Beautiful Peasant Girl: The Young Marquis's Beloved

Chapter 55

When Liu Xu returned home, it was time for dinner.

The grain had already been delivered from the grain shop, and He Lei and others had already moved it to the granary in the backyard.

He Lei was the happiest person to know that Liu Xu had bought a bow and arrow. He planned to ask his wife and daughter for permission tomorrow and take the bow and arrow to go to the woods to sweep.

For lunch, Granny Fang cooked four dishes using the wild game they had hunted yesterday. Although they were not as delicious as Liu Xu had expected, they were still very good, and both the master and servant ate their fill.

After taking a walk and eating, Liu Xu returned to her study. The mushrooms were stable now, so she planned to plan the soup pot and stewed food. At this time, an unexpected but expected person came to her door.

"Miss, there's a man at the door who claims to be your grandfather and wants to see you." Uncle He reported at the door.

Liu Xu was stunned for a moment, and quickly asked him to invite them to the living room. To be honest, she had not paid attention to them since she told Chang Yifei about this family. After putting the previous drawings into the drawer and tidying up her clothes, Liu Xu went to the main room to inform her mother.

Xu Ruolan held Xu Ge'er, asked Yue Niang to hold Hao Ge'er, and stood at the door of the living room with her daughter waiting. Soon, Uncle He led Liu Dashan in.

Although he had seen this house from a distance before, this was the first time he had seen it up close, or even walked inside, and he couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

When Liu Xu saw Liu Dashan, she hurried over to him, held out her hand to help him in, and sat at the top. "Grandpa, how come you have time to come here today?"

"Dad!" Xu Ruolan hugged the child and bowed, calling in a gentle voice.

When Liu Dashan saw his little granddaughter, then looked at his daughter-in-law and grandchildren below, he was stunned, feeling very complicated.

When they were at home, they were skinny, especially the daughter-in-law, who had a big belly that was scary to look at. Now, less than half a year after leaving, the daughter-in-law is wearing new clothes and looks so dignified, like the wife of a wealthy family in the town. The two grandsons are plump and cute, and the granddaughter has grown taller, with fair and tender skin, like a young master or a young lady. From this comparison, we can imagine how harshly the mother and children were treated in their home.

Liu Dashan was thinking randomly until Huanxi brought the tea and placed it on the tea table beside him, and said respectfully:

"Old man, please have some tea." He came back to his senses.

He took a sip from the teacup. Although he didn't know what kind of tea it was, he knew it was good because of the sweet taste. Of course, this was the good tea Liu Xu bought when he went to the county town to entertain guests.

"It's nothing, it's just... you've moved to a new house, and grandpa wants to ask if you want to hold a house-warming party?" Liu Dashan stuttered, looking a little embarrassed.

"Of course we have to do it. We are considering how to invite everyone! My mother and I have no experience. We wanted to ask at home, but we were afraid that my grandma..." Liu Xu paused, and seeing that the old man's face was even more embarrassed, she quickly changed the subject:

"It's a good thing that you are here, Grandpa. Can you give us some advice, Grandpa?" Liu Xu pulled Liu Dashan's sleeve and said coquettishly.

"This..." Liu Dashan was stunned, looked at Xu Ruolan, and hesitated. Liu Xu quickly winked at her mother.

"Yes, Dad, the house-warming banquet is a big event. My husband is not at home now, and we are just an orphan and a widow, and we don't have any rules. Since you are here, I would like to trouble you to give us some advice, okay?" Xu Ruolan received the signal from her daughter and hurriedly replied.

Liu Dashan looked back and forth at the mother and daughter, thought about it, and nodded in agreement.

"Are you planning to invite everyone, or just those who are close to you?" Liu Dashan asked.

"Please invite them all! Grandpa, most of the people in our village are from our clan, and a few outsiders are now growing mushrooms. I thought we should just invite them all." Liu Xu said.

Liu Dashan looked at Xu Ruolan inquiringly again, and seeing that she also agreed, he spoke again.

"If you invite everyone, there are more than 30 households in our village, nearly 200 people, and the yard will definitely not be able to accommodate them. You can set up five or six tables in the yard, sit close to each other, and set up the rest on the road outside. As for tables, chairs, benches, bowls and chopsticks, the villagers used to borrow them from each other. Just remember them and give them a red envelope when you return them." It's true that having an old man in the family is like having a treasure. Although Liu Xu and his family can do it themselves, they are definitely not as meticulous as Liu Dashan.

"Also, preparing banquets is not like cooking at home. You have to find a chef who specializes in preparing banquets. You have to invite them two days before the banquet. First, they can taste the dishes. Second, the chefs have to match the dishes according to your requirements. If they come a day earlier, you will have time to prepare." Liu Xu and his mother nodded as they listened. The old man picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, then asked:

"By the way, have you decided what kind of banquet to prepare?"

"Ah, is there any explanation for this?" Liu Xu was surprised.

"You girl, of course there are. The ones with worse conditions have three meat dishes and three vegetable dishes with mixed flour buns. The average ones have four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes with brown rice. The better ones have eight and ten dishes. The meat and vegetable, hot and cold dishes are all fixed. The staple food is also rice and white flour buns. Have you thought about what to make?"

The first smile Liu Dashan showed when he came in was because of his little granddaughter.

"Well, then let's make ten dishes. Although our family may not be very wealthy now, everyone knows that we can make money by selling mushrooms. If we become shabby later, we will be criticized by others, right? Grandpa, mom, don't you think so?" Liu Xu asked the two of them with blinking eyes.

"I think it's OK, Dad, what do you think?"

"Since our family has the conditions, it's certainly possible." Liu Dashan nodded. After all, he is Donglai's biological father. If his son's family is successful and can hold such a big banquet, he should also be honored, right?

"By the way, second daughter-in-law, when are you going to do it?" Xu Ruolan's question made Liu Dashan feel very comfortable, so he paid more attention to it.

"Dad, this is what I thought. It happens to be Xuer's birthday on the third day of the junior high school entrance examination. If we hold the wedding on that day, it can also be considered as celebrating Xuer's birthday. What do you think?" Xu Ruolan said gently with a smile on her face.

"Okay, this is good. After her birthday, our girl Xu will be eight years old!" Liu Dashan touched Liu Xu's head lovingly.

"Today is the 28th, and there are only a few days left. Let's get ready. Have you thought of a chef to prepare the banquet?"

"My daughter-in-law is not familiar with these things. Dad, do you know anyone in this area?" In fact, Liu Xu originally told Xu Ruolan that she would go to Manager Chang to borrow a cook, but her father-in-law mentioned this, so he must have known someone, so she decided to do him a favor.

"I actually know a few. Your second grandfather's second daughter-in-law, Fang Erniang, is good at making cold dishes. The village chief's wife's brother, Wang Zhuzi, used to be the second chef in a restaurant. He can cook. Old man Wang at the east end of the village can cook. As for stews, that's simple. Someone in your family should be able to make it, right?"

"Yes, yes, Grandpa, my cook, Granny Fang, knows how to cook." Liu Xu nodded in response.

Liu Dashan: It’s incredible that his youngest son’s family already has a cook... But when I came in just now, it seemed that there were still quite a few servants in this yard, which is normal when I think about it.

"Well, as for the staple food?"

"Grandpa, I bought some old rice and flour today. I'll prepare a bowl of rice and a basket of steamed buns for the table. How do you think?" Liu Xu took over her grandfather's words.

Liu Dashan choked. This prodigal girl, he was still eating the mixed flour buns. He couldn't help but pat Liu Xu on the forehead:

"Girl, you have too much money! Why are you steaming white flour buns when you have rice? Aren't you afraid that others will eat at your rich house? I think you won't be able to steam enough buns! Just steam some mixed flour buns."

"Uh, Grandpa, you should just say it, why are you hitting me? Look at my big forehead, it might even turn red." Liu Xu said aggrievedly.

Liu Dashan glared at her and said, "Grandpa knows you made some money from selling mushrooms, but now you still have so many servants in your family, you should be more careful with your money and stop spending it lavishly." Then he looked at Xu Ruolan and said earnestly,

"Second daughter-in-law, you have to talk to her about this. She is still young and needs to be straightened out. Otherwise, she will develop a wasteful personality in the future and no one will dare to ask for marriage."

Xu Ruolan bowed her head and agreed, and the smile on her lips was almost unstoppable. Since her daughter woke up, her ideas became more and more arrogant, and she was sometimes really unable to convince her. The old man could say this now, which also meant that he really loved Xu'er, so she didn't say much.

"Grandpa, I'm actually less than seven years old, how can you talk about proposing marriage?" Liu Xu pouted.

Hearing this, Liu Dashan glared at her again. Liu Xu curled her lips and said, "You are the old man, you are right."

"By the way, on the day of the house-warming party...your mother and your eldest brother..." Liu Dashan felt a little embarrassed. His wife and eldest son's family had a falling out with the second son's family. But after all, they were a family connected by blood, so he still hoped to have a chance to ease their relationship.

Xu Ruolan opened her mouth when she heard this, but said nothing.

Liu Xu's face changed when she heard that, but when she saw the old man in front of her, she finally relaxed: "Grandpa, for your sake, they can come, but the premise is that they don't make trouble. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I will do. You can tell them that except for the maids, everyone in my yard knows martial arts. Don't blame me if they bump into anything."

Liu Dashan felt a little sad when he heard this, but he was more relieved. His little granddaughter had never loved him much since she was a child, and he only did his duty as a father when the family was divided. This girl not only did not blame him, but was so close to him. He felt guilty.

Liu Dashan's eyes were red as he patted Liu Xu's head. "Don't worry, Grandpa will tell them. If they make trouble, Grandpa will back you up. You can let the servants deal with them however you want. Just keep their lives."

"Well, thank you grandpa, you are the best to Xuer!" Liu Xuduan smiled and said nice words without asking for money, oh no, she threw them at her grandpa, which made Liu Dashan's eyes become more loving.

Xu Ruolan looked at the grandparents and grandchildren and smiled with relief. Fearing that the old man would be sad, she quickly picked up Xu Ge'er and handed him over.

"Dad, you haven't seen these two boys for a long time since we separated. Please hug them. They are so heavy now."

Liu Dashan quickly reached out to take it, looking at Xu Ge'er with a loving face: "Oh, grandpa's little darling grandson, he is so handsome, just like Donglai when he was a child."

Liu Chengxu gave the old man a toothless smile, saliva dripping down his chin. Liu Dashan quickly wiped it for him with his sleeve and smiled more kindly.

Liu Xu curled her lips: She clearly thinks that her younger brothers look more like their mother, while she looks more like her father.

"Is this the eldest or the second oldest?" Unfortunately, Liu Dashan could no longer see her at this time, his eyes kept looking back and forth between Xu Ge'er and Hao Ge'er.

"The one in your hand is the eldest brother, Xu Ge'er!" Xu Ruolan replied with a smile, and then took Hao Ge'er from Yue Niang's hands and carried him forward, "The one who is making trouble is Hao Ge'er. He has an impatient temper and a loud voice. When he howls, he can even blow the roof off."

Liu Dashan turned Xu Ge'er around, then reached out to take Hao Ge'er. He held the two little grandsons in his arms with a look of satisfaction on his face.

The old man and two children chatted for a long time, as if they were talking to a chicken and a duck. Liu Dashan then handed the child back.

Xu Ruolan and Yue Niang quickly took it.

"You have raised the two children very well. Thank you for your hard work." Liu Dashan looked at Xu Ruolan and said gently.

"Dad, please don't say that. It's my responsibility as a daughter-in-law to raise them well." Xu Ruolan replied gently.

"Hey, I don't know where Donglai is now, and how he is doing? It's all my fault... at the beginning..." Liu Dashan covered his face. He was obsessed at the time and made his youngest son serve in the army in place of his brother before he had a son. Fortunately, Xu was pregnant again, otherwise, what if... when he went down, how would he face his own son?

Xu Ruolan's eyes also turned red when she heard this.

Liu Xu quickly comforted them, "Grandpa, Mom, don't worry. My dad is so awesome. He will be fine. I even dreamed that he was wearing armor and riding a tall horse to pick us up!"

Oh, please forgive her for talking nonsense again. She really couldn't bear to see her mother and grandfather so sad.

"Really?" Liu Dashan immediately raised his head and asked anxiously.

"Yes, really, you forgot, my father is a famous hunter in Yuyang Town. He is so powerful, maybe he will be a general when he comes back." Liu Xu talked nonsense seriously.

"Yes, yes, yes, Donglai is so capable, he will definitely make great contributions." The old man looked longing, as if thinking of the scene described by his granddaughter.

Seeing Xu Ruolan also had a look of longing on her face, Liu Xu felt relieved. At that time, she didn't know that her mouth had been blessed.

At this time, Liu Donglai, who was far away in the military camp in the northern border, was bandaging the wound on his arm and staring in the direction of Yuyang Town in a daze.

A soldier came over and said, "Captain, the commander has summoned you to discuss matters."

Liu Donglai came back to his senses after hearing this, stood up, adjusted his armor, and walked towards the general's tent.