As the carriage approached, Huang Lingxiu was the first to jump down from the carriage. She then opened the curtain to assist an elderly woman.
"Grandmother, be careful."
At the same time, Brother Qingzhou and another burly figure dismounted from their horses.
Shen Yuan approached and greeted with cupped hands, "Brothers."
Huang Qingzhou cupped his hands in return and assisted Huang Lingxiu with the elderly woman, saying, "Dear brother, this is my mother. Upon hearing we were coming to Jinliu Village, she insisted on accompanying us."
Huang Qingzhou's mother?
Shen Yuan felt a hint of surprise, then quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.
"Nephew Shen Yuan, greets Aunt."
The elderly woman was beyond her sixtieth year, but still in good health with a rosy complexion. Seeing Shen Yuan, she cheerfully took his hand and said:
"Ah Yuan, is it? I used to hold you when you were little!"
"I can't believe it's been over twenty years already."
Shen Yuan held her hand and said, "Has Aunt been well lately?"
The elderly woman smiled and nodded, "Very well, very well..."
Over twenty years ago, Grandpa was still alive, and the Shen and Huang families had good relations.
After Grandpa passed away, his father took over the Shen Family, their noble title was revoked, and the relationships between the families gradually faded.
"Aunt, please come inside."
The elderly woman nodded slightly, "Lingxiu will take me in; you brothers can chat."
Huang Lingxiu supported the elderly woman as they walked inside the courtyard, at which point Huang Yunxiao introduced, "Dear brother, this is Zhang Bin, Captain Zhang, my brother."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan quickly cupped his hands, "Greetings, Captain Zhang."
Zhang Bin, a forthright man, waved his hand, "I am brothers with Old Huang, so don't stand on ceremony, little Brother Shen."
"Thank you once again for the last time, little Brother Shen."
Hearing this, Shen Yuan looked at Huang Yunxiao in confusion.
"Dear brother, you misunderstood me. It was Brother Zhang who figured it out himself; I didn't reveal a word of it," Huang Yunxiao explained hastily.
Shen Yuan thought for a moment and understood.
That day, he and Huang Qingzhou went to the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp, and the soldiers guarding the gate clearly saw them enter.
Afterwards, the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp mobilized and attacked that small Barbarian squad.
Anyone with common sense could infer the story behind it.
As a captain of the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp, learning about this wouldn't be difficult for Zhang Bin.
"Please forgive me, Captain Zhang. I kept it secret because..."
"I understand, I understand." Zhang Bin waved his hand with a smile.
Seeing that he understood his concerns, Shen Yuan didn't say more and gestured, "Brothers, please come inside."
With three guests in the courtyard, everyone was present, and the feast officially began.
He specially seated Huang Qingzhou's family and Lu Zhiyuan at one table, accompanied by Village Chief Yang Changlin and Physician Sun Fuchun.
After introducing everyone, Huang Qingzhou was somewhat surprised.
As Village Chief Yang Changlin previously mentioned, Lu Zhiyuan, as a great scholar of the Imperial Academy, had significant influence in Yunzhong County, and even in Yu Country.
He hadn't specifically followed the Shen Family's affairs before, and didn't know that Shen Wenyan, the second son of the Shen Family, had become a student of the great scholar Lu Zhiyuan.
Huang Qingzhou understood well that being a student of a great scholar meant limitless future achievements for Shen Wenyan.
Thinking of this, he felt grateful for his previous decision.
If Shen Wenxing's talent for Martial Dao had stirred his interest to try, then it was the promising future of the student Shen Wenyan that showed him the potential of the Shen Family.
During the feast, Shen Yuan brought out some homemade fine wine.
Huang Qingzhou jokingly said if he had known there wouldn't be enough good wine, he'd have brought some fine apricot-leaf yellow from the town's Kang's Winery.
But once the seal of the wine jar was opened, he was immediately rendered speechless.
The fragrant rice wine was so delectable that Zhang Bin couldn't help but exclaim, "Only after tasting this wine do I realize that Kang's Winery's apricot-leaf yellow is nothing but cat's urine!"
This remark sparked a laugh from Huang Yunxiao, "Brother Zhang, Master Lu is here, mind your words."
But Lu Zhiyuan just smiled gently and continued sipping his wine in silence.
The banquet ended quickly, and as they parted, Zhang Bin thickened his face to ask Shen Yuan for a jar of rice wine.
Not wanting to show favoritism, Shen Yuan also gifted a jar each to Master Lu and the Huang brothers.
As for others, they apparently didn't hold enough esteem to warrant such favors.
"Brother Shen, if you were to sell this wine in town, it would surely be more popular than Kang's Winery's apricot-leaf yellow."
At the courtyard gate, Zhang Bin, slightly tipsy, draped an arm over Shen Yuan's shoulder and joked.
Huang Yunxiao quickly pulled him away, "What nonsense are you spouting, Brother Zhang?"
"To open a commercial business, dear brother would have to give up his farmer status. Once he becomes a merchant, his descendants cannot pursue scholarly honors or join the military."
"Don't bring harm to him."
"Alright, we're heading back now."
With a wave, they mounted their horses.
"Shi Tou, why don't you come back with us? It'll save Uncle Shen from having to take you tomorrow."
In the carriage, Huang Lingxiu called to Shen Wenxing.
Shen Wenxing didn't answer immediately but turned to look at Shen Yuan.
"Go on."
The fact that Huang Qingzhou came to attend the full moon banquet indicated the renewal of ties between the two families.
Given this, if the younger ones could bond, it seemed promising.
"I'll just go tell Mother."
Shen Wenxing joyfully ran back into the courtyard, and in no time, returned with his bundle and boarded the carriage.
After sending off Huang Qingzhou's group, Shen Yuan escorted Master Lu to the edge of the village before returning home.
In the courtyard, Brother Shuan and his wife were helping clean up the aftermath, warming Shen Yuan's heart, who hurried to help.
"Wasn't enough drink today, Brother Shuan?"
"Just wait!"
Shen Yuan said, as he went into the kitchen and returned with a sealed jar of wine.
Zhao Shuan's eyes lit up instantly.
His wife, Wang Ying, had particularly reminded him the night before that, given the good terms between the families, he shouldn't overindulge at the banquet and should help Shen Yuan and his wife clean up.
Thus, at the banquet, Zhao Shuan had watched helplessly as others drank all the good wine.
Little did he expect for Shen Yuan to have saved a jar especially for him.
"Heh, Ah Yuan understands his brother!" Zhao Shuan carefully received the jar, "I'll take this home first and then come back to see if there's anything else to help with."
...
As night fell, the couple changed the diapers of the two little ones and lulled them to sleep.
"Husband, can you guess how much gift money we received today?" Hu Yufen asked with a smile.
Shen Yuan, washing his hands, replied, "There shouldn't be much, right?"
"Three hundred forty taels," Hu Yufen revealed a surprising sum.
"How could it be so much?"
For today's banquet, there were only three tables of guests counted.
Two tables consisted of neighbors with good relationships in the village, who had previously sent gifts, or who followed the custom of bringing eggs and candies.
If there was any gifting, it would mostly be from Master Lu, the Huang family, and Captain Zhang from the Mountain Patrol Captain Camp.
"Captain Zhang, Master Huang, and Master Lu each gave a hundred taels as gifts."
"The old lady gave thirty taels, and the remaining ten taels came from Village Chief Uncle Yang and Uncle Sun."
"A total of three hundred forty taels."
Listening to his wife, Shen Yuan smiled wryly and shook his head.
Social interactions require reciprocity.
A substantial gift from the three might not be an entirely good thing.