Fu Xin Ci finished speaking and was about to lead her companions home.
Old Jin, however, called out to her, "Xin Ci, I'll bring some snacks for drinking later. Please tell your uncle for me that I want to have a good drink with Long Teng and the others."
"Yes, and me too," Qi Yuan Shan added. "I'll come over after I finish talking with Uncle Jin."
"Eh, I will tell grandfather," Fu Xin Ci replied to Uncle Qi and Uncle Jin, then looked at the Zhou family members. "You all come with me, I'll take you to see my grandfather."
The Zhou family had learned on the way that this young lady was the granddaughter of Magistrate Meng.
They were all secretly delighted at their good fortune.
Now, seeing Miss Fu proactively offering to lead them to the magistrate, they were even more eager.
The Zhou elders thanked Fu Xin Ci and followed her to the Meng residence.
Along the way, people who knew Fu Xin Ci greeted her. Especially the families of the young people, who thanked her and then rushed home.
Some also went to the Meng residence to deliver a message to Grandpa Meng.
Upon receiving the message, Grandpa Meng took the lead in going to the main gate to welcome them.
Fu Yu also missed his daughter, but seeing his old father's demeanor, he tried to dissuade him.
"Father, Ci'er is a junior. It is not proper for you to personally go to the gate to greet her."
Hearing his son's words, the old man was not angry, but stated his own sentiment: "No amount of rules can compare to how much I miss my granddaughter."
"Father, I miss Ci'er too."
"Then what are you waiting for? Rules are rigid, but people are alive. It would be foolish to adhere to those broken rules and not go out to welcome Ci'er back, wouldn't it?"
After speaking, the old man led the way to the main gate, fearing that if he came out too late, his granddaughter would not see him at first glance.
Indeed, seeing his granddaughter approaching with a radiant smile, the wrinkles on the old man's face piled up like layers of small daisies blooming on a hillside.
From afar, Fu Xin Ci saw people standing in front of her house. Looking at the familiar figures, she truly felt the surge of longing like a tide.
"Grandfather, Father, Mother, I'm home."
"Sister, Sister!" The moment he saw his sister, Ning'er, with his short legs, ran over, hugged his sister's leg, and began to cry, "Sister, Ning'er missed you so much, why are you only coming back now?"
Ning'er: He was the first to hug his sister, and he didn't want to let go.
"Sister misses Ning'er, and also grandfather, father, mother, and Yu'er." Fu Xin Ci squatted down, hugging her chubby younger brother, her heart warming.
The Meng family, as expected, heard what they wanted to hear. Grandpa Meng's face remained unwrinkled.
The companions, led by their captain, also came to pay their respects to the elders of the Meng family.
Grandpa Meng, Fu Yu, and Mrs. Fang all liked these young people.
Mrs. Fang arranged for more dishes to be prepared in the kitchen as a welcome feast for the children.
Fu Xin Ci also told her grandfather that Uncle Qi and Uncle Jin would be coming for drinks later, and finally recounted the matter of the Zhou family to her grandfather.
When Grandpa Meng heard that the Zhou family owned a weaving and dyeing workshop, the creases on his face deepened, layer upon layer, endlessly.
The old man instructed his son, then looked apologetically at his granddaughter, before beginning to converse with the head of the Zhou family.
One was willing to befriend, the other sincerely sought refuge. After half an hour, Grandpa Meng had Fu Yu escort the Zhou family to an empty courtyard to stay temporarily.
He also promised them that he would find a suitable place to build a courtyard for them the next day.
The Zhou family, full of gratitude, followed Fu Yu to the temporary courtyard. Grandpa Meng then had time to sit in the courtyard and inquire about the experiences of his granddaughter and her companions along the way.
When the old man heard his granddaughter say that two groups of men in black had tried to kill members of the Meng family, he was furious.
"That person is already dead, his two sons are also dead, what else do they want? Do they truly want to exterminate the Meng clan?"
"Some people think that way, and they act that way. Like my Jin family, I was once the only one left."
Old Jin, mentioning his family's past, had his eyes filled with hatred and helplessness.
"If I hadn't finally arrived at Eagle Cliff, there might have been no one left in my Jin family."
Grandpa Meng thought that compared to the Jin family, the Meng family was indeed fortunate, as there were still several dozen people in the Meng family now.
It was also because of the Meng family that he did not allow his son to be an official; he feared that those people would retaliate against his son.
He thought their own situation was quite unfortunate. When that person was still in power, he suppressed their family.
When that person was gone, his political enemies and adversaries would not let them go either.
It was more than just bad luck that could explain it.
Qi He, who followed behind Old Jin with his father, rarely saw the old man frown. Qi He then offered his own idea: "Grandpa Meng, I think as long as everyone doesn't leave Mengjia Town, there should be no problem."
Qi He's words reminded Grandpa Meng, "Yuan Shan, we cannot openly call it Mengjia Town here."
"Uncle?" Qi Yuan Shan did not understand the old man's meaning.
"As long as those people know of Mengjia Town's existence, that thorn in their hearts will never be removed."
"Second Uncle is right."
"Then what should we do?"
"Yuan Shan, why don't we change the name of this place? Let's not call it Mengjia Town anymore."
"Then what should we call it? I still feel that Mengjia Town is more intimate."
Grandpa Meng thought of the Qingxi Academy they had established and discussed with Qi Yuan Shan, "Why don't we rename it Qingxi Town?"
"Mm, that's a good name. It's more elegant than the rustic Mengjia Town."
Little Ai, holding Ning'er, was sitting not far away waiting for dinner. Upon hearing Grandpa Meng mention Qingxi Town, she immediately applauded in agreement.
Ning'er was also supportive. Seeing that Sister Xiao Ai agreed, he immediately followed suit and said yes.
"It seems everyone likes this name."
"Mm," Fu Xin Ci also agreed. After all, the name Mengjia Town was like setting up a target.
Qingxi Town, on the other hand, not only had a tasteful name but also made it easy to overlook the original Meng surname.
"Then tomorrow, we will ask someone to carve this name at the entrance of the town."
"Uncle Qi, please have those Jin Yi Wei members send a message to Lord Yan via carrier pigeon, telling him that we have changed our name."
"Why do we need to inform Lord Yan?" Qi He was somewhat puzzled.
"Once Lord Yan knows, he will remind the Emperor."
"...?" Qi He was still confused.
"In the Emperor's mind, this place is Mengjia Village, and he has no particular thoughts about it. But if it becomes Mengjia Town, he might not be too pleased."
"Is it not the same?" Fatty Dun'er also didn't quite understand.
The captain, however, understood. "He ordered the Meng clan members to be exiled here. He probably doesn't want the Meng family to grow stronger."