My father's Responsibility

Chapter 110 Taking up the post

In mid-May, Guo Lun returned from the capital. On the second day after returning, he came to the Ji family to visit Ye Qinglan.

After sitting down in the main hall of the front yard, they congratulated each other. Guo Lun congratulated Ji Chunshan and Ye Qinglan on their twins, while Ji Chunshan and Ye Qinglan congratulated Guo Lun on his success in the imperial examination and his success in the palace examination.

After that, Guo Lun took a brocade box from Qingsong, the book boy, and opened it. The brocade box was lined with a red silk cloth, and on it were two white jade ruyi handles as long as an adult's palm.

Guo Lun said to Ye Qinglan: "I will leave for my post tomorrow. I don't know how long it will take me to come back. I congratulate you in advance on the birth of twins."

Guo Lun was selected as a candidate for the Imperial Examination, but he was not assigned to the Hanlin Academy. Instead, he was appointed as the magistrate of a small county in Lingnan. The appointment documents, seals, and official uniforms of the Ministry of Personnel have been issued, but he will have to go to Lingnan to take up his post soon.

"Thank you, brother, but this jade ruyi is too expensive. I can't accept it." Ye Qinglan said hurriedly. This pair of jade ruyi is flawless and white, with a delicate, warm and soft texture. At first glance, you can tell that it is carved from top-grade mutton-fat white jade, worth no less than hundreds of taels. How can he accept it with peace of mind when it is so expensive?

"In addition to congratulating you on the birth of your son, this gift is also a gift from me to my twins for their full moon, hundred days, and first birthday. I am about to take office, and I have too many things to do to prepare them one by one, so I will use this gift as a substitute. Brother Lan, don't worry too much." Guo Lun closed the lid of the brocade box and handed it back to Qingsong beside him. After Qingsong took it, he stepped forward and bowed slightly to present it to Ye Qinglan.

Ye Qinglan still felt it was inappropriate and was reluctant to accept it. He wanted to say something else, but Ji Chunshan advised him: "It is the intention of the eldest brother, how can you let him down. And the eldest brother is not an outsider, if you are too polite, it will be bad."

Ji Chunshan persuaded Ye Qinglan in this way, not because he cherished the jade ruyi, but as he said, the Guo family treated Ye Qinglan very well, and Ye Qinglan was pregnant with twins, Guo Lun's gift of the jade ruyi was not too expensive, and Guo Lun would probably marry and have children in the future, and then the Ji family would have to give back. With the jade ruyi in front, it should be something better and not worse.

Such a give-and-take, rather than just one side giving and the other side receiving, is the right way to maintain the long-term harmony between the two families. For example, since Ye Qinglan and the Guo family resumed their relationship, Ji Chunshan would prepare generous gifts for every important festival or Guo's father and mother's birthday, and because they were the younger generation, each time they returned the gift, they would add 20% to the Guo family's gift to show respect.

Ye Qinglan was not as far-sighted as Ji Chunshan, but after Ji Chunshan finished speaking, he saw Guo Lun, who had a wooden face and no expression, nodded as if he agreed, so he could only smile helplessly and said, "Okay, I'll accept it. Thank you, big brother." After speaking, Danqing, who was standing beside him, stepped forward and took the brocade box from Qingsong.

"You're welcome." Guo Lun said.

Because Guo Lun had to visit other relatives of the Guo family to say goodbye, it was inconvenient for him to stay for a long time. After sitting for a while, he got up and said goodbye. Ji Chunshan and Ye Qinglan personally sent him out the door again.