Chapter 527: Chaos at the Old Family House

The Zhu family’s old residence was a simple earthen-and-wood courtyard house.

In Xiahe Village, where most homes were little more than thatched huts and mud-brick structures, it could already be considered decent. Still, time had not been kind—patches of plaster had peeled from the walls, and the paint on the wooden doors had long since faded and flaked away.

Noise spilled out before they even reached the entrance.

Chickens fluttering, voices clashing—it was the unmistakable sound of chaos.

Before Zhu Ping’an even stepped up to the door, the commotion inside was already squeezing through the cracks, loud and lively. The sounds were familiar. The rhythm, the tone, the sheer flavor of it all—exactly the same as before.

Back when the family had still lived together without dividing households, he had grown up surrounded by this very noise.

Now, hearing it again, it felt almost nostalgic.

“Eldest Brother, at least leave a few taels of silver for the family! If you take everything, what are the rest of us supposed to live on—drink the northwest wind?” Fourth Aunt’s voice rang out sharply from the courtyard. “Third Sister-in-law, don’t you agree?”

“What Fourth Sister-in-law says makes sense,” Third Aunt chimed in right after. “Eldest Brother, it’s already May—peak farming season. There are expenses everywhere: repairing tools, buying rice seedlings, sprouting them, transplanting them… all of it costs money.”

In the past, because she hadn’t borne a son and her natal family wasn’t as strong as Fourth Aunt’s, Third Aunt had always spoken timidly in the household. But ever since she had given birth to a boy, her confidence had grown—her back straighter, her voice louder, her words more frequent.

“Enough, all of you—stop making such a racket!” Grandmother’s voice followed, firm and authoritative. “Your eldest brother is going to take the academy examination—he’s bringing honor to our Zhu family. A poor household needs to spend generously on travel. Yingtian Prefecture is so far away, and he’s going alone—of course he needs to bring more money!”

Her tone clearly favored and defended the eldest uncle.

“Hehe…”

A light, mocking laugh came from Fourth Aunt.

“Mother, Eldest Brother has gone to Yingtian how many times already? He could probably get there with his eyes closed by now. How is he still ‘unfamiliar with the place’?” she said, dragging out her words with deliberate provocation.

“What do you mean by that?” Eldest Aunt snapped immediately, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She had clearly caught the hidden jab—wasn’t this implying her husband had failed the exams time and again?

“What do you know about the examinations?” she shot back sharply. “If you had Fourth Brother try, he wouldn’t even pass the lowest level in his entire life!”

“Oh my, why are you so angry, Sister-in-law?” Fourth Aunt covered her mouth with one hand and took a step back, feigning timidity. Yet her tone carried not the slightest hint of fear—in fact, it was almost gleeful. “Don’t scare me. If I get frightened, that’s one thing—but what if you scare the Zhu family’s future heir?”

As she spoke, she deliberately pushed out her noticeably swollen belly, rubbing her lower back with exaggerated pride.

“Oh dear, my back aches so badly—I really must rest. When this little rascal comes out, I’ll have to give him a good scolding for tiring me out like this. My symptoms are exactly the same as when Second Sister-in-law was pregnant with Zhi’er.”

She paused, smiling smugly.

“In the future, my Da Zhuang will study hard and aim for the top scholar title, just like his cousin Zhi.”

Fourth Aunt had discovered her pregnancy when Zhu Ping’an was declared top scholar and the official announcement arrived. Convinced that the child in her belly was a boy, she had already chosen names for him: Dazhuang for everyday use and Zhu Pingzhuang as his formal name.

Eldest Aunt’s teeth nearly ground together in irritation at Fourth Aunt’s affected display.

Who hadn’t been pregnant before? What was there to show off?

“Enough, all of you!” Grandmother cut in decisively. “The exam is what matters most. Even if we have to sell pots and pans, we cannot delay my eldest son’s journey.”

“Sell pots and pans? There’s no need for that,” Fourth Aunt interjected again, her eyes darting cleverly as she turned toward Zhu Pingjun’s wife. “Isn’t Jun’er’s wife’s family wealthy? Just one silk shop brings in dozens of taels a year. And since she married in, she hasn’t exactly contributed much. Since Eldest Brother’s exam is such a big matter, why not have her family spare some money to help?”

At her words, everyone’s gaze shifted toward Zhu Pingjun’s wife.

After all, it was true—her family was well-off, and her father was even a scholar.

“Oh, Aunt, you make it sound so easy,” Zhu Pingjun’s wife replied coolly, rolling one eye upward. “My family’s money doesn’t come from the wind. Besides, once a daughter is married off, she’s like water poured out—no longer part of her natal home.”

“They’re still relatives. What’s wrong with lending a hand?” Fourth Aunt retorted immediately.

And just like that, the courtyard erupted again.

One spoke, another countered. One snapped, another shot back.

The noise rose in waves, as chaotic as chickens scattering in panic.

Then—

Creak.

The sound of the door opening cut through the argument like a blade.

Startled, Eldest Aunt and the others all turned toward the entrance.

There, framed in the doorway, stood Zhu Ping’an—leading Li Shu inside. Behind them followed four young maids, each carrying large bundles of pastries and gifts.

“Oh my! Zhi’er brought his wife over!” Fourth Aunt was the first to react.

Just moments ago, she had been complaining of back pain and insisting she needed rest. Now, however, there was not a trace of discomfort in her movements. With her visibly pregnant belly, she moved with astonishing speed—almost as if gliding—reaching Zhu Ping’an’s side before anyone else had even processed what was happening.

Fourth Aunt was still the same Fourth Aunt.

Like an airport security inspector, she wasted no time. The four maids were still standing there, mouths slightly open in surprise, when she had already begun examining every single bundle they carried, one by one.

“Ah! Mother, Mother—this white one, that’s bird’s nest, isn’t it? Oh my, I’ve never had bird’s nest before!”

“And these pastries—so beautiful! I almost don’t have the heart to eat them!”

“This fabric—so soft! It looks like it was woven from clouds in the sky. And there are several bolts of it!”

“So much meat!”

Each item she inspected was accompanied by a loud exclamation, as though she feared someone might miss it otherwise.

Watching her, Zhu Ping’an couldn’t help but curl his lips into a faint smile.

Yes—this was the familiar Fourth Aunt.

Grandmother soon followed after her, arriving once Fourth Aunt had already made a fuss over several items. Then came Third Aunt and Zhu Pingjun’s wife.

“This is our grandmother,” Zhu Ping’an said, introducing them to Li Shu.

“Greetings, Grandmother,” Li Shu said with a warm smile. Her voice was sweet, her demeanor graceful and composed—like a refined lotus blooming in contrast to the chaotic quarrel that had filled the courtyard just moments before.

“And this is Eldest Aunt, this is Third Aunt, this is Fourth Aunt… and this is Sister-in-law.”

Zhu Ping’an introduced each person in turn.

Li Shu followed his lead perfectly, greeting each one with polite courtesy, her posture elegant and her expression gentle—without the slightest hint of arrogance.

In that moment, she embodied the image of the ideal young bride.