soon as these words were spoken, Sun Yan'er's gaze immediately turned toward her.

Chen Shi hurriedly said, "That's right, Master. Zijun is a Cultivated Talent now, so he doesn't have to worry about not being able to find a wife. I know a few young ladies myself; if Zijun is willing, I can introduce a few to him when the time comes."

Luo Jiaorong snorted and said, "No need to trouble yourself. My Zijun knows plenty of young ladies."

Chen Shi glanced at her, smiled, and said nothing more, though she inwardly sneered: If he really knew plenty, would the two of you be coming to my door twice a month, wanting my Yan'er to marry into your family? With the way your family is, what good girl would be willing to come and suffer? They are probably all crooked melons and cracked dates, too unsightly to be seen.

Li Zhengshan offered a few more words of comfort before Sun Jintang finally sat down and suddenly asked, "Where is Zijun? Why don't I see him?"

Li Zhengshan said, "He is helping at the Pharmacy and hasn't returned yet, but he should be back soon."

Sun Jintang thought for a moment and said, "How about this. When Zijun returns, have him come to my shop. Let him learn there for a period of time, and when the time comes, I'll promote him to a manager; that would be better than being at the Pharmacy. If he gets into the Academy later, he will be able to earn his own money to pay the tuition."

Li Zhengshan's gaze turned toward his wife.

Luo Jiaorong immediately said in a flat tone, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle Sun, but there is no need. Zijun is doing quite well at the Pharmacy. He has plenty of time to study medicine while reading his books. Next month, he is also planning to take the entrance exam for the Academy."

Sun Yan'er suddenly asked, "Which Academy is he planning to apply to?"

Luo Jiaorong glanced at her and said indifferently, "That is his own business. I don't know either; you can ask him yourself."

Chen Shi suddenly laughed and said, "Jiaorong, there are only two good Academies in our Outer City: Linfeng Academy and West Lake Academy. The best one among them is West Lake Academy. My Yan'er studies at West Lake Academy, but it is very difficult to get in; my Yan'er also had to rely on some connections to be admitted. I hear it is even harder for men to get in. Not only do they need the status of a Cultivated Talent, but they also have to pass many exams, and only the few with the best scores are admitted. In my opinion, when Zijun returns, you can tell him to just apply to other Academies and stop thinking about these two. After all, he hasn't been studying for long, and other Academies are simpler and easier to get into."

Sun Jintang immediately barked, "He can apply to whichever Academy he likes! Does he need you to teach him? You woman, if you don't know how to speak, then shut your mouth!"

Chen Shi let out a low snort and said nothing more.

Sun Jintang pondered for a moment and glanced at the servants and gifts outside. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw two figures enter through the main gate, one after the other.

"Sister, Brother-in-law, I'm back. Senior Sister Ling'er has come as well."

Luo Zijun's voice rang out.

The gloomy expression on Luo Jiaorong's face immediately blossomed like a flower, and she went out to greet them at once.

(End of chapter)