northernbook Chapter 188: Glory Continues
Chapter 188: Glory Continues
Inside the mansion, there was a bustling bustle. Li Ming stood in the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back, watching the servants and maids coming and going. His face was solemn, his heart filled with emotion.
"Young Master, the newly delivered silk has been put into storage." Butler Li Fu trotted over, bent over, and said respectfully.
Li Ming nodded gently, his eyes falling on Li Fu. "Very good, Li Fu. There have been many things to do in the mansion these days. Thank you for your hard work."
Li Fu quickly bent down again, a smile on his face, "Master, you are too kind. This is what an old servant should do."
As he spoke, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
At this time, an old man in gorgeous clothes walked over slowly. His steps were small but steady.
This person was none other than Zhao Zhong, an old official of the Marquis' Mansion. He stroked his beard and stared at Li Ming.
"Ming'er, now that the glory of the Marquisate has been continued, we cannot slack off in the slightest."
Upon hearing this, Li Ming quickly took a few steps forward and bowed, "Uncle Zhao, you are right. I will definitely keep this in mind."
As they were talking, a group of maids came over, chattering and surrounding the eldest daughter of the Marquis' Mansion, Li Meng.
Li Meng was wearing a pink dress, the hem of which swayed gently with her steps, and the pearls and jade on her head sparkled.
She looked at Li Ming with curiosity, "Brother, is there anything new today?"
Li Ming grinned, "Sister, everything is fine in the mansion, what could be new?"
When Li Meng heard this, she curled her lips and stamped her feet, "How boring."
As he was speaking, a group of maids came over, escorting Li Meng, the eldest daughter of the Marquis's Mansion.
Li Meng was wearing a pink dress, pearls and jade on her head, and had a beautiful face.
"Brother, is there anything new today?" Li Ming replied with a smile, "Sister, everything is fine in the mansion, what could be new?"
Li Meng curled her lips, "How boring."
At this time, there was a noise outside the mansion.
Li Ming frowned, his thick eyebrows twisted together like a knot. "Li Fu, go see what's going on."
Li Fu responded hurriedly and ran out as fast as the wind.
After a while, Li Fu came running back, panting, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead like beans, "Master, it's the Minister of Rites, Lord Wang, who is here to visit."
Li Ming thought for a moment, raised his hand and straightened his clothes, "Hurry up and come in."
Soon, Lord Wang, led by a servant, walked into the mansion. He had a round belly, walked with steady steps, and wore a smile like the Maitreya Buddha.
When he saw Li Ming, he bowed and said, "Mr. Li, how are you?"
Li Ming hurriedly returned the greeting, bowing just the right amount, his face full of respectful smiles. "It is truly an honor for my humble abode, Your Excellency Wang, to have you visit me."
As he said this, he turned sideways and gestured for invitation, and the two of them walked into the living room while exchanging pleasantries.
In the living room, Li Ming and Lord Wang were chatting happily. Lord Wang crossed his legs, holding a teacup in his hand, and gently blew away the foam. "The glory of the Marquis' Mansion today is known to everyone in the capital."
Li Ming quickly put down the teacup in his hand and clasped his hands together, "Master Wang, thank you for your praise. This is the blessing accumulated by our ancestors.
We, the younger generation, are merely blessed by his protection, so how dare we take credit for it?"
As he was speaking, a servant came in hurriedly to report: "Master, the farm outside the city has had a good harvest, and the head of the farm has come to report the good news."
When Li Ming heard this, a glimmer of joy flashed in his eyes, and his eyes were as bright as if they were lit. "Very good, let the village head wait in the side hall first."
Lord Wang laughed heartily when he saw this, "Mr. Li, your mansion is truly full of happy events."
Li Ming smiled and said, "Thanks to Lord Wang, this is also the result of the efforts of everyone in the palace."
After chatting for a while, Li Ming stood up and saw Lord Wang out. "Lord Wang, I'll invite you to my house for a chat another day."
Lord Wang nodded, got on the carriage, and drove away.
After seeing off Lord Wang, Li Ming went to the side hall. The head of the farm was a simple, honest middle-aged man. When he saw Li Ming, he knelt down and said, "Young Master, this year's harvest is better than in previous years. It's all thanks to the blessing of the Marquis' Mansion."
Li Ming helped the head of the village up and said, "This is all thanks to everyone. Are the people in the village all safe?"
The village head quickly replied: "It's all good, it's all good. Everyone is thinking of the good things about the Marquis' Mansion."
Returning to the study, Li Ming sat down and fell into deep thought. Now that the glory of the Marquisate continued, he had to act with caution and not make any mistakes.
At night, the Marquis's Mansion held a banquet. Guests came one after another, and the hall was brightly lit.
Li Ming was wearing a green robe, a jade belt around his waist, and had an upright posture. He moved among the crowd with a perfect smile on his face and shrewdness and calmness in his eyes.
"Mr. Li, I hope you can take care of me in the future." A wealthy businessman said in a flattering manner with a big smile on his face and a protruding belly.
Li Ming raised his head slightly, the corners of his mouth raised, and responded: "No problem, no problem."
In the corner, Li Meng, wearing a pink dress and a pearl flower in her hair, her face flushed with excitement as she whispered to a few young ladies, "Look at my brother, he's so majestic."
The other young ladies' eyes lit up, and they nodded continuously, agreeing one after another: "That's right, Master Li is a handsome man, and this mansion is thriving under his management."
After the banquet, Li Ming returned to his room exhausted. Cui'er, the maid, came running in with hot water and whispered, "Master, soak your feet to relieve your fatigue."
Li Ming kicked off his shoes, rolled up his trouser legs, and put his feet in the hot water. He took a long breath, frowned slightly, and his mind was full of thoughts.
The next morning, Li Ming got up early before dawn.
He was wearing a simple grey gown and his hair was neatly tied up, looking clean and tidy.
He was about to go and inspect the properties of the Marquis' Mansion. As soon as he reached the door, he met his cousin Liu Jun.
Liu Jun, dressed in a royal blue satin suit and holding a folding fan, quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Cousin, I heard that the Marquis' Mansion has been doing well recently, so I came to congratulate you."
Li Ming smiled and patted Liu Jun on the shoulder, saying, "Cousin, let's go take a look together."
The two walked side by side and soon arrived at the shop of the Marquis' Mansion. When the shopkeeper saw them, his face was full of smiles. He trotted towards them and said with a nod and a bow, "Master, cousin, business has been booming recently."
Li Ming walked to the counter, picked up the account book and looked at it carefully, nodding slightly from time to time. He nodded with satisfaction and said, "Not bad, keep it up."
After leaving the shop, I went to a few more stores, all of which were prosperous.
Some shops are constantly crowded with customers and the shop assistants are busy all the time; some shops have new goods as soon as they are put on the shelves, which attracts crowds of people to watch and buy.
After returning to the Marquis' Mansion, Li Ming was about to take a rest when he heard a quarrel.
It turned out that two maids were arguing over a trivial matter. One of them put her hands on her hips, glared and shouted, "This is obviously mine!"
The other one, not to be outdone, shouted at the top of his voice: "You're talking nonsense!"
Li Ming frowned and shouted, "How can you act so recklessly in the Marquis' Mansion?"
The two maids were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They quickly knelt down and admitted their mistakes, their bodies trembling constantly.
As the days passed, the glory of the Marquis' Mansion continued thanks to Li Ming's efforts.