#440 - Gift Giving

Xu Ming returned to the Xu residence and his own courtyard.

Xu Ming's residence was still the same small courtyard as before.

The Xu residence had wanted to exchange it for a larger courtyard more than once.

Because Xu Ming's status was getting higher and higher, it really wasn't befitting his status for him to continue living in such a small courtyard.

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But all of them were rejected by Xu Ming.

Xu Ming didn't care about the size of the courtyard at all, as long as it was comfortable to live in.

Xu Ming didn't even want a maid.

However, Xu Ming's courtyard would have dedicated people responsible for cleaning it.

When Xu Ming walked into his small courtyard, he saw the stone table in the center of the courtyard was piled with gifts.

The maid Chun Yan was arranging them.

"Sister Chun Yan," Xu Ming called out.

"Ah!" Chun Yan was startled and turned to look at Xu Ming, "Young Master, you scared me to death."

"Sister Chun Yan is still so timid," Xu Ming smiled, walked forward, and looked at the gifts, asking, "Who sent these gifts?"

"Who else could have sent them but the old men in the imperial court? Officials have been coming to give gifts since this afternoon," Chun Yan took out a gift list and handed it to Xu Ming, "The Old Ancestor didn't know whether to accept them or not, so in the end, the Old Ancestor took them in her own name, and this is the gift list for you to take a look at."

Xu Ming took the gift list and couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh ho, these officials are really rich. They must have a lot of extra income usually."

"Look at what you're saying, Young Master. Which of these old men in the capital doesn't have money?" Chun Yan said with a smile, "But then again, Young Master, are you going to accept these gifts?"

Xu Ming nodded and said with a smile, "Accept them, of course, we have to accept them. If we don't, I'm afraid these officials won't be able to sleep well tonight."

"Oh woah."

Chun Yan didn't really understand these things.

Chun Yan only heard that the young master had become a very high-ranking official, which was why so many people came to give gifts.

As for why those officials couldn't sleep if the young master didn't accept the gifts, Chun Yan didn't know.

But Chun Yan really didn't need to think about these things.

"Take these gifts and the gift list, and ask a few maids to help me move them to the Xu residence's warehouse, and then tell the Old Madam that no one can touch these things."

Xu Ming instructed Chun Yan.

"Yes, Young Master."

Chun Yan nodded and quickly retreated to carry out Xu Ming's orders.

Before long, Chun Yan came in with a few nimble maids and took all the gifts away.

Nothing happened overnight.

Early the next morning, even more officials came to the door to give gifts.

Xu Ming excused himself, saying that he had important matters to attend to and couldn't get away, so he asked his cheap old man to entertain them.

Although his cheap old man didn't have any skills, he was very experienced in receiving guests. After all, he really had nothing to do every day except drink with his colleagues or go to brothels.

Over time, he became a professional in dealing with people and reading their expressions.

Moreover, Xu Ming felt that his old man would definitely be very happy to receive those officials, because those officials would definitely flatter his old man, and his old man probably liked being flattered the most.

Of course, Xu Ming also specifically told his old man not to promise anyone anything.

Xu Zheng said, "Dad, I understand, don't worry," and then happily walked out.

In the afternoon, there were fewer officials who came to visit and give gifts.

Looking at the list, Xu Ming recognized many officials who considered themselves to be upright and honest. The gifts they sent were not as valuable as those of some other officials, but it could be seen that they had pieced together a lot of money to buy such a thing to send over.

Xu Ming shook his head and still had people lock these gifts in the warehouse, along with the gift list, and keep them all safe, without any accidents.

The Old Madam of the Xu residence didn't ask anything, but instead personally helped Xu Ming put away these gifts, and even counted them herself, just in case the servants were careless.

Xu Ming saw the Old Madam's actions.

In fact, Xu Ming had never underestimated this Old Madam from beginning to end.

To be able to become the legal wife of the Duke of Xu, and to have lived for three hundred years, this Old Madam of the Xu residence was definitely not simple.

Her vision, experience, and the variety of people she had seen were definitely more than most people in the capital.

Not to mention that this Old Madam had followed the original Duke of Xu and fought her way out of the sea of blood.

It was just that too much time had passed, and the Old Madam's spirit had been worn away.

Didn't the Old Madam know about the things happening in the Xu residence now? Didn't she know that the masters of the Xu residence went to brothels all day long?

Didn't this Old Madam know that the Xu and Qin residences were slowly declining? Didn't she know that the Xu and Qin residences were only living off the previous Emperor's favor?

This Old Madam was definitely clear about it.

But the Old Madam had always turned a blind eye, just wanting to fool her children and grandchildren and enjoy her remaining years, that's all.

Because she was too old and only wanted to spend her remaining time in peace, even if everything was superficial vanity, she didn't want to worry about other things anymore.

Moreover, this Old Madam also knew that the more she did this, the safer the Xu residence would be.

Although the Xu residence had connections in the capital, very few of the masters of the Xu residence had real power.

Even those who had real power only had small power.

So the Old Madam knew that although the Xu residence would decline if things continued like this, at least the Xu residence would be safe and sound, and the Emperor would also turn a blind eye to the Xu and Qin residences for the sake of the Duke of Xu and the Duke of Qin, protecting the peace of the two residences.

But now, everyone could see that the Xu residence had become the center of the current political situation in the capital.

And this was entirely because the Xu residence had produced a Kirin child.

With the slightest carelessness, the Xu and Qin residences would fall into a state of no return.

The Old Madam naturally couldn't pretend to be stupid anymore.

Especially now that the Xu and Qin residences were in power, and the Xu and Qin residences had many relatives, they were probably all starting to have ideas.

The Old Madam knew that she had to be that stone, suppressing the restless hearts of everyone.

After busying herself for a day, the Old Madam sat back in her bedroom.

The Old Madam was more tired than she had been in years, as if she had returned to the days when she followed her husband.

In the past, the Old Madam always wondered if there was anyone in the Xu residence who could hold up the family.

But now, all the officials in the court had to look at the Xu residence's face, and the Old Madam didn't know if it was good or bad.