After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

Those who were secluded in their studies were completely unaware of the wind and snow outside.

Their world is free from wind, snow, and bitter cold; it is filled only with mountains of books and seas of exercises.

Bunches of hair hung from the roof beams, and a sharp awl was placed neatly next to the brush washer.

Of course, it wasn't stained with blood; it was still shiny and clean.

Rather than using it to wake you up, it's more accurate to say it's used to intimidate you. After all, if you actually puncture it and get tetanus, wouldn't that be a greater loss?

After all, they are all quite valuable scholars who have passed the imperial examinations; we cannot afford to lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of small gains.

As the year drew to a close, Lin Yueniang and several young ladies from the Jiang family got busy, whether they were engaged and had become nuns or were still unmarried.

As the youngest and only son of the family, Jiang Xiaoqi, the little golden nugget, became the most idle person in the Jiang family.

But they were good at finding things to do. Wenbin, Li Mo, and A Niu were dragged out, ostensibly to help the three improve their martial arts skills.

Wenbin was at his wits' end. His father, who had recently become the housekeeper, was constantly making him do this and that, and the young master even had to do extra training...

Please! It's your business if you're free, young master, but I, Wenbin, am not!

Jiang Xiaoqi didn't care about any of that; she just needed to practice cooking more!

What a perfect training environment in this freezing weather!

Holding Wenbin's hand with one hand, he beckoned Li Mo and A Niu to the newly renovated training ground with the other.

It's too cold, so I only cleared out a section of the abandoned garden, and I don't plan to plant any flowers or plants there next spring.

Even compacted soil is not suitable for the growth of flowers and plants.

Once the land has been cleared, we'll have Master Lin Feng bring over cement to level this wasteland properly.

I've been corresponding with Master Lin for the past few years, it's been a long time since we last met, and all that's been happening is the steady stream of money he's sending over.

Silver was just a byproduct; he already had mountains of gold and silver in his own space.

What he wanted was to add an extra layer of insurance for the entire Chiang family...

"Today we'll practice a new move. Watch me demonstrate it."

Wenbin inwardly groaned, but had no choice but to stand there with a stiff upper lip. A Niu and Li Mo, on the other hand, were eager to try, their eyes shining.

Jiang Xiaoqi moved with agility, executing a new set of sword moves with fluid grace, leaving Wenbin and the others dazzled.

Just then, one of the female guards that Lin Yueniang brought rushed over and called out, "Young Master, Madam wants to see you. She says she has something to discuss with you."

Jiang Xiaoqi turned around, put the soft sword back into his belt, and told the three of them to go to the newly placed weapons area and choose a sword to practice with. Then he left the temporary training ground.

Wenbin breathed a sigh of relief and was about to slack off when Li Mo quickly added, "Young Master should be back soon!"

Wenbin rolled his eyes at Li Mo, but still obediently picked up a lighter longsword and tried to repeat the moves he had just made.

backyard

Lin Yueniang and her daughters were sorting out the families they needed to send gifts to for the New Year, and the Jiang clan chief and the Jiang Tongzhi family of Xinghe Prefecture were definitely among them.

I sent someone back at the beginning of the month, along with gifts for my mother-in-law, Madam Jiang, and the twin sisters, the fifth and sixth daughters.

Then there are the Dong family and the Li family. The Dong family is also in Xinghe Prefecture, so naturally they were sent along with the first two portions.

The Li family lived far away, near the sea, and were among the first group to set off. They were sent off together with those going to Yunqing Mountain to deliver supplies to Ouyang Zheng, and they departed even earlier.

As for the Xue family, firstly, it hasn't been settled yet, and secondly, the Xue family members are already on their way to the capital, so even if they send festival gifts, they will arrive empty-handed.

It would be more practical to wait for them to arrive and then treat them well.

These are the five places where gifts need to be delivered in advance. All arrangements have been made, and if you travel quickly, they will be delivered gradually in a few days.

Besides these five families, there's also the Tan family in the capital, and Master Ouyang Qun, who just returned to the capital. These are the only two families the Jiang family has any dealings with.

As for the Liu family, prepare a copy as well, but they won't come to their door.

All told, there are only eight or nine families I need to visit during the holidays, so it's quite convenient since there's not much social interaction.

Lin Yueniang felt that if her family really stayed in the capital, this year would be the only time they could have some peace and quiet. If they settled down here in a couple of years, they would probably have to start preparing for the New Year's gifts three months in advance.

This is not an exaggeration. When fathers-in-law, husbands, and sons-in-law become officials, they will have colleagues. With colleagues come endless social obligations and interactions. There is always give and take.

Over time, this will form a complex web of personal relationships, becoming increasingly intricate. Unless one chooses to remain a lone minister, which is unrealistic.

"Mother, the gift lists for the Ouyang, Tan, and Liu families are ready. Please take a look."

Jiang Lan'er handed three gift lists to Lin Yueniang; her delicate handwriting now had a stronger touch than before.

"Yes, this arrangement is appropriate. Let Butler Wen make the arrangements."

Jiang Lian'er also made a list of all the items needed for the New Year's gifts, so that she could send someone to purchase them at any time.

"Yes, Lian'er did a good job too. Let Yuan Hong and the others go out to buy things, a little earlier, so that everything won't be sold out before the end of the year."

"Madam, the young master has arrived!"

Jiang Xiaoqi entered the warm and cozy room and greeted her sisters one by one when she saw them all.

"Come over here and warm up."

Upon seeing her son, Lin Yueniang smiled. Thinking of what she was about to say, she asked her eldest daughter to take her younger sisters to get busy.

"Mother, is something the matter?" Jiang Xiaoqi casually sat down on a round stool next to the octagonal table, without going into the inner room, so as not to pass the cold air to her mother.

"There is something, but it's a good thing. Your grandfather asked me to do it a few days ago, but I've been so busy that I forgot about it."

"What did Grandfather instruct you on? Is it about my sisters?" Jiang Xiaoqi asked casually after taking a sip of hot tea.

"Huh? That's strange. I haven't even said anything yet, and you've already guessed it's about your sister?"

"What Grandfather specifically instructed Mother to do, besides the arrangements for the family's New Year celebrations and the important matter of her children's marriages, what else could it be?"

My mother and sisters have almost finished arranging the New Year's celebrations, so all that's left is the children's weddings. I'm only ten years old, so it's definitely not my concern. It's my third and fourth sisters who are about to come of age.

"Has Grandfather taken a liking to a young man from some family and wanted to arrange a marriage for my third and fourth sisters?"

"You little rascal, why can't it be your business?"

You're ten years old now, and eleven after the New Year. It's a bit early, but it's not a bad thing to start looking early, so that the good ones don't all get snatched up by others.

Lin Yueniang deliberately teased her son, and she saw that her usually composed and self-controlled son looked a little unnatural. Look, he is still a child after all, and he can still be shy and embarrassed.

"Mother, please stop teasing me."

Jiang Xiaoqi wasn't actually shy; it was just that while he had accepted his identity as a man, it didn't mean he could accept the idea of ​​getting married.

How should I put it now?

She seems to have a cold-hearted attitude, definitely not interested in men anymore, since she doesn't want to be gay in ancient times!

I don't seem to have any special feelings for women, since they can't be sisters or wives anyway.

At least for now, he hasn't seen a little girl or little boy who catches his eye. Come on, he's not a pedophile!

"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. This time we're talking about your third sister's marriage. Xue Xu, the scholar, and your grandfather have expressed their intentions. I reckon the Xue family is already on their way to the capital."

"What? He told Grandfather!" Jiang Xiaoqi jumped up from the chair.

"Oh, why are you in such a hurry? My sister is of marriageable age and will eventually get married. Besides, Young Master Xue is a scholar with a bright future ahead of him. Don't even think about breaking up this couple."

Jiang Xiaoqi wasn't angry. This person was also a candidate he favored for his third sister's wife. However, he was somewhat dissatisfied that this person went directly to his grandfather without consulting the person in question.

Sigh, generation gap, pure and simple generation gap!

In this day and age, asking a woman for her opinion is considered a private matter.

Alright! Since things have come to this, it's a good thing.

"I didn't mean that. I just hope that my third sister can find a good home. So why did Mother call me here?"

"Xue Xu lost his father at a young age. This time, Madam Xue brought Xue Xu's birth mother and a young lady to the capital. Xue Xu was not yet of age, so it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Xue family was an orphan and a widow."

You are the only male in our Jiang family this generation. Your mother wants to discuss with you how we should handle things when the Xue family comes."

That is a problem. They are all women and should be housed in the backyard. However, there are not only members of the Jiang family but also members of the Li and Dong families. The Li and Dong families do not have many people with them, so it would be easier to accommodate them.

Xue Xu himself only brought two servants, but when the Xue family members who came to propose marriage were added, there would definitely be more than ten or eight people.

After all, they came to propose marriage, so they must have brought plenty of people with them. There were indeed two empty courtyards in the house, but those two courtyards were not far from the candidates preparing for the exam.

Given the circumstances, with two widows from the Xue family present, it's easy for things to gossip about them.

Although the Jiang family themselves didn't care, there were many gossipy people in the capital, and it was inevitable that there would be big mouths like Madam Tan.

"Have Butler Wen keep an eye out for any houses for rent on this street. If so, sign a six-month lease."

“That’s one way. It’s not appropriate for our family to buy a house. Renting one is a compromise. Let’s get Butler Wen here as soon as possible, so we don’t end up scrambling when he arrives.”

When will you approximately arrive in Beijing?

"It's really hard to say. If we encounter snow on the way, we might not be able to arrive before the New Year."

"Then let's not worry about that. Let's prepare the house first, and get everything ready. The Xue family can move in whenever they arrive. Xue Xu will also move out to live with his family then, so it's best to find a relatively quiet location."

After the mother and son agreed, Jiang Xiaoqi planned to return to the training ground to continue instructing his three subordinates.

The moment the curtain was lifted, a snowflake landed on Jiang Xiaoqi's chubby cheek. The pure white snowflake instantly melted from his body heat, turning into a crystal-clear droplet of water.

"Oh my, it's finally snowing in the capital! Madam, come and see! It's snowing! It's snowing!"

The female nurse guarding the gate exclaimed excitedly, "This is the first snowfall in Beijing since the beginning of winter!"

A timely snowfall promises a good harvest; my family should have a "good harvest" next year!