Mrs. Wang couldn’t help but click her tongue in amazement. The courtyard showed hints of elegant Southern architecture everywhere, yet it was combined with the ruggedness of the North.

And yet, this combination didn’t feel out of place at all. Instead, it gave one the feeling that this was exactly how it should be.

Thinking of her own small, cramped courtyard by the academy, Mrs. Wang started getting ideas. ’Perhaps we should build our own courtyard near the academy too.’ She wouldn’t dream of matching this one, but if theirs were even twenty percent as nice, the family could live much more comfortably.

"This Mrs. Gu really is flaunting her wealth. How much silver must this have cost?" a neighbor who had entered earlier said, her eyes full of envy.

"This is nothing! You all just don’t know. This isn’t even the most amazing part." Aunt Xiao, an old neighbor, had already made a special trip to see the place before. Without even needing the young maidservant standing by to give an introduction, she began acting as a guide for everyone.

"The most ingenious part of this house isn’t the architecture. If you go see the latrine in the backyard, your eyes will pop right out of your head."

"It’s such a wonderful day, and you, you old woman, just have to act up. Why would we stop admiring this beautiful courtyard to go to a stinky place like that?"

Aunt Xiao huffed. "That place doesn’t stink. When it’s cleaned up, it’s probably cleaner than some people’s homes."

"See those big bamboo pipes running down from the mountain along the eaves? Do you know what they’re for?"

Seeing everyone honestly shake their heads, Aunt Xiao said smugly, "The centers of those bamboo stalks have been hollowed out. They’re used to channel spring water from the mountain out back. That way, they don’t need to dig a well on the property or haul water in from elsewhere."

"Who among you has ever heard of such an ingenious idea before?"

"That is convenient. Whenever my family does laundry, we have to go all the way to the moat. Not only is it time-consuming and exhausting, but sometimes it isn’t very safe either."

Aunt Xiao led them to the communal latrine. "Well, we’re here. If you’re curious, go on in and take a look."

"You really brought us here," one of the neighbors protested. "We dressed in our best today to offer our congratulations. If we go in there for a look, we’ll come out feeling sick to our stomachs."

Aunt Xiao shot her a disdainful glance. "You’ve been standing right here for a good while. Have you smelled anything at all?"

"I think I smell a hint of sandalwood," someone murmured, and only then did everyone else realize it.

Someone couldn’t help but say sourly, "This Mrs. Gu certainly is one of a kind. Using incense in a place like this... Does she have so much silver it’s burning a hole in her pocket?"

Aunt Xiao grabbed the woman and dragged her straight inside. When the group came back out, they were all speechless for a good long while.

"What is that Mrs. Gu’s head made of? How is she so clever? She actually managed to come up with this."

"I just wonder how many silver taels it costs to build one. If it’s not too expensive, I’d tear ours down and build one right away."

Aunt Xiao grinned triumphantly. "The price isn’t too bad, but you’ll probably have to wait a while. The craftsman, Master Ding, has already taken several orders. I found out about it relatively early, and even I have to wait two months for my turn."

Hearing this, the others were not happy. "And you call yourself an old neighbor! You didn’t even give us a heads-up about something this good."

"Exactly! I don’t care. After the feast, you’re taking us to see that craftsman. Even if he can’t start right away, you have to get us scheduled before the New Year. That way, we’ll have something to show off when relatives visit."

"..."

Jin Qianqian was completely unaware of these little episodes in the backyard. She was currently busy receiving her mother-in-law.

"Mother, you must be tired from the journey." As Jin Qianqian saw the old woman, she cast a satisfied glance at Granny Song, who was by her side.

Dressed in fine new clothes and wearing a full set of jewelry they had brought back from Sea City, the old woman looked both prosperous and dignified.

"Seventh Wife, you look so beautiful today," Li Cuicui said. Seeing the elegantly dressed Jin Qianqian, she felt a little nervous, afraid she might have mistaken her for someone else.

"The journey wasn’t tiring at all. Didn’t you send the steward to pick us up at the village entrance? The Clan Leader kept praising what a good carriage you bought. It’s so comfortable to ride in."

Jin Qianqian then nodded to the sisters-in-law behind her. "Mother, let me take you to the back courtyard for a walk."

"No, no," Li Cuicui said. When she came in, she had already seen Jin Qianqian standing there, specifically waiting to greet guests. "We’re all family. You need to stay here and entertain your guests. It’s just a pity that I’m old and don’t know anything, so I can’t be of much help to you."

Jin Qianqian smiled and led her inside. "No matter how busy I am, now that you’re here, my priority is to get you settled."

"Exactly," Gu Yuanfeng said, looking around while holding her child. "Seventh is living in such a huge courtyard. I wonder where he’s planning on putting our parents?"

Li Cuicui’s face darkened. "I have my own house. I don’t need Seventh and his wife to arrange anything."

Gu Yuanfeng replied, "Mother, are you daft? Why wouldn’t you live in this perfectly good mansion? You’d rather go back and squeeze into our two shabby thatched huts? It would be embarrassing if word got out."

"If you don’t like it, you don’t have to stay!" Li Cuicui turned and glared at her. "As it happens, that husband of yours from the He family was just here a couple of days ago wanting to take you and your daughter back. You should hurry up and go."

Gu Yuanfeng pouted. "Mother, didn’t you say that if I dared go back to the He Family, I would never be allowed to set foot in this house again? Have you changed your mind?"

Although Gu Yuanfeng had been enjoying He Tiping’s sweet talk these past few days, the thought of going back to face Mother He and Eldest Sister-in-law He made her shrink back.

Here at her mother’s home, there were servants to wait on her inside and out. She had no desire to go back to her old life.

"Then go, why don’t you," Li Cuicui said. She wouldn’t claim to understand her own daughter perfectly, but she could guess what was on her mind.

"If you dare cause any trouble for me here today, I’ll take matters into my own hands when we get back and marry you off to Old Sun from the next village."

Gu Yuanfeng thought of Old Sun, who had come to propose marriage a few days ago—his short, stumpy build and his mouth full of yellow teeth—and she couldn’t help but shiver.

Seeing her daughter finally quiet down, Li Cuicui’s gaze swept over her daughters-in-law. Seeing that they were behaving themselves, she finally began to seriously take in the vast courtyard.

Xie Ruyi thought, ’...I’m not that stupid. So many matchmakers have been visiting these past few days, all proposing matches from good families with excellent girls. It’s all thanks to Seventh’s success.’

’My husband and son both specifically warned me that we must stay on good terms with Seventh. Our family’s future depends on him to turn our fortunes around.’ Thinking this, she couldn’t help but glance back at Song Xiuyang. Seeing that she was also behaving, Xie Ruyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Song Xiuyang’s fingernails dug into her palms. ’Did I leave my home and travel so far just to be stuck in the countryside, staring at a few acres of farmland?’

’Jin Qianqian could easily pull me out of this predicament with just a little help. Why can’t she stand to see me succeed?’