Chapter 622: Chapter 624: Moving

Once the family was seated, Ning Yuchen asked, "You haven’t mentioned to anyone these past few days that we have to move house, have you?"

Fang Yuan froze for a moment before shaking her head. She was the one who attended the most banquets; why would she bring up such a topic for no reason?

Madam Ning fumbled with her bowl and chopsticks, then suddenly paused. "Speaking of which, I just remembered. The landlord came by a couple of days ago. He said he’s taking this courtyard back and wants us to find a new place and move out by the end of the month. Look at my memory, how could I have forgotten something like that?"

Fang Yuan and Ning Yuchen both stared at her. Fang Yuan looked bitter. ’With the family’s current situation, how can we possibly withstand such an upheaval?’

Ning Yuchen hadn’t been promoted in years and was still just a seventh-rank imperial scholar in the Hanlin Academy. His salary was a set amount, but with so many social obligations in the Capital, it was impossible to save any silver.

Ning Yuchen knew this all too well. Besides contributing to household expenses, he had several social engagements of his own each month, leaving him with truly no surplus silver. Otherwise, when Lady Yao came to him for refuge, he wouldn’t have had to put her up in that small storage room.

"Did he say why? We’ve been living here just fine. To suddenly tell us to move, he has to give us a reason!"

Madam Ning said, "I didn’t ask. It’s just one courtyard. If he won’t rent it to us, we can just find another place."

Fang Yuan wanted to roll her eyes. ’She really doesn’t run the household, so she has no idea how expensive everything is.’

Moving to another courtyard was no simple matter. The miscellaneous costs would add up to another large sum of silver. She was already so frugal she wished she could tear a single copper coin in two, yet the old madam spoke with such an airy tone.

Ning Yuchen looked toward Fang Yuan. "How much silver do we have in the house?"

Fang Yuan made a hand gesture. "If we don’t cut back even more, we might have to start pawning our things just to survive."

"What are you trying to say? That you’ve bankrupted the Ning Family?" Madam Ning immediately shouted in her daughter-in-law’s direction. "You wasteful woman! You can’t even manage a household properly."

Fang Yuan had no desire to argue with her. "Don’t you know how much household money the Master gives me each month, Madam Ning?

"Thankfully, I’ve kept all the account books. I’ll send them to the Master’s study in a moment."

A look of embarrassment flashed across Ning Yuchen’s face. Although it was all true, it was also a reflection of his incompetence as the head of the household.

"I trust my wife," he said. "After dinner, I’ll go ask the landlord. If it’s possible not to move, we’ll just continue living here."

"My son," Madam Ning said, reaching out to grab Ning Yuchen’s hand. "This courtyard is so small, yet the rent is so high. Why don’t we find a better one?"

"Mother, it’s not that I don’t want to," Ning Yuchen said, knowing he couldn’t indulge his mother this time. "The distance from here to the Hanlin Academy is perfect. I can walk and still get home before dark.

"If we move somewhere else, there’s no telling if we’d find another place as suitable. And if it’s farther away, I’d be walking until midnight."

"Then... then let’s buy a carriage."

Ning Yuchen really didn’t want to discuss this topic any further. He had received some congratulatory gifts when he passed the imperial exam, but after all these years in Shangjing, with no property or other sources of income, those old savings were almost gone.

"There’s no silver in the house," Fang Yuan said bluntly, unable to stand how naive her mother-in-law was being.

"How is that possible?"

"If we had the silver, would the Master walk to the Hanlin Academy every day?"

... ’It might be true, but does she have to be so blunt about it...’

Fang Yuan paid them no more mind and simply ate her dinner, occasionally placing food into her two children’s bowls.

’As for that mother and son, whether they ate or not had little to do with her.’

Seeing her attitude, Ning Yuchen was helpless. He could only take matters into his own hands, placing food in his blind mother’s bowl. "Mother, please eat. The food will be cold soon."

"Sigh, how can I eat now? I thought that since you had made something of yourself and become an official, our family would be able to live a good life. I never expected that almost nothing would change."

Ning Yuchen was speechless. ’How has nothing changed? Before, we were living off my wife’s dowry. Now, we’re living off my salary.’

Looking at Fang Yuan across the table, who was still eating as if she had no other cares, a flicker of disdain crossed Ning Yuchen’s eyes. The thought of having to visit the landlord later made him force down a few more mouthfuls of rice before he lost his appetite completely.

After a journey of nearly two months, Ancient Wen Heng and his party finally arrived back in the Capital just before he was due to report on his duties.

No sooner had they entered the city than the stewards from various households, who had been waiting there, immediately rushed over to greet them.

Hu Dong and Nanny Ou were among them. The moment they spotted the familiar insignia on the Gu family’s carriage, they hurried over.

Ancient Wen Heng and Jin Qianqian’s faces lit up with joy at the sight of Hu Dong and Nanny Ou, whom they hadn’t seen in so long.

They bid farewell to the other families they had traveled with before leaving the city gate and heading to their respective manors.

"You’ve all worked hard during our absence." Upon entering the manor, Ancient Wen Heng saw that all the furnishings and decorations were exactly as they had been when they left.

"It was our duty," Hu Dong said, feeling a great sense of relief now that his master had returned.

Over the past few years, several factions had been constantly testing the waters, hoping to get a piece of the pie.

If not for his master’s outstanding performance and the successive commendations he received from the Holy Emperor, handling matters here would not have been nearly so convenient.

"You have all worked hard these past days. Everyone will be rewarded with two months’ of monthly silver," Jin Qianqian announced. Returning to a familiar place put her in a cheerful mood, and she naturally wanted to reward everyone.

"Le Huan," Ancient Wen Heng said, finally turning to his nephew. They had all been at the main gate to welcome them earlier, but that wasn’t the proper place to talk. "Is everything at home all right?"

Gu Lehuan replied, "Everything is fine. It’s just that the elders at home miss you very much, Seventh Uncle. They said they hope you can return for a reunion when you have time."

Ancient Wen Heng nodded. "We will. The journey was long, and a round trip wasn’t easy before. We’ll go back once things here are settled."

At this, Jin Qianqian reached out, took Xu Nuo’s hand, and patted it warmly. "I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you two yet. It’s such a pity we couldn’t make it back for your wedding."

Just then, Lichun brought over a wooden box. Jin Qianqian took it and placed it in Xu Nuo’s hands. "This is something your Seventh Aunt picked out for you two. A little something for you to wear."

Xu Nuo looked toward Gu Lehuan, but Jin Qianqian just laughed. "A gift from an elder cannot be refused. What are you looking at him for?

"Would he dare refuse a gift from me and your Seventh Uncle?"

Xu Nuo laughed heartily. "I’m just following the principle that a wife should defer to her husband."

Jin Qianqian laughed at her words. "Is that really true? Then that is truly the Gu family’s good fortune.

"But from the looks of Le Huan, I’d say it’s the other way around for you two!"

Xu Nuo had never encountered this side of Jin Qianqian before, and for a moment she didn’t know how to react, so she just smiled along.

Jin Qianqian didn’t mind. "You’ll get used to it. Our family isn’t so formal.

"If Le Huan ever bullies you, you just come and tell me. As long as you’re in the right, I’ll definitely help you put him in his place."

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