Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 538 - 0501 Bought Everything (2)

Several Lou Family Ladies were stunned at Li Yu En’s audacity.

Who would have thought that this seemingly naive, stout country girl had such a sharp tongue?

Look at that, even the mother-in-law was left speechless.

Lou Chengye glanced at Li Yu En and took the opportunity to say, "Mother, there’s no coal fire in our room."

Lady Lou looked at Lou Chengye with a stern face and said, "Chengye, every winter, coal becomes scarce in the city. Even with money, it’s hard to come by. You usually just fool around and pay no attention to matters at home. Instead of worrying about family affairs, you ask me? Do you actually have the nerve to inquire about coal?"

Well, you just got married, and already you’re siding with your wife over your mother?

Lou Chengye was taken aback, "Isn’t there enough at home for us?"

"Not enough. Your room originally had a brazier, probably used too early and burned out. But don’t worry, I will arrange for someone to buy more coal. I certainly don’t want the reputation of an evil mother-in-law who freezes newlyweds to death."

After speaking, she gave Li Yu En a half-smile, half-smirk glance.

Li Yu En smiled sweetly, "Thank you, mother, for your care." She tugged at Lou Chengye, signaling him to thank Lady Lou as well.

Lou Chengye knew his mother well; saying wasn’t necessarily doing.

He did not thank her, only said, "I hope mother won’t forget."

Lady Lou sneered, "As if I usually forget about your matters."

According to tradition, on the second day of marriage, one should serve tea to parents-in-law and elders.

This morning’s incidents delayed them well past the morning.

Lady Lou said, "Forget it, no need to serve tea, go see the Old Lady and the Old Master."

She waved a hand at the young couple.

Lou Chengye pulled Li Yu En up, "Yes, mother."

The two of them left.

Lady Lou smiled, "Although the fifth brother’s wife is young, she is pleasing to the eye."

Lady Lou snorted lightly, Pleasing?

Annoying!

.

Li Yu En followed Lou Chengye, leaving Lady Lou’s main room and headed to Prefect Lou’s study.

Prefect Lou was busy with official matters, discussing drought management with a few subordinates.

But he still received Li Yu En and Lou Chengye.

The three subordinates knowingly stepped aside.

Li Yu En bowed gracefully, "Daughter-in-law pays respects to father."

Lou Chengye also saluted, "Father."

Prefect Lou raised his hand kindly towards Li Yu En, "Rise."

Lou Chengye stood up as well.

Prefect Lou glared at him, "After starting a family, you should settle down, live well, and treat people kindly, no more mischief."

His voice was stern, and Lou Chengye only dared to lower his head, not daring to make a sound, "Yes, father."

Li Yu En watched his demeanor, lips pressed tightly to contain a smile.

Prefect Lou also couldn’t keep scolding his son, mentioned he still had work and told them to visit the Old Lady.

Lou Chengye quickly pulled Li Yu En, escaping from the Prefect Lou’s study.

The two headed to Old Lady Lou’s quarters, and Li Yu En asked, "Lou Chengye, why didn’t we see the Old Lady during last night’s wedding ceremony?"

Lou Chengye replied, "I heard from the household that the Old Lady caught a chill these past days and has been coughing, so she couldn’t be in the draft, hence didn’t attend the ceremony. It’s the same that we’re visiting her now."

Li Yu En had little interaction with elders and was worried Old Lady Lou might be difficult, so she asked, "What kind of person is the Old Lady? Tell me, I don’t have a grandmother at home and have never interacted with elderly ladies."

Lou Chengye laughed, "My grandmother is great, utmost kind to me in this family."

Li Yu En looked at him, "She treats you well, yet you run outside?"

Lou Chengye blushed, "I... I want to make a career."

Li Yu En chuckled, "But your career hasn’t materialized yet."

Lou Chengye sighed, "Could you not discourage me, okay? I will have a career in the future."

Li Yu En held his hand, laughing, "Haha, but you did marry a wife."

Her laughter prompted Lou Chengye to laugh as well, "Yes, didn’t leave for nothing."

The two of them affectionately holding hands, together walked into the Old Lady’s courtyard.

Second Lady Liu followed behind them, thinking how well they got along, truly enviable.

Inside Old Lady Lou’s courtyard, it was extremely quiet, and with the cold, there wasn’t a single maid or servant in sight.

However, from the main house came occasional laughter.

A maid, holding a hand warmer, sat at the door stamping her feet. Upon seeing them, she quickly stood up, "Fifth Young Master, Fifth Young Madam."

She lifted the curtain and reported inside, "Fifth Young Master and Fifth Young Madam are here."

Li Yu En and Lou Chengye, along with Second Lady Liu, walked into the main house.

Sitting at the top inside was a round-faced gray-haired elderly lady who coughed a couple of times, glancing sternly at Lou Chengye, "You’re finally willing to come home." Upon seeing Li Yu En, her face turned to a smile, "Is this Chengye’s wife? Wonderful, come, come, let me have a look."

Li Yu En stepped forward and bowed, "Granddaughter-in-law pays respects to grandmother."

Second Lady Liu also followed with a bow, "Old Lady."

Old Lady Lou was very happy and repeatedly called for someone to bring meeting red envelopes.

She gave a big red profit envelope to Li Yu En and a pouch to Second Lady Liu.

Second Lady Liu pinched the small cloth bag and found it quite heavy.

She happily thought, Li Yuzhu was right, working at a wealthy household comes with generous rewards. Just this amount of money would take her ten days to half a month to earn in the countryside.

But thinking about it, while the money is easy to earn, the freedom isn’t there. Look, here a greeting, there a greeting, and she can’t easily leave the manor.

Lou Chengye frowned, "Grandmother, where’s my red envelope?"

"No! You snuck away without saying a word to this old lady and still want a red envelope? Dream on! Step aside." Old Lady Lou waved him off disdainfully, but called Li Yu En to sit beside her instead.

Lou Chengye sighed, looking like a bullied little wife, with his head hanging down.

Li Yu En pursed her lips into a smile.

Old Lady Lou held Li Yu En’s hand, "I’ve been coughing these days, and the doctor said I shouldn’t be exposed to wind, so I didn’t attend your wedding ceremony last night. Don’t be upset, alright?"

Li Yu En didn’t mind much and said with a smile, "I’m not upset, your health is important, Old Lady."

She had a fair and tender baby face, delicate brows, and always spoke with a smile, radiating joy.

Old Lady Lou liked her at first glance.

She called for tea, fruits, and snacks, asked Li Yu En what she liked to eat, and had lunch prepared, inviting her to stay for lunch.

Li Yu En wasn’t shy and listed out her favorite foods.

Old Lady Lou was also a lover of good food.

She joyfully said, "Ah, my granddaughter-in-law, you and I share the same taste, what you like is what I like too."

The maid standing by said flatteringly, "Old Lady, Fifth Young Madam truly has a great connection with you."

Old Lady Lou was pleased, "Indeed, look at us, we even look alike. This isn’t a granddaughter-in-law; this is a granddaughter!"

Second Lady Liu stifled a laugh, knowing well it was the grandson who resembled her.

This Lou Family had four sons resembling Lady Lou, only the fifth son resembled Prefect Lou, and Prefect Lou resembled Old Lady Lou.

All with a plump build and a round face.

After chatting for a while, it was soon noon, and Old Lady Lou arranged for lunch.

Due to her illness, Old Lady Lou couldn’t eat many dishes, but she enjoyed seeing her favorite foods on the table.

So, she would look at the dishes daily and then have the maids and servants eat them.

Today, she let Li Yu En and Lou Chengye eat them.

Both had a great appetite, eating heartily, making Old Lady Lou happier watching them eat.

After lunch, Old Lady Lou kept Li Yu En by her side to talk, sending Lou Chengye to busy himself with work.

Lou Chengye had no work to attend to or household matters to manage.

Leaving Old Lady Lou’s courtyard, he didn’t know what to do.

Feeling bored, he remembered what Li Xingsheng had mentioned.

Lou Chengye perked up and went to the guest room to find Li Xingsheng, "Second Brother, what was the matter you mentioned this morning?"

Li Xingsheng chuckled coldly inside, "What’s the matter? A big one."

"Have you sorted out the coal issue in your house?" Li Xingsheng asked.

Lou Chengye furrowed his brows, "My mother said she would solve it soon."

"So, there’s still no coal tonight?" Li Xingsheng’s expression darkened.

Lou Chengye thought for a moment, "I’ll leave the estate to look for some to bring back."

Li Xingsheng said, "I wanted to handle this myself, let’s go together."

Lou Chengye looked embarrassed, "How can I let Second Brother go to buy coal for Yu En? I’ll go myself."

Li Xingsheng smiled, "How much do you plan to buy?"

Lou Chengye said, "My mother said now it’s hard to buy even with money; whatever we can buy will do."

"Whatever we can buy will do? That’s what you said." Li Xingsheng patted his shoulder, "Let’s go, buy some coal."

Lou Chengye blinked, why did he feel Second Brother’s smile was strange?

The two took a carriage driven by Liu Er out of the estate.

On the street, he led Li Xingsheng to inquire along the way about where coal was sold.

They arrived at the largest charcoal market and found every shop piled with charcoal.

Lou Chengye, in his heart, blamed his mother for saying the city lacked charcoal and couldn’t be bought even with money.

But what was this piled here?

Li Xingsheng entered a shop, and the shopkeeper immediately greeted him warmly, "Dear sir, how much charcoal would you like to buy? These are all premium smokeless charcoal. Many wealthy households in the city buy from me."

After asking the price, Li Xingsheng pointed to the piles of charcoal stacked high, "I want all of these, deliver them to the Prefect’s house, payment upon delivery."

The shopkeeper was shocked, though the Prefect’s family had many members and wealth, they didn’t need thousands of charcoal, right? Was there space to store them?

Seeing his surprise, Li Xingsheng added, "The Prefect’s wife was concerned the new daughter-in-law’s room lacked coal, worried she might get cold, and specifically instructed me to buy a lot."

Lou Chengye was also surprised; his mother had mentioned buying charcoal?

Li Xingsheng patted Lou Chengye’s shoulder, "This is what you said, whatever we can get will do. These coals are premium smokeless ones; with the weather turning cold, it’s likely they’ll soon be out of stock. Best to buy them in advance, am I right, Chengye?"