Since everyone had no objections.
After that, the process moved very quickly, and the marital home was settled at the Third Courtyard of the Cheng Residence.
It was already a house with three courtyards. The young couple would live in the front courtyard. The middle courtyard was for guest rooms and a small garden, while the back courtyard was originally for the servants.
Li Datou had a new contract, making him a member of the Cheng family, though not one of servitude.
The young couple allowed him to get married there. That space became Li Datou's independent room, quite spacious. He himself said he wanted to continue living at the Cheng Residence.
This was, of course, no problem.
So, Madam Cai and Madam Xi helped with the preparations. Although time was tight, everything was completed quickly, in less than seven days.
There were ready-made wedding dresses, though they were a bit expensive and simpler in style.
But the little wife was not picky at all.
She even said she would be happy to enter the marriage with just a red flower.
Haitang was also sensible.
She understood that with her scarred body and carrying another man's child, marrying someone like Li Datou was already an incredibly fortunate thing. He was the dignified head of the guard, leading a team, with many disciples, and a high monthly salary.
And it was his first marriage.
She truly felt she had gained an immense advantage and was not picky at all.
She also quietly mentioned to her benefactor that there was no need to spend lavishly.
But Li Datou said it was his first marriage, and of course, he wanted it to be grand!
He also told her not to worry!
Who said a second marriage had to be done discreetly?
There was nothing to it!
Li Datou said that when he married a wife, he would do so honorably and openly.
These words truly touched Haitang for a lifetime.
This was part of the reason why they would grow old together in harmony.
The wedding day was very lively.
The nearby residents had heard that the Cheng family's guard captain was getting married and initially thought the Cheng master was taking a concubine. Later, they learned it was the guard getting married.
Everyone couldn't help but discuss it.
Looking at the bustling scene, they all thought, "Is this the setup for the guard captain's wedding?"
Truly affluent.
Haitang was arranged to be in Li Datou's old room in Xihé Village beforehand and married from there. This was the adjacent newly built courtyard, where a group of young men were currently being trained.
Li Datou would occasionally go to Xihé Village to train newcomers and mentor them.
It was fine for Haitang to be married from that room. The young men even called her "Shiniang" (teacher's wife), making her blush furiously.
She was eventually sent away by Li Datou, and then she troubled Taohua and Dingxiang to accompany her.
The next day, the wedding party came to fetch her.
The ceremony was completed that day, and Li Datou was now a married man.
Only Wang Daming remained.
Madam Cai and Madam Xi smilingly urged him to hurry too, looking at his good brother Li Datou. He had previously said he wasn't looking, but when fate arrived, he found it.
Wang Daming smiled but said nothing.
However, he did not marry in the end. His focus shifted to taking in disciples, researching martial arts, and divination.
Eventually, his students became renowned throughout the land.
Li Datou began this, and later, his descendants also began to find suitable partners for marriage.
***
Another three years passed.
Xiao Wuzi and Xiao Liuzi.
Now Cheng Wu and Cheng Liu, had also successfully established their careers and families, and had children.
They were now young men.
They were currently managing the stewing shop and the dessert shop, both very busy.
But they earned a lot.
They had also bought two small courtyards, each with two entrances, near the Cheng Residence. When they were out on business, their wives and children would stay and live in the courtyards.
Over time, Li Datou's wife, Haitang, became close with Xiao Wuzi and Xiao Liuzi's wives, and they even raised their children together, forming a very intimate relationship.
Xiao Douzi, although slow to learn, was taken under the wing of Laifu and Jiawang and learned very quickly. He grew up rapidly and was entrusted with the management of the Yipin Baozang shop, where he now stood on his own two feet.
He was renamed Cheng Douzi.
Despite his cute name, after his experiences, he would become a famous shrewd operator.
He could handle negotiations for any amount of money without changing his expression.
Jiawang would occasionally help out, but his main role was managing the Cheng family's overall accounts.
Most of the funds would be transferred to him.
Then they would be handed over to the young couple for review. Generally, there were no issues.
Jiawang had also married and established a family.
He married Xinghua.
They had a relationship of mutual respect, a choice Jiawang made himself.
Xinghua did not refuse.
Their relationship was quite good.
Laifu, on the other hand, was all smiles. He later married Yuanyang. No one expected him to marry Yuanyang, and he waited for her for two years before marrying her.
Yuanyang initially said she would not marry, and would only serve and care for Madam and the young masters and ladies.
As time went on, she couldn't bear to leave them.
Laifu, at some point, set his sights on Yuanyang. Perhaps it was a case of love growing over time?!
The fact that the two of them got together truly surprised everyone.
Yuanyang was initially reluctant, saying, "How could the steward fancy someone like me?" In truth, she was also quite hesitant, feeling Laifu was a cunning schemer.
He made her feel a sense of crisis.
Moreover, he knew she had once admired their master, and she felt he had ill intentions.
She thought he was keeping an eye on her.
In reality, Laifu was truly wronged. He had indeed tried to keep Yuanyang in check initially, but later saw that she had given up those thoughts, was very diligent in her work, and was very capable.
As they interacted, occasionally teasing her, he found it to be a very interesting thing.
It was only then that he pursued her.
He pursued her openly for two years before winning her over, and directly brought Yuanyang home.
Jiawang felt that his age had arrived, and it was time to grow up. Everyone around him was establishing families, and he was very busy every day without going out much.
Xinghua was also bothered by the matter of marriage. The two of them met by chance in the rear garden and talked a few times. Afterwards, they slowly became familiar with each other.
Then they hit it off.
They went to tell Master Ji and their own master and madam, and as expected, it went very smoothly.
The young couple didn't fuss over these matters.
In any case, they knew the people below them inside out and were clear about their character.
As long as they themselves agreed, that was fine.
The young couple were not the type to break up couples, and encouraged everyone to live their lives well.
Gifts were given, and money was contributed for the celebrations.
Then, their servant status was changed to labor contracts.
But everyone was loyal and devoted. Especially after their servant status was removed, they became even more steadfast in following the young couple's footsteps. The authors' gate
Xiao Wuzi and Xiao Liuzi were initially unwilling. It was only for the sake of their children that they agreed, and they were sad for a long time that they were no longer related to the Cheng family.
It wasn't until the young couple said they could continue to use the surname Cheng that they came to terms with it.
As time went on, everyone truly became like family, and it didn't matter that they weren't related by blood.
The young couple became increasingly Buddhist-like, starting their retirement life at a young age.
They handed over all matters to everyone else to manage.
They themselves lived leisurely days, peacefully raising their children. Both children were already four years old.
The young couple were currently troubled by where to send them for their early education.
They were overwhelmed by the choices of academies.
Indeed, even in ancient times, raising children still involved worrying about the same things.
They were very worried.
The two children, Chenxi and Zhaoyang, had successfully grown into little sprouts, incredibly cute.
With their little arms and legs.
When Chenxi put on a stern face, she looked the most like her father, while Zhaoyang was very good at acting spoiled.