Xianggui

Chapter 655 Birthday Congratulations
At the beginning of winter, people came to my hometown in Jiaodong one after another.

The first group of people were Ding Shuniang and Guo Gufu, and their two grandsons, Guo Zifeng and Guo Ziming. The son and daughter-in-law stayed in Jiaozhou to look after the house.

Guo Zifeng has married a daughter-in-law and is doing business with his father.

Guo Ziming is very good at studying. He is currently preparing to take the Tongsheng Examination. In the future, he would like to take the Scholarship Examination, but he would not dare to think of it. Even if he is just a scholar, he might be able to become a minor official by virtue of his uncle.

Their family came here on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year and lived in Ding Mansion. Ding Chi also wanted to take them to live in his own home, but Ding Zhuang was unwilling.

Also coming with them were Qian Dahu, Aunt Qian and their eldest grandson Qian Jin. The Qian family came not only to celebrate Ding Zhuang's birthday, but also to visit his daughter's family, who stayed at Zou Qing's house.

Xunxiang had always had a good impression of that aunt and went back to Ding Mansion to visit them the next day.

We haven’t seen each other for five years. Ding Shuniang is much older and her hair is gray. His personality was still cheerful. He held Xunxiang's hand and praised her as she grew taller and more handsome. Her uncle's house was rich and powerful, and Lichun Liren found a good wife...

Ding Shuniang is always so good at talking and not offensive.

The second batch came on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. Ding Youcai and Ding Dafu brought Ding Guisheng, the old family leader Ding Shuan brought his eldest son and eldest grandson, relatives Ding Shi, Ding Nan and Ding Xuan, Xia Er brought his eldest son Xia Dahe, daughter-in-law Zhang Yu and his wife and eldest grandson.

Mrs. Wang cried and cried and wanted to come with her, but Ding Youcai refused to come. Ding Zhao wrote a letter specifically saying that he was not allowed to take her with him.

Except for Ding Youcai's family who lived at Ding Sifu's house, the others all lived at Dingshan's house.

Ding Youcai and Ding Dafu felt bad when they saw that Ding Sifu had such a nice yard.

The three of them, grandfather and grandson, slept on the same big bed. At night, Ding Dafu whispered, "Dad, the family has not been separated yet. The fourth rich man is so rich that his life is easier than the second rich man. He only gives the family ten taels of silver every year..."

Ding Youcai had a sullen expression and said nothing.

Ding Guisheng said, "My mother said that if you want to live a good life, make your own money and don't think about your brothers. I am not good at studying, but I am tall and strong. I want to be a general like my second uncle and earn money for the family."

……

Ding Zhuang was so happy that he invited those people to Ding's house for lunch and dinner every day, and everyone recalled the past.

Ding Youcai was afraid of Ding Zhuang, so he quietly pulled Ding Zhao to another room and said, "How come the fourth rich man is so rich? He bought a courtyard in the capital, which is bigger than my new courtyard."

His family renovated the old courtyard last year, built several large brick and tile houses, and even expanded it.

Ding Zhao frowned and said, "That yard costs several hundred taels of silver. Even if the fourth rich man sells it, he won't be able to get that much money. Others bought it for him, so don't worry about it."

Ding Youcai asked, "Did Pandi buy it? Where does Pandi live? Will she come to celebrate my second uncle's birthday?"

Ding Zhao said, "Don't worry about where my brother Pan lives. Except for Xiangxiang and Sifu, she has grudges against everyone in the Ding family and will not come to celebrate her birthday.

"What Pandi hates most is your wife. Don't pry about her or provoke her. Also, don't gossip with the Wang family when you go back. The fourth rich man is a kind and righteous child, and he should be filial to you."

"Yes Yes."

Ding Youcai laughed twice. Now, Wang didn't dare to provoke Hao anymore, and she had to stay far away, for fear that Hao would kill her again.

On the tenth day of the lunar month, the third group of people came. Zhang Dabao and Yu brought their youngest son Zhang Jinshi and their eldest grandson, while Zhang Xiaobao and Liu brought their children Zhang Jinzhu and Zhang Hui.

These people lived in Ding Mansion again.

That afternoon, Xunxiang went to live in Ding's house and brought her birthday gift to Ding Zhuang.

A two-inch-tall Hetian jade carving of a birthday star, a picture she drew by herself.

The picture is a painting of Ding Zhuang and Dong Ruyue when he was young. When Ding Zhuang was young, he drew it based on Ding Zhao, except that his nose was slightly reddish. Dong Ruyue drew it based on Xunxiang's own painting, and asked her grandfather many times about the difference between her and Grandma Ruyue. They stood there laughing, with the fence behind them and Beifu Mountain in the distance.

Seeing this portrait, Grandpa Ding Zhuang shed tears.

"It looks like, it really does. My granddaughter is capable."

Ding Shuniang and Ding Zhao looked at it and both said it looked similar.

Ding Zhuang took the picture and went to his room to remember his wife.

Xunxiang likes everyone in the Zhang family except the Yu family and listens to them tell interesting stories about their hometown.

Xunxiang was still a little regretful that Zhang Qian, Xia Erfen and Xia He who had played well in childhood were not here.

Everyone spoke loudly, but Zhang Dabao and Zhang Xiaobao rarely interacted with each other, and Yu and Liu did not speak at all.

Mrs. Liu can talk and laugh loudly with everyone. Yu couldn't get a word in, so she sulked with a sullen face.

She rolled her eyes and smiled at Xunxiang, "Xiangxiang stayed at our house for many days when she was a child. Haha, Xiangxiang also asked my aunt to go to the princess's house to see what the princess and the prince consort look like."

Xun Xiang's face darkened a little. They were curious and could understand, but what they said was so unpleasant and would bring disaster. She can also "see" the princess and the prince-in-law?

Xun Xiang never thought of inviting so many people to the princess mansion. The main reason is that Dongyang is arrogant, while Prince Consort Xun is cold and desolate, and he is also afraid that someone will say something wrong and be out of line.

Zhang Dabao immediately shouted at Mr. Yu, "Shut up if you can't speak. Believe it or not, I'll beat you up." Then he smiled at Xun Xiang and said, "Don't blame me for Xiang Xiang. Mr. Yu is just a rough guy and can't speak."

Yu Shifang reluctantly shut up.

Ding Zhuang, Ding Zhao and Zhang were also unhappy with Yu's talk.

Ding Zhuang knew that they were all curious, but he was unwilling to bring so many villagers to the princess mansion to cause trouble to Xiangxiang. I secretly greeted Ding Shuniang's family and asked them to play for a few more days. After those people left, I took them to the princess mansion to play.

When no one was around, Mrs. Zhang and Xunxiang complained in a low voice, "There are many villagers asking about Pandi, so we just don't tell them. Only Mrs. Yu kept asking, and even asked Mrs. Tang secretly."

"She thinks Tang is stupid and knows how to tell the truth. Fortunately, Tang doesn't know where Pandi lives, and her father-in-law and brother-in-law have repeatedly warned her not to speak nonsense...

"My eldest brother is really, why did he bring that house-wrecker here? Without her, my eldest brother and third brother wouldn't be able to get along."

At the beginning of the next day, all the masters of the Ding family got up, and the servants got up even earlier.

The three Dingxiang brothers and sisters watched the servants decorate their home, and Ms. Zhang took Li and Maigao's family to inspect the kitchen.

Looking at the white fish belly on the horizon, Ding Zhao supported Ding Zhuang and said with a smile, "Today is a good weather, even God gives dad face. Master Mingyuan said that dad is rich and long-lived, with many descendants. Dad lives a good life, look at the ancestors of the Xun family, eight Ten years old and still alive.”

Ding Zhuang laughed loudly, "I also hope to live to be eighty years old, so that five generations of our family live together."

At Chenshi, Ding Chi's family came first, and then Dingshan's family, Ding Erfu's family, and Ding Sifu came to Ding's house with all their relatives.

Dong Ping's family of three also came, and they are also Ding Zhuang's descendants.

At Chen time, Ding Zhuang stood in front of the hall wearing a bright red satin dress embroidered with "ten thousand characters" and a Liuhe hat embroidered with the word "Fu" on his head.

His descendants and relatives stood behind him.

(End of this chapter)