"You bunch of despicable bastards! I've already sold this land to you, and you're still here cricketing!" Suddenly, a familiar shout drew everyone's attention.
Old Woman Li came running over, panting, clutching a stick she used to feed the chickens.
The village head was taken aback, then forced a smile, "Big sister, what are you saying? I was just discussing it with Anci..."
"What's there to discuss?" Old Woman Li slammed her stick on the ground. "The day Anzhi came back, she sold the house and land to my family! Fifteen taels of silver, and I paid her on the spot! This land belongs to the Li Household now, what right do you have to discuss it?"
The village head's face stiffened.
Diao Siniang muttered under her breath, "Selling the land for fifteen taels? That's too much..."
"Too much what?" Old Woman Li glared at her. "I looked after her house for seven years and endured seven years of scolding. This money is a benefit I earned through my hard work."
You're jealous? You're so jealous and heartless... When Third Old Meng passed away, you were the one who snatched the most things than anyone else, but you never thought about your ancestors' roots!
Diao Siniang was rendered speechless by his retort.
Before the village head could say anything more, Old Woman Li turned around and smiled at Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi, "You can dig with peace of mind. No one can take this land away. If anyone dares to touch it, I'll fight them to the death with a stick."
The village head stood there awkwardly, not uttering a word for a long time.
The villagers of Little River Village regretted their past actions; if they had treated the two children better, Old Woman Li would never have been involved.
Meng Anzhi had people dig the soil, and with each shovelful, the old coffin was gradually revealed.
Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi went down into the grave and personally took out their parents' remains and placed them in the new coffin.
Laying out a white cloth, covering it with a plain cloth, and closing the coffin lid—all done in one smooth motion.
Once everything was in order, the group lifted the two coffins side by side onto the oxcart.
Those who witnessed it were all astonished... the ox was so strong that it didn't even break the cart's planks or axles.
At the time of the funeral procession, Meng Anci, dressed in mourning clothes, led the way, holding a soul-guiding banner, and guided the coffin to the new grave.
Meng Anzhi followed beside the oxcart, supporting the coffin the whole way.
Jin Shanyao remained on the sidelines the entire time, simply watching quietly.
The coffin was carried to Lush Mountain, and the crowd slowly lowered it into the pre-dug grave.
After the new graves were completed, Meng Anci knelt on the ground, personally holding soil in his hands, to complete the final earth-filling ceremony for his parents.
Meng Anzhi squatted in front of the tombstone, gently wiping the inscription with a handkerchief. "Father, Mother... this is our own home. No one will dare to bully you anymore."
Meng Anci up, took the paper money for burning, walked to the tombstone, and lit it. "Father, Mother... my sister has a terrible temper now. She hits me at the slightest disagreement. My status as the top scholar is meaningless in front of her."
Meng Anzhi was instantly stunned, stiffening her neck as she turned to look at him, "On such a big day as moving graves and relocating the residence, why are you complaining??"
"Why can't I complain?" Meng Anci put all the paper money in his hand into the fire. "Father, Mother... your tombstones face the capital, so you'd better watch out... If my sister hits me again, you have to come to me in a dream and scold her."
Meng Anzhi gritted her teeth and said fiercely, "You're something else..." Then she turned to the tombstone and began to complain, "Father and Mother, I didn't want to talk about this, but the night your son became the top scholar in the imperial examination, he secretly cried in bed for half the night. When I found out, he wouldn't admit it and insisted that he had sand in his eyes."
Meng Anci retorted hastily, "I didn't... Don't talk nonsense."
Jin Shanyao couldn't help but burst out laughing, Meng Anci blushed with embarrassment. "Auntie... I didn't cry, don't listen to my sister's nonsense."
After saying that, she hurriedly turned to look at Meng Anzhi, "Sister... you've gone too far."
Meng Anzhi chuckled, "Likewise."
After a day of rest, the siblings returned to Little River Village to move again early the next morning.
Four or five carriages were parked outside the courtyard, and furniture and other items were being loaded onto the carriages one by one. They were first transported to the First Manor for temporary storage, and then moved there after the new house was completed.
With many people working quickly, the small courtyard was emptied in less than an hour. As soon as the moving carts left, the carpenters and laborers began dismantling the house. As soon as the roof beams were removed from one side, others immediately began transporting them away. Thirty or forty people worked in an assembly line, without stopping for a moment.
In the blink of an eye, the small courtyard was razed to the ground.
Old Woman Li stood next door, staring blankly for a long time.
She suddenly remembered the morning seven years ago, the day the third branch of the Meng Household left. Back then, there was only a broken oxcart with a few old clothes piled on it, and two children sitting on the cart, gazing longingly at the house.
Now, several horse-drawn carriages are parked at the entrance, and the villagers are all standing at a distance watching, but no one dares to go up and say a word.
The Matchmaker Gao, stood with her hands clasped behind her back, watching expectantly, and said disdainfully, "What use is this junk now that he's become the top scholar?"
The village head's wife said displeasedly, "Look at what you're saying! Those are just memories... The Meng Household couple are gone, and all that's left are these things. They have to be treated like treasures."
The Matchmaker Gao's eyes suddenly lit up, "Do you think... if I go to help, I can get a reward?"
The village head's wife rolled her eyes. "Go ahead, I don't know if there'll be any reward money, but I'll give you a good slap..." After saying that, she turned around and went home.
Anzhi Hall workers loaded the last shovelful of soil onto the cart, and all traces of the Meng Household in Little River Village were completely erased.
Lord Yang of Willow and Poplar County arrived at Lush Mountain early in the morning.
He was still as chubby as before, and as soon as he saw Jin Shanyao, he strode over, saying, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"
Jin Shanyao looked at him, who was covered in a fine layer of sweat, and smiled, " Lord Yang is very busy with official duties, how could I possibly disturb you?"
Magistrate Yang, fanning himself vigorously with his sleeves, said, "What do you mean by 'disturbing'? If it weren't for you paying taxes for Willow and Poplar County, could I, as magistrate, be so carefree? And what about Zhuangyuan Meng?"
As he spoke, he looked around and saw Meng Anci directing the bricklayers to build a house. He quickly ran over, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Congratulations, Zhuangyuan Meng!"
The positions of county magistrate and compiler in the Hanlin Academy are roughly equivalent. Logically, Magistrate Yang should not be so humble. However, Meng Anci is a high-ranking official in the capital and a close advisor to the emperor, a position that County Magistrate Yang could never reach in his entire life.
Meng Anci returned the greeting, saying, "Greetings Magistrate Yang."
Magistrate Yang chuckled twice, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. " Zhuangyuan Meng... how can you personally handle building a house? Leave it to me... I'll do it, I'll do it."
He only received the official document from the government office yesterday evening, informing him that a top scholar had emerged from his jurisdiction. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it was none other than the young master of the Anzhi Hall.
He rushed over to offer his congratulations and also to see if there was anything he could do to help.
Meng Anci smiled and declined, "I appreciate Lord Yang's kindness, but this is my parents' old residence, and I must personally oversee its construction to feel at ease."
Magistrate Yang chuckled awkwardly, " Zhuangyuan Meng truly filial..." After saying that, he stood awkwardly beside Meng Anci, watching the bricklayers lay bricks and plaster the walls with him.
The courtyard wall was built in a day and a half, and after drying for seven days, the roof beams and tiles were finally installed.
The new house was finally completed, and the siblings put the furnishings back in their original places according to their memories... In the end, it was exactly the same as it had been seven years ago.
This house looks exactly like it was moved from Little River Village.