After they had eaten their fill, Jiang Shuyan suggested that Meng Yuanli return to town with him to rest. Meng Yuanli agreed without a moment's hesitation; he and Jiang Shuyan still had a game of chess left unfinished, and he was determined to keep a lamp burning later to force Jiang Shuyan to finish the match. Chu Hengyuan was worried, so he summoned Leng Wu to escort the two elders to town. Emperor Chujing was also concerned and arranged for several guards to accompany them.
Next came the problem of where to lodge the others. Gu Zhentang told Aran that while she was away from Hehua Village, he had already had Shen Jin’s house rebuilt. It was now a new three-room structure with tiled roofing. Because something had happened at Shen Jin’s old house, Gu Zhentang had considered it unlucky, and fearing that the boy would have troubling thoughts while living there alone, he had taken the initiative to have the Village Chief organize a crew to tear the old structure down. He had built three new rooms for him just behind the original site, which also happened to be closer to their own home. Naturally, before Aran and the others returned, Shen Jin had been staying with him.
Upon hearing her father explain this, Aran finally began to make arrangements. Just a moment ago, she had been wondering if she would have to give up her room to her parents and sleep in a small tent set up in the courtyard herself.
Chapter 249