Starting from a thatched cottage, the farmer embarked on the road to wealth through imperial examina

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Master Ye Changyan and his apprentice began to prepare for the trip.

Ye Xiaozheng and Lian wanted Fang Xiaotong to go to Shengjing with Ye Changyan. Fang Xiaotong had learned martial arts from Lu Tingfeng, and now his skills were quite impressive. After all, when Ye Changyan was away from home, Ye Xiaozheng and Lian would feel more at ease with someone with great skills following him.

However, Ye Changyan wanted to keep Fang Xiaotong at home while he was going on a long journey. The family business was growing bigger and bigger, so Ye Changyan would feel more at ease leaving the skilled Fang Xiaotong at home.

Ye Xiaozheng and his wife and Ye Changyan all considered each other, and for a while no one could convince the other.

Finally, Mr. Cai suggested that Fang Xiaotong stay at home, as he had Lu Tingfeng with him, who was Fang Xiaotong's master.

Ye Changyan discussed with Zhong Yunfeng again that now that the scale of the processing workshop is getting bigger and bigger, it is inevitable that it will attract the covetousness of some people. Ye Changyan suggested that it is time to equip the processing workshop with a security department.

Zhong Yunfeng also agreed with Ye Changyan's opinion and planned to include the Ye family in the security scope.

Regarding the future plans for the cattle farm, processing workshop and Yunfeng Building, Ye Changyan also explained his plans to Zhong Yunfeng.

After the cattle dealer drives back the third batch of cattle, the raw material supply of the processing workshop will be more fully guaranteed. And as Weihaojia's candies and pastries are spread in surrounding prefectures and major cities such as Yangzhou and Shengjing, it will attract more merchants from farther places.

Therefore, personnel training will be Zhong Yunfeng’s next key task. For example, Dalang and Silang can try to give them more authority and let them become the backbone of the processing workshop.

People like Li Rongxu, who have a quick mind, clear ideas and outstanding abilities, can gradually shoulder heavier responsibilities.

For someone like Erlang who works outside, after training him for a period of time, you can consider taking him with you to develop customers.

Yunfenglou's branches in Yuzhou Prefecture and Yizhou Prefecture are currently doing booming business. Ye Changyan will pay attention to the situation in Shengjing during his trip there, and may consider opening a branch in Shengjing when the time is right.

The next step is to focus on training or recruiting independent shopkeepers like Quan Youfang, so as to prepare for opening branches in more states in the future.

It’s not that Zhong Yunfeng had never thought about opening a branch in Shengjing, but when Ye Changyan said it, Zhong Yunfeng felt that it would become a reality in the near future.

Zhong Yunfeng is about to come of age, and after that he can apply for re-naturalization. After re-naturalization, the affairs of Yunfeng Building, processing workshop and cattle farm will gradually fade behind the scenes.

At the same time, Ye Changyan also suggested that Zhong Yunfeng should buy as much suitable land as possible when he saw one. After all, if he was re-registered as an agricultural worker, the more land he had, the better.

In the blink of an eye, it was August 28th. Li Baolin brought Li Rongxu to the Ye family's old house to formally propose marriage. As the matchmaker, Mr. Cai also went to the Ye family's old house.

Since Ye Xiaowen and the Xu couple were still in mourning, the arrangements for the marriage proposal were kept simple. Old Cai politely praised both the man and the woman, and Ye Xiaowen accepted the gifts brought by Li Baolin and his son. Two tables of banquets had already been prepared in the old house, and the Li father and his son were invited to stay. The third family was also invited to come over, and everyone had a meal together. The marriage between Li Rongxu and Da Niu was officially settled.

On the first day of September, Yunfeng Tower in Wanshou County was packed with people.

A few days before Yunfeng Tower, news had already been announced that Ye Changyan would finish telling the rest of the story of "White Snake" on the first day of September.

Not only scholars and students in Wanshou County, but many people in Yuzhou Prefecture also got the news and rushed over the day before.

Among them was Mr. Hao, whom I met through storytelling.

When everyone heard that Xu Shilin had passed the imperial examination and was ranked number one in the imperial examination, he came to Jinshan Temple in accordance with the emperor's order to rescue his mother. Xu Shilin knelt three times and kowtowed nine times, and knelt all the way to the Leifeng Pagoda. His filial piety moved the heavens, and a decree was issued from heaven, and Bai Suzhen was finally released from the Leifeng Pagoda.

There was thunderous applause in the Yunfeng Tower that lasted for a long time.

"The story of White Snake has officially ended here. To thank you all for your support over the past year, today I will present you a song with "White Snake" as the theme. I hope you like it."

There was a sudden burst of applause and cheers at the scene.

Ye Changyan still used the zheng as accompaniment and then began to sing.

"If we are destined to meet, we will meet even though we are thousands of miles apart...If we are not destined to meet, it will be hard to hold hands..."

The melodious singing accompanied by the crisp piano sounds spread to every corner of Yunfeng Building, and the audience on the scene were fascinated by the performance.

"A song of "Duqing", thank you all for your support, we will meet again if we are lucky!"

The audience was still intoxicated by the melody of "Du Qing" and could not calm down for a long time. When they heard Ye Changyan's farewell, thunderous applause and cheers rang out again in Yunfeng Tower.

In a blink of an eye, it was the sixth day of September. The father and son of the Zhong family brought generous gifts and formally came to the Ye family to propose marriage. Also, because Ye Xiaozheng and the Lian couple were still in mourning, the arrangements for the proposal were kept simple.

Lian arranged for Fang Xiaomei to bring Suqin, Duoer and Xueli, several maids, to prepare a fairly sumptuous feast early in the morning, and called everyone in the old house, as well as Lian's family members. Old Cai praised Zhong Yunfeng and Erniu, and with everyone's witness, the marriage between Zhong Yunfeng and Erniu was officially settled.

Ye Xiaozheng and his wife and Zhong Dingyi and his wife had already discussed it and decided to wait until Ye Xiaozheng and his wife were out of mourning before officially holding the wedding for Zhong Yunfeng and Erniu.

In fact, during the previous Peach Blossom Party, after Zhong Dingyi and his wife mentioned Erniu's marriage, Lian had already started saving up a dowry for Erniu. She thought that the Zhong family was of high status, and wanted to prepare a more generous dowry for Erniu so that she would feel more confident after marrying into the family.

Ye Changyan smiled and assured Lian that Zhong Yunfeng would definitely treat Erniu well, and that he would study hard, and that he would go to high school in the future, which would be Erniu's greatest confidence.

When Lian heard Ye Changyan's words, she felt warm in her heart, but she never stopped saving up a dowry for Erniu.

On the night before Master Ye Changyan and his apprentice left, Lian took out the luggage she had prepared for her son, which consisted of three large bags.

One of the bundles mainly contained some commonly used items, while the other two bundles were full of clothes, shoes and socks.

"Mom, you've prepared too much."

"I heard that Shengjing is much colder than Yuzhou Prefecture. It's almost late autumn. I'm afraid it will be winter by the time you get to Shengjing. These coats that mother prepared for you will be just in time for you. I heard that many people in Shengjing wear fur in winter, but Erniu and I have walked around the county and haven't seen any store that sells fur. So we can only prepare two more coats."

A mother worries about her son even when he is far away. Ye Changyan could understand Lian's feelings very well, so he did not refuse and accepted the several bags that Lian had prepared.

That night, Ye Xiaozheng and his wife repeatedly reminded Ye Changyan, and Ye Changyan also carefully explained to his family the things that needed attention at home.

"Dad, Mom, don't worry, I will send letters home every month. If you have any problems, please ask Wulang to write to me."