Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 446 - 410: Visiting the Li Family
To be honest, Yu Xiaolian didn’t sleep well at all last night. She thought her sleep was restless enough, but Su Jinghua was even more so.
This little one was truly lacking a sense of security, constantly burrowing towards her until she covered her with her blanket and used her arm as a pillow, at which point the little one finally settled into a deep sleep.
Yu Xiaolian wondered if Su Jinghua used to cry herself to sleep every night when she slept alone.
Yu Xiaolian felt even more pity for Su Jinghua.
No matter how many faults her mother Yao might have, they were not Su Jinghua’s responsibility.
People are not born bad, and Su Jinghua is still a blank slate. She should guide her well and treat her kindly.
Yu Xiaolian helped Su Jinghua get dressed, then instructed her to put on her shoes and go wash up.
Yu Xiaolian taught Su Jinghua to wash her face with essential oil soap and brush her teeth with a toothbrush.
She decided she would personally take care of this little girl’s clothing, food, housing, and transportation until she grew up.
"Sister-in-law, so you need to brush where the teeth meet too? You’re teaching me in such detail!" Su Jinghua used to brush her teeth before, but no one ever taught her the detailed steps. She used to just scrub randomly a few times.
Yu Xiaolian took a new pure cotton white towel and personally wiped Su Jinghua’s little face. "After breakfast, I’ll go out for a bit, just over an hour. You stay home with Grandmother Dai, and I’ll bring back some tasty pastries for you!"
"Okay!" Su Jinghua agreed cheerfully.
Yu Xiaolian and Zhao Sanyan carried gifts and arrived at the address given by Li Mingtan, and Zhao Sanyan went forward and knocked on the Li Family’s door.
Yes, it was the Li Family, not the Wu Family.
Ever since Li Mingtan became a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, he no longer wanted to live under someone else’s roof, so he rented this two-courtyard house in the east of the city. Yes, rented, he couldn’t afford to buy it.
His father-in-law wanted to lend him money to buy a house, but he refused.
Li Mingtan had only returned home from the Examination Hall yesterday, having gotten two days off because the Spring Examination had begun smoothly.
When leaving the Examination Hall, Yu Xiaolian had said hello to Li Mingtan, so when Zhao Sanyan knocked on the door and explained their purpose, she and her servant were warmly welcomed inside.
After a brief conversation, Yu Xiaolian learned that the person who opened the door for them was Li Mingtan’s sister-in-law, and the Li household currently had no servants, only family members.
Once Yu Xiaolian was led into the living room, Li Mingtan and the Wu woman quickly came over.
"Oh my, it really is the girl from the Yu Family!" The Wu woman looked spirited, clearly happy to see Yu Xiaolian.
"Sister-in-law!" Yu Xiaolian thought that since Li Mingtan wasn’t willing to act as her uncle, she would respect his wishes and call the Wu woman sister-in-law instead.
However, her calling her that left the Wu woman a bit stunned.
"Child... weren’t you calling me aunt before?" The Wu woman was a bit confused. They used to regard the Sun and Wu wives as sisters, and her husband and Yu Changhe as brothers. Why was Yu Xiaolian now calling her sister-in-law?
Seeing the awkwardness on both the Wu woman’s and Yu Xiaolian’s faces, Li Mingtan quickly explained to the Wu woman, "Since Xiaolian is now a seventh-rank scholar, she’s on the same level as me. Calling her niece would be taking advantage, so from now on, we’ll address each other as siblings."
The Wu woman oh-ed, still feeling a bit awkward, but she quickly moved past it and began asking Yu Xiaolian about the Sun woman.
"My mother didn’t come; she’s still in Luocheng. She’s in good health and such. I just came with my husband to the Capital and didn’t expect to run into Brother Li at the Examination Hall. I thought I’d come see you since we’re old acquaintances in a foreign place."
Yu Xiaolian had come along with her new husband to participate in the exams, which the Wu woman had heard from Li Mingtan. She was quite shocked that Yu Xiaolian was now on the same level as her husband. She couldn’t understand how an ordinary woman had become such an important official and how she gained the favor of Elder Fu.
The Wu woman was curious, and so were the other members of the Li family, so when the Wu woman inquired about these things, everyone in the Li Family perked their ears up to listen attentively.
On learning that Yu Xiaolian had been recognized for her outstanding mathematical talent, everyone marveled in wonder.
"Sister-in-law, does your entire family rely on my Brother Li to support you?" Yu Xiaolian asked in a low voice.
Now that Yu Xiaolian was a seventh-rank official, she knew that the salary for a seventh-rank officer was forty-five silver coins a year. Apart from the salary, there was an additional merit pay of around forty silvers, plus grain pay, amounting to just over a hundred and twenty silver coins a year.
Of course, Yu Xiaolian had found this out from Liu Jianshi, and she had yet to receive a single penny of her salary!
If the entire family depended solely on Li Mingtan without doing any other work, it would indeed be a heavy burden for Li Mingtan.
The Wu woman replied to Yu Xiaolian in a lowered voice, "Yes, all these people are not good at anything."
She had suggested many times over the years that they should split the household, but her husband wouldn’t agree.
Her husband felt that his family had come to the Capital for his sake, and separating from them would be like forcing his brothers and nephews into hardship.
But the cost of living in the Capital was extremely high. After paying three silver coins a month for rent, their family lived quite frugally, occasionally needing the Wu woman’s family to help make ends meet.
"I wanted them to go earn a little money. The year before last, I borrowed money from my family to let my eldest brother-in-law set up a wonton stand, but he quit in less than a month, claiming no one came to eat there.
Last year, I suggested his brothers go to the docks to do some cargo lifting, but your Brother Li thought it was disgraceful work and wouldn’t let his brothers do it.
Sigh, I’m at my wit’s end. Recently, I’ve been asking my father to arrange a government official post for my brothers-in-law, but even though I’ve been assured, nothing has come of it even after three months!"
Yu Xiaolian glanced at Li Mingtan’s three brothers in the living room. Though all wore long gowns, they looked somewhat awkward.
Generally, a farmer changing into long gowns might not project elegance, but they shouldn’t look awkward. After another glance, Yu Xiaolian discovered the issue.
Their clothes were poorly fitted, possibly not their size, and the colors didn’t suit their skin tones.
The Wu woman noticed Yu Xiaolian’s confusion and smiled helplessly, "My mother-in-law insisted on having Mingtan take out the long gowns for his brothers to wear when she learned there would be guests. There’s nothing I can do about her!"
Seeing Yu Xiaolian and the Wu woman exchanging whispers and occasional disdainful glances their way, the old Li woman became displeased. She deliberately cleared her throat loudly and said, "Where’s my little grandson? Go bring him here to show the guests!"
