The day Liao Ming left was sunny and windy, and a dozen escorts departed with three carts of belongings.
Upon Liao Ming’s return to his hometown, everything remained as it was before. Following the route from his memory, he discovered the house well-maintained and tidy.
“I heard someone say that you were back. I thought he was mistaken. I didn’t expect that you were really back. Where is your eldest son and the youngest son? Didn’t you come back with them?”
When Liao Ming was still confused, the village chief’s voice came from behind.
“They still had something to attend to and couldn’t leave, so I came back to see when I had free time. By the way, who cleaned up our house?” Liao Ming asked.
“Who else can clean up this room except everyone? After all, apart from the only official family in our village, this room should be tidied up properly,” the village chief said.
“By the way, how are you doing now? What is your eldest son doing?”
“I work as a clerk there, and the eldest son is a yamen servant. We are both supported by the youngest son. Otherwise, I would have taken care of the fields all my life.”
“Liao Ming, let’s talk about it; you have become a high official!” A rich voice came from the side.
“Isn’t this Liao Wei? We haven’t seen each other for so many years, and you still haven’t changed. You’re still so strong and sturdy,” Liao Ming said in surprise.
“You came here smoothly, so I came to take a look. I was so close that I thought I was the first one to come, but I didn’t expect the village chief to be the first to arrive.”
“Well, I have nothing to do all day.”
He looked at the group of people coming behind him. Everyone was so familiar; Liao Ming felt a little sore in his nose. “I didn’t expect that everyone came back to see me. It’s great. I even brought you things. Let’s share them. They’re all over there. The local specialties could be an eye-opener for everyone.”
“You have become a high-ranking official, and you still bring us things, it is not bad,” Liao Wei said.
“Has Liao Ming become an official?” The people who came behind didn’t know the situation and were surprised when they heard this.
“Yes, he is a clerk in the government office now, and his eldest son is a government servant,” the village chief explained.
“Ouch! I really didn’t expect Liao Shi to be able to be a yamen servant.”
“Yes, I remember that boy couldn’t read and jumped up and down, and later he didn’t talk much. He was just a boring gourd. I didn’t expect that he could be a yamen servant now; Liao Ming, you have a good son!”
“That’s right. I used to know that Liao Tingyu was a capable person, but now the whole family is eating royal food.”
Liao Ming was surrounded by enthusiastic villagers asking questions. No one cared about the gift of the carriage. It was given to them anyway, and it would not be lost if it was left there for a while.
Liao Ming enjoyed this feeling of being surrounded like a star.
He said in front of the whole village, “Although my youngest son and the others have not come back, they also said that they rely on the help of the elders in the village to survive today, so we plan to buy one hundred acres of land. The land is used as a sacrificial field, and the products produced there will be used by the children in the village to study and support the elderly.”
Everyone was so happy that they almost went crazy when they heard the news. What was the concept of a hundred acres of land?
It meant that in the future, if there were two or three children in the village who could read, they would be able to study well without spending a penny from the family.
As expected, this person was generous when he became an official.
But…the village chief looked at Liao Ming, hesitant to speak. Hey!
Liao Ming didn’t see him; he was still dealing with the thanks from the villagers. “After all, this is where my Liao family was born and raised. Now that we have the ability, we should naturally reciprocate, so you don’t have to be so polite.”
“That said, it is really rare to have this kind of heart,” the old man said with emotion. “Liao Ming, please go and see the fifth uncle later. The old man’s life is short, and he is looking forward to this day the most.”
Liao Ming nodded silently when he heard this. These old people!