"Good!" Li Wenshans voice was shaking slightly.

  "Got it!" Li Xia stretched out her small hand, and Li Wenshan solemnly hooked his hand around his sisters, shaking it firmly. No matter how many difficulties there were, no matter what sacrifices he had to make, he would protect his family and keep his younger brother and sister safe!

  Careful Li Dong found that since talking with his sister on the deck, Fifth Brother had been absent-minded and distracted. Li Dong couldnt help but ask what they had said to each other, and both Li Wenshan and Li Xia shook their heads, "Nothing!"

  ………………

  In the evening, Li Xue-ming, the newly appointed Magistrate of Hengshan County, returned from visiting friends and first went to the neighboring boat to see Zhong Lao Tai-tai, who was even more seriously ill than Xu Tai-tai. He served her medicine and stayed with her for a while before returning to his own boat.

  Several children surrounded Father and gathered in front of Mrs. Xus bed in the rear cabin. Mrs. Xu was severely seasick, and as soon as she got on the boat, she lay down and couldnt get up.

  Today Mrs. Xu was in good spirits, lying on the bed with a smile all over her face, looking at everyone and occasionally saying a few words.

  "These two days youve lost even more weight," Mr. Li said with a sympathetic gaze at Mrs. Xu, "If I had known you were this prone to seasickness, we should have taken the overland route."

  "Im fine, nothings wrong. The car was bumpy on the way here, but Shān Gē and Dōng Jiě are okay. What about Lán Gē and ā Xià? Its harder to see the kids suffering than for me to suffer myself." Mrs. Xús voice was weak, but her tone conveyed hope and excitement. "As long as I see the four kids doing well, everything is fine."

  "I think so too," said Mr. Li, his smile spreading from the corners of his eyes as he looked at each of the four children sitting or standing around him, getting more and more delighted as he looked. "This time I brought several articles written by Shan Ge to show to Old Master Jiang, and Old Master Jiang kept praising them, saying that a 15-year-old kid could write such good articles, it was his first time seeing something like this, and he was also overpraising."

  Mr. Li stroked his beard, speaking humbly, but the radiant look on his face was anything but humble. Li Xia looked at her father speechlessly, realizing that Father had been so proud of Fifth Brother all along...

  "You also know, if its about reading books, Liange (younger brother) is actually a few points more spirited than Shange (older brother)! Shange excels in grandeur and majesty, while Liange excels in being lively and elegant..." Mr. Li looked at his older son for a moment, then at his younger son, and the more he praised them, the more energetic he became. Even Aniang (mother), who was lying on the bed, felt her spirits lift!

  Li Xiabais eyes were about to pop out, and this stupid son of his father had a serious illness that was not light at all!

  "You just know how to spoil your son!" Mrs. Xu scolded, "I think Winter is the best, all these years, thanks to Winters help, which girl from other families is as sensible and considerate as our Winter?"

  "What about me?" Li Xia sat on the stool in front of the bed, her arm resting on her mothers bed, her chin propped up on the back of her hand, looking at her mother with a pouting expression.

  "Our Ah Xia is the best!" Old Master Li laughed loudly, "Even fortune tellers have said that our Ah Xia has a noble and auspicious fate, a rare and precious destiny! Hmm, except for being mischievous, everything else is great!"

  Li Wenshans expression stiffened, staring fixedly at Li Xia, magnificent and auspicious, too dignified to speak...

  This time back, Mr. Li didnt go out again, and every day he guarded his two sons and two daughters to read and write. Just after lunch today, not long after, I heard a loud inquiry from the shore: "Is this the boat of Yongning Bo Fus Li San Lao Ye?"

  Li Wenshan suddenly ran to the window, pushed open the window and looked out, the wutong tree on the opposite boat had already connected with the words, "Exactly!"

  "Please give my regards to Old Master Three! Im Zhao Da, Big Master sent me over to pay respects to Old Master Three."

  When Zhao Da finished speaking, Li Wenshans whole body stiffened, and after a while, he turned his neck with a crackling sound to look at Li Xia.

  Li Xia bit her pen and looked at him calmly.

  "Dong Jie takes her younger brother and sister to the rear cabin." Mr. Li instructed, the boat was small, this front cabin also had to serve as a guest reception area.

  "Im here to accompany my father and learn how to treat others." Li Wenshan hastily requested, Old Master Li nodded, his face already showing a layer of gloominess. In that mansion, whenever someone came, it was always like a stray cat entering the house, never a good omen!

  "Pay respects to Third Master, pay respects to Fifth Master!" Zhao Da entered the cabin and gave a neat bow.

  "Big brother sent you all the way here, whats the big deal?" Mr. Lis tone was distant and cold, but Zhao Da seemed completely unaware, "Reporting to Third Master, its not far, I set out early and welcomed more than ten miles back, otherwise I would have arrived half an hour earlier. Big Master has been promoted to Jiangnan East Road Transport Commissioner and took office at the beginning of the month. Knowing that Third Master will pass through Jiangning Prefecture on his way to Hengshan County, he specially calculated the date and sent me to welcome Third Master."

  Li Wenshan was even more shocked, desperately holding his face so as not to reveal anything unusual, his facial muscles were about to cramp up.

  These past few days, he had been turning over in his mind what Ah Xia had said, and the more he thought about it, the more impossible it seemed. A person dies and then transmigrates back? Where on earth could such a thing happen? But now, he didnt doubt it at all. Eldest Uncle really had become the Jiangnan East Road Transport Commissioner! Eldest Uncle really had sent someone over!

  "The old master sent the young one to come, wanting to invite Master Sans boat to dock at Jiangning Prefecture Wharf for a day. At this time, the spring scenery of Jiangning Prefecture is just right, and the old master wants to invite Master San to go ashore and enjoy the view, chat and relax. The old master also invited several old friends to have a small drink together." After a pause, Zhao Da looked up at Li Lao with a smile: "The master said that although Jiangning Prefecture is close to Hengshan County, once Master San takes office and receives his seal, he will have to fulfill his duties and cannot leave his post. Even if its close by, it wont be easy to meet again. Thats why we should take this opportunity to see Master San and chat with him. The old master hasnt seen Master San for over a decade and misses him dearly."

  Mr. Lis face was stern and expressionless, who would he be thinking of? What a joke!

  "I appreciate your good intentions, but the deadline is urgent..." Mr. Li was about to refuse, Li Wenshan panicked, he and Xia were racking their brains thinking of how to get help from his uncle, now that the opportunity had presented itself, his father was going to decline, this wouldnt do!

  "Father! It doesnt matter if its urgent or not, just for these one or two days. Ive heard that Jiangning Prefecture is a beautiful place under heaven, and your son has long wanted to take a look. Why dont you take your son on a trip?" Li Wenshan interrupted, begging his father.

  Zhao was taken aback and looked at Li Wenshan, hastily bowing his head and smiling: "Fifth Master is absolutely right. Theres a common saying in Jiangning Prefecture: Spring cow first autumn stack mist, the scenery of Cow Head Mountain in spring is excellent, even in Jiangning City, its scenic everywhere. The locals all say that this years spring colors are something they havent seen in nearly ten years."

  "Father!" Li Wenshans eyes were filled with pleading as he looked at Old Man Li, who was taken aback by his sons gaze.

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