Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 262 - 98: The Temple Needs Renovation
"Xi Zi made the tofu herself, she learned the craft from someone and is making it at home! She plans to open a shop in town to sell it. The lunch was also made with it, so have a drink here, big brother!" Mr. Gu smelled the delicious aroma and couldn’t help feeling tempted, imagining how tasty the dish would be with a sip of wine!
"Then I won’t stand on ceremony, it really smells delicious!" Uncle Gu also enjoyed a small drink. For some time now, because of Gu Wanhua’s troubles, he hadn’t had a drink with Mr. Gu.
"Have you discussed the banquet for Xiao Bao? Have you picked a date? When do you plan to hold it?" Speaking of this, Uncle Gu felt deeply moved. How wonderful it would be if Hua could pass! But at least he cleared the county and prefectural examinations, otherwise, it would all start over three years later. He must push Hua to study more these two years, or else it will be even more difficult in three years!
"It hasn’t been decided yet; we’ll see at the time!"
"Then let’s set it for the eighteenth! I checked, it’s a good day. By the way, you must inform your elder sister; don’t forget!" Uncle Gu thought of Gu Xiu in Dalincun, Huaihe Town, who didn’t return this Dragon Boat Festival, which was odd as she had come often in previous years.
"We’ll send a message then." Mr. Gu took a puff from his tobacco pipe now and then.
"You’re really fortunate! Xiao Bao is so promising, while Hua isn’t making progress and failed the list. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be double happiness for our family?" The more Uncle Gu thought about it, the more regret he felt.
"Hua isn’t old yet; many at his age haven’t participated in exams much. What’s the rush? Perhaps next time he’ll become a Scholar." Mr. Gu could only comfort him, thinking that his Xiao Bao wouldn’t be like Hua, held back by being infatuated with a woman.
"Exactly! Ever since Yan Bi came into the house, Hua’s entire heart is focused on her, ignoring both his son and grandson’s wife." Uncle Gu truly couldn’t understand; Mrs. Xiao looked good, and Yan Bi wasn’t the absolute beauty. How could she charm Hua so completely?
What Uncle Gu didn’t know was that Mrs. Xiao had long given up on Gu Wanhua, intent only on living her life with her son, no longer bothering to please Gu Wanhua. She felt hate when she saw him.
Meanwhile, Gu Wanhua in Uncle Gu’s family was still daydreaming, imagining that Yan Bi might give him a son!
"That won’t do! How can Hua concentrate on his studies like this?" Mr. Gu despised those seductive-looking women whose very glance seemed to hook others. Some women cried easily, as if everyone was bullying them.
"Who says so? But he’s really invested in her! Alas, we’ll have to wait until his fascination passes to properly urge him onward!" Uncle Gu valued his pride deeply, and this time he was really troubled, otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to talk to Mr. Gu about it.
"Dinner is ready!" Mrs. Lv walked into the main room, tidying up the table. Seeing Uncle Gu there, she didn’t raise her eyebrows, only instructed Gu Wan to put down her work.
Uncle Gu felt slightly embarrassed, as Changqing’s family never showed him much friendliness.
For lunch, they had stir-fried tofu and pork wrapped bean curd knots, along with spicy tofu and stuffed oil tofu, with two vegetarian dishes, rounding off the meal.
Indeed, these dishes received universal praise.
"This tofu and oil tofu have a very unique flavor, and if you open a shop in town, it will surely attract business!" Uncle Gu complimented while eating.
"It’s quite delicious," Mrs. Lv rarely gave a compliment.
After the meal, Gu Xi proposed taking her leave. Now that she knew the method of making tofu products, she wanted to return early and collect more soybeans. As she was leaving, Gu Chengyu signaled to her outside and handed her five taels of silver, which was the capital for buying raw materials, to be repaid once she earned money.
"Elder sister, don’t worry about the shop; I’ll have someone keep an eye out in town and get back to you in a few days." Finding a shop would definitely be troublesome for Gu Xi, but since Yu Tuanzi had already returned, this task would fall to him.
"Ah, then thank you, elder sister. The shop isn’t urgent; take your time looking." Gu Xi clearly spoke insincerely, as she was more anxious than anyone else.
Gu Chengyu had Ming Yan drive the carriage to take them back. Wang Dou and Wang Tiantian waved to him. Young people bond quickly, and after just a morning they had grown familiar, plus the food and drink at their grandfather’s house were better than home, making it hard to leave.
Of course, Gu Chengyu wouldn’t insist they stay; the kids weren’t young, and were mainstays in their family’s labor. Without them, who would help Gu Xi with the household chores?
When back in the main room, they continued discussing the archway.
"The archway still needs to be built since, after all, it’s the first Scholar in our village!" Uncle Gu was now Clan Leader and village chief, and from any standpoint, he believed there should be one.
"Isn’t it said there isn’t enough silver in the clan?" The initial excitement in Mr. Gu had calmed down; their family shouldn’t contribute the funds all by themselves, or others might think they were arrogant. After all, who has heard of building an archway and plaque for oneself just because of becoming a Scholar; that would be shameless!
Uncle Gu was taken aback by this and then said, "Otherwise our Gu Family pitches in, and that should be enough to build a stone one. A wooden one in wind and rain easily breaks, needing repairs later, much too troublesome."
"Life is hard for the clan; how could we ask everyone to contribute silver for this? I think we should forget it!" Gu Chengyu disagreed; everyone’s life was difficult, and asking them to contribute silver for an archway, who would agree? Him becoming a Scholar brought what benefits to the clan?
Gu Chengyu actually underestimated the solidarity of the clan. If someone truly became a Scholar, the clan wasn’t unwilling to contribute silver. It was a great event to change one’s fortunes. If someone became a scholar or Advanced Scholar and became an official, it would uplift the whole clan. Saying one was a relative of an official would generally earn them respect.
"Why not? This is a major event for the whole clan, gather what there is, and if it’s not enough, then address it later. Rest assured, Xiao Bao, everyone will be willing."
"I think the archway should be forgotten. If I am fortunate enough to become a scholar or Advanced Scholar, then it can be built together. Now that my family is well off and has more resources, I want to renovate the ancestral hall, which would also be a contribution to the clan!"
Gu Chengyu originally did not plan this, but upon discussing it today, remembered it. The Gu Family’s ancestral hall was small, the house already dilapidated. Though covered in roof tiles, the walls were built with stones. Perhaps to save silver, bricks were not used.
Over the years, the gaps between the stones had widened and looked unsightly. Gu Chengyu didn’t plan to repair it, but intended to rebuild it entirely. Having money and since he came to the Dayan Dynasty and became part of the Gu Family, he felt it was only right to do something for the ancestors.
