370 votes added, continue to ask for monthly tickets, asking for hanging at the end of the list

  *****

  It was Xia Dagu who sent a young servant from home to drive the carriage and bring them over. "The festival is approaching, I also want to come see Father. Father, everything is fine here, right?"

  "Alright, alright." Xia Xiuzai responded repeatedly. He asked a few questions that he was concerned about and instructed Xia Zhi to be sensible when staying at Xia Dagu's house, to know how to be filial to elders and help with household chores. Afterwards, when speaking with Xia Zhi and Xiao Heiyu, he seemed somewhat distracted, with a hint of worry between his eyebrows.

  What is Xia Xiuzai worried about?

  "Dad, I heard from Li Xia that some of your students also took the exam. Didn't they do well?" Xia Zhi asked Xia Xiucan.

  "There are two who have passed the imperial examination, and their scores are still quite good." Xia Xiuren replied, while secretly feeling a bit strange. He didn't expect Xia Zhi to care about this matter, and from Xia Zhi's tone, it seemed that he was very familiar with Li Xia. "Sixteen, I heard that you and Young Master Li Xia met in Linshui Town?"

  After Li Xia came to Wenshan Academy on the summer solstice, he had contacted Xia Xiuzai for some reason. During their conversation, Li Xia casually mentioned his experience of getting to know Xia Zhi and Xiao Heiyu.

  So, Xia Xiuzai asked this question today.

  "Yes." Xia nodded and didn't explain further.

  Xia Xiuzai nodded and said, "Young Master Li Xia is a very down-to-earth person. Sixteen, you can't be rude to Young Master Li Xia just because of this." To Xia Xiuzai, Li Shanzhang was both his benefactor and his master.

  "I know, Dad, don't worry." Xia Zhi said, then asked Xia Xiucui, "If it's not because of Dad's students who didn't do well in the exam, what is Dad worried about?"

  Xia Xiuzai only then realized that his worried look had been discovered by his daughter. He dryly smiled: "I'm not worried about anything." Of course, he was worried. The matter of the advance salary that had originally been agreed upon suddenly fell through, Li Shanzhang told him that recently the academy had suddenly incurred a large amount of expenses, and could only pay the teachers' salaries on a monthly basis from now on, no one would be allowed to receive advances anymore.

  Moreover, those two students who had originally agreed to lend him money suddenly also had something come up and said they couldn't lend it to him for the time being.

  He had originally planned to return to Daxingzhuang before the Dragon Boat Festival and give the money he had raised to the Tian family. But according to this situation, even after the festival, he would not be able to get back that much money for the Tian family.

  He has been sleeping and eating poorly for the past few days because of this matter. But how can he talk to his children about it? Xia Zhi cannot help him share his worries either. This matter cannot be told to Xiao Hei Yu Er, if Xiao Hei Yu Er goes back and tells Lao Ye, Lao Ye will definitely feel heartache for him and get angry with himself.

  The more Xia Xiuzai refused to speak, the more Xia Zhi was convinced that Xia Xiuzai must be worried about money.

  That's good. Well, let him worry about it then. So Xia Zhi didn't dare to ask again, and she simply changed the subject, telling Xia Xiuzai that Xia Ershu and his family had come to Fucheng.

  This thing Xia Xiuzai had not heard any rumors, naturally was stunned again. He has been in Wenshan Academy for many years and knows less about the people and things of Xia Erniang's family than Xia Zhi does.

  Xia Zhi saw Xia Xiuzai's bewildered expression and secretly sighed in her heart.

  "Dad, Second Uncle and the others have also handed over Little Yang to my grandparents. Moreover, from what I heard from Summer Second Uncle, they plan to stay in the prefectural city for a long time, not just for a few days before returning."

  "Your second uncle has done something wrong." Xia Xiuzai's insight into this matter is still quite clear. "Xiao Yang is still young and cannot leave his parents. Moreover, your grandparents are old and may not be able to take care of Xiao Yang."

  "It's still up to Father to make it clear." Xia Zhi immediately said, "This matter can only be handled by Father, and Second Uncle should listen."

  Xia Xiuzai was just used to not hearing anything outside his window, but he was not stupid by nature. Xia Zhi said so, and he understood the cause and effect of things. He didn't expect it was Xia Zhi who came up with the idea to find him, and thinking about it, it should be Xia Dagu who pitied her mother, so she let Xia Zhi come over to tell him these things.

  Xia Xiuzai hesitated for a moment: "Your second uncle's temper, I'm not sure about it either. Besides, we've been separated and living apart for a long time..."

  "Dad, you're the eldest son and the eldest brother. This matter, whether it's for my grandparents or for my second uncle and his family, only you can take charge." Xia Zhi hastily said. As the eldest son and eldest brother, with corresponding power comes corresponding responsibility.

  It's reasonable and proper; Xia Zhi thinks Xia Xiuzai should take on this responsibility.

  "Sixteen, did your aunt ask you to come?" Xia Xiuzai asked.

  "No, I'm coming myself. Father, I think you should take care of this matter. As for whether my second uncle will listen or not after you've spoken, that's another story."

  "Big brother, if you don't want to go and say it, I'll go and say it." Little Black Fish said impatiently in a loud voice. Originally, he had planned to go and say it himself, but Xia Zhi and Xia Da Gu thought they had to come find Xia Xiu Cai.

  "I'm not unwilling." Xia Xiuzai thought for a moment, then said, "Your second uncle's family has arrived, I should go take a look. I also said I'd go to your eldest aunt's house to see you two."

  That's settled then.

  "Dad, when are you free?" Xia Zhi immediately asked. She wanted to finalize the time with Xia Xiuzai to avoid any unexpected changes later on.

  Xia Xiuzai thought for a moment and decided that it was better to go earlier rather than later. "Alright then, I'll go over there a bit later today."

  "Alright, we'll wait for you to have dinner." Xia Zhi said.

  Xia Xiuzai thought that Xia Zhi shouldn't have made decisions on behalf of Xia Dagu, but then he didn't say anything to Xia Zhi. After all, they were close relatives, and if he had to avoid Xia Zhi during meals, it would only make things worse.

  Xia Xiuzai nodded in agreement.

  Xia Zhi came to find Xia Xiuzai mainly for this matter. After the matter was settled, she didn't plan to stay here any longer. However, after looking around, she remembered the clothes outside and thought that it would be better if she brushed up on Xia Xiuzai's favorability a bit more.

  "Dad, is there anything else here that needs washing or mending?" Xia Zhi asked Xia Xiuciai.

  "It's gone, and it was just washed not long ago." Xia Xiuzai said with a smile, he really didn't plan to let his little daughter do chores for him. In recent years at the academy, in order to save money, he did many things himself, including these tasks of washing, mending and sewing.

  He said so, but Xia Zhi didn't listen. She carefully checked again and found that Xia Xiuzai's bedding was still very clean, so she went out of the house to help Xia Xiuzai wash her clothes.

  "Sixteen, go play with your uncle for a while. I'll wash these clothes myself." Xia Xiuzai watched as her little daughter rolled up her sleeves and quickly got to work, feeling very pleased in her heart. Although she was still worried, her smile looked much more cheerful.

  "Dad, I'll wash it for you, quickly." Xia Zhi said while continuing to work. She also asked Xia Xiucui, "Dad, do you usually wash your clothes yourself?"

  It's no wonder she asked that. On the way here, she saw an old woman carrying a lot of clothes and asked Li Xia, only to find out that she was a professional laundry collector.

  There are many students and teachers living in the academy, most of whose clothes are not washed by themselves but handed over to these laundresses for a few cents, and then they will be returned clean.

  Compared with students, gentlemen rarely wash their clothes themselves. But looking at Xia Xiuzai's appearance, he should be used to washing himself.

  Xia Xiuzai smiled and replied to Xia Zhi, saying that he washed all his clothes himself. "I'm used to it. My aunt even told me to send my clothes to her place for washing, but I thought it was too much trouble. It's easy to wash them clean myself, no need to send them so far away, haha."

  It's hard to say anything about Xia Zhi. What Xia Xiuren's father did may not be great, but for the Tian family, he should be a rare good husband.

  It was getting late, and the gentlemen who lived in the same yard came back one after another, some of whom brought their students with them. They saw Xia Zhi in the yard and asked Xia Xiucui about it.

  Knowing that Xia Zhi is Xia Xiuzai's daughter, everyone praised Xia Zhi for being capable.

  "It's still good to have a thoughtful daughter. My family has several young children who are always getting into trouble, and my wife is busy taking care of them all day. If we had a tidy and efficient daughter to help with household chores, my wife would be able to rest easy." This was said by Mr. Liu, who lives in the upstairs house.

  Mr. Liu was a scholar, teaching at the academy while reviewing the Four Books and Five Classics, making friends with his colleagues through literature, and planning to take the imperial examination in Beijing in two years. He was also from Beizhen Prefecture, and his family lived in a large town more than 20 miles away.

  He said he envied Xia Xiuzai and asked how old Xia Zhi was and if she had been betrothed.

  "My third son is eleven years old this year, and he's the same age as your little niece. Brother Xia, why don't we just become in-laws?" Liu Juren said with a big smile on his face, which was round like a Chinese character, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, looking very cheerful.

  "Brother Liu is laughing at me." Xia Xiuren politely said to Liu Juren, "I'm a rough and unrefined person, not worthy of being matched with the Third Young Master."

  It turned out that the Liu family was very wealthy. Mr. Liu came to the academy to teach, but not for that little bit of salary. He was a student of Li Shan Chang, and teaching at the Wen Shan Academy was a way to repay his teacher, as well as to seek advice from him. The academy was filled with talented people, which was very beneficial to his studies. Moreover, he could also expand his social connections here.

  Of course, Xia Xiuzai refused without hesitation, not because of the Liu family's wealth and power, nor because of Liu Juren's casual words. Liu Juren was a generous and kind person who loved wine and had a reputation for being a wild and carefree spirit.

  Xia Xiuzai is a very easy-going person, but he never thought of being in-laws with Kuangsheng.

  There were other gentlemen who came over and said they could be matchmakers for Xia Zhi. Xia Xiuzai seemed to have some unstoppable intentions, and in the end, he could only say that Xia Zhi's marriage would still require him to listen to the opinions of the Tian family.

  Everyone laughed: "Xia brother treats his sister-in-law with deep affection." The tone was a bit strange.

  Xia Zhi suddenly realized that in this Wen Shan Academy, Xia Xiuren's reputation for having a wife who was strict with him had probably been well-known to everyone for a long time.

  (。)