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There were no people from outside the village in Jiang’s Village.
Jiang Youcheng, being straightforward, was about to respond this way.
However, Jiang Mixia promptly asked, “Brother Zhu, are you thinking of settling down in Jiang’s Village?”
Zhu Yongwu nodded somewhat sheepishly, “I have been considering it, but I don’t know if Jiang’s Village will accept us.”
Finally, he added, “Originally, I wanted to go and find my maternal uncle and cousin, but there has been no contact for so many years. I have no idea what it would be like, and I’m not sure about the situation. The people in Jiang’s Village are very kind, and Guangtai likes it here. I’m thinking about whether we can stay.”
“I still have some money, enough to build two houses for shelter from the wind and rain. I can rent a few acres of land to work on, and that should be enough for us to sustain ourselves. Right now, it all depends on whether Jiang’s Village is willing to accept us. If they are willing, I’m also willing to contribute some money to the village ancestral hall.”
Living in a village of the same surname is about seeking protection. In the future, if any issues arise, it’s the village that will stand up for you, so it’s important to donate to the ancestral hall.
Zhu Yongwu understood this principle.
“I understand your intentions,” Jiang Youcheng said, nodding as he grasped Zhu Yongwu’s purpose. “As soon as I finish my meal, I’ll go and discuss this matter with the village head.”
“Thank you, Uncle,” Zhu Yongwu said, reaching for his purse.
“Don’t rush. Let me clarify first. It’s not too late for you to bring it up after I’ve spoken with them,” Jiang Youcheng advised.
During this period, Jiang Youcheng had interacted with Zhu Yongwu quite a bit and found him to be an honest and straightforward person. If he was willing to settle down in Jiang’s Village, then Jiang Youcheng was inclined to support his decision.
As for the matter of donating money to settle down in the village…
Although Zhu Yongwu had mentioned selling his house and land and having some money, Jiang Youcheng suspected that these assets were sold in a hurry during a time of conflict, likely fetching lower prices. The value of the money in his hands would probably be limited.
In such matters, the idea is to allow outsiders seeking refuge to benefit reasonably from the clan’s hospitality, rather than treating it as a straightforward transaction. Therefore, the amount of money involved shouldn’t be excessive. The goal was to ensure that the father and son could sustain themselves in the days to come, so it would be best to keep the contribution reasonable.
This was the perspective Jiang Youcheng shared with Jiang Zhengxin, the village head, who was well-versed in village affairs and had been attentive to Zhu Yongwu, currently residing with the Jiang family while he recovered.
Upon realizing that Zhu Yongwu was also an honest and earnest person, Jiang Zhengxin felt relieved. Upon hearing Jiang Youcheng mention Zhu Yongwu’s desire to settle in Jiang’s Village, Jiang Zhengxin scratched his head.
“Settling down is not a problem, but as for the money…”
“That’s exactly the point,” Jiang Youcheng interjected. “I see that both the father and son are in a difficult situation. Perhaps we can consider reducing their contribution or allowing them to pay it over a few years. After all, settling down involves various expenses, and it’s best to help them get established first.”
“Yes, that makes sense.”
Jiang Zhengxin found Jiang Youcheng’s words reasonable and also felt that Jiang Youcheng was a good messenger for this matter. He decided that he needed to have a proper conversation with Zhu Yongwu about this.
Given Zhu Yongwu’s ongoing foot injury, Jiang Zhengxin went to Jiang Youcheng’s house.
This discussion took the entire morning.
However, the matter of Zhu Yongwu settling in Jiang’s Village was eventually settled. He would donate ten taels of silver to the village, but it didn’t need to be paid all at once. He would give five taels in the first year, and the remaining five would be paid over the next four years. As for housing, Zhu Yongwu could tidy up a piece of land on the outskirts of the village in the spring and build two houses with a small courtyard.
After the Lunar New Year, Jiang Zhengxin would assist Zhu Yongwu and his son with a trip to the county to handle some household registration procedures. As for Zhu Yongwu’s seniority in the village, it would be based on how he usually addressed Jiang Youcheng as “uncle,” placing him in the same generation as Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun.
In general, most matters were clarified, and Zhu Yongwu felt assured. He repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Jiang Youcheng and Jiang Zhengxin.
“You’re family now, no need to be so formal. If there’s anything you need in the village, just come to me, no need to be polite,” Jiang Zhengxin assured.
After the morning’s conversation, Jiang Zhengxin found Zhu Yongwu to be modest and honest, which only increased his favorable impression of him.
“Thank you, Uncle Zhengxin.”
Although he was told not to thank them, Zhu Yongwu couldn’t help but express his gratitude. Due to the weather and Zhu Yongwu’s foot injury, the construction of the house would have to wait until spring. Since there were no other vacant houses in the village, Zhu Yongwu and his son spent the New Year at Jiang Youcheng’s house.
Due to the improvements in Jiang Mixia’s condition and the earnings she and Song Jingyun had contributed to the family throughout the year, the family had been living comfortably. This year’s New Year celebration was more lavish and lively than usual. With Zhu Yongwu and his son joining, this year’s celebration was truly exceptional.
Jiang Mixia, a modern “996” worker, was used to being on call during the Lunar New Year, being part of the workforce that never stops. She had never experienced a relaxed and traditional New Year celebration since starting work. Experiencing customs such as grinding tofu, slaughtering chickens, and steaming mantou (steamed buns) now felt quite intriguing to her.
Song Jingyun also thoroughly enjoyed the New Year festivities. Since the Little New Year, the daily meals had become particularly lavish. The pot of meat simmering each day, the fragrant fried chicken and fish pieces, and the thick slices of fried tofu combined with finely shredded cabbage for a delicious salad…
Not to mention the various pastries, dried fruits, and candied fruits purchased from the county town.
Song Jingyun felt like he never got hungry. With constant eating, his mouth hardly had a chance to rest.
For Zhu Guangtai, the house had always been quiet. He had never experienced such liveliness, especially being able to play with Jiang Chunyu and Jiang Maihua, enjoying a variety of activities. Guangtai’s face was almost always adorned with a smile from morning till night, leaving his cheeks feeling almost sore from all the smiling.
Jiang Youcheng and Liu shi watched the lively scene in their home, feeling immensely gratified. The lines on their faces deepened slightly due to the abundance of smiles.
In any case, the New Year was both lively and joyful.
As time flew by, after the New Year came the Lantern Festival, followed by the end of the old year and the beginning of a new, bustling one.
Zheng grocery store issued new orders, and some scattered wholesalers came to place orders.
After a whole new year of rest during the New Year, the workshop began bustling with activity once again.