kingnovel Chapter 299 New House
Chapter 299 New House
When designing this courtyard, Li Xiaonuan drew up a blueprint based on the traditional courtyard houses of northern China.
Therefore, upon entering the gate, the first thing one sees is a gray-white screen wall. Li Xiaonuan originally intended to plant ivy on the screen wall. However, it is still winter, and the ivy cannot branch out yet.
Passing the screen wall, you'll find a large courtyard, about two acres in size. The courtyard is paved with smooth bluestone slabs, with only some flowers and plants planted in the four corners.
This courtyard was reserved by Li Xiaonuan for drying grain.
Directly in front of the courtyard is a row of five main rooms. The central room is the main hall, where the Li family receives guests.
The two large rooms on the east side were used as a study and a bedroom, respectively.
Because the room was too big, the bedroom was divided into two rooms, one inside and one outside.
The inner room is the master bedroom, which includes a bathroom and a bed.
The outer room is used as a place to meet and chat with close friends.
The two large rooms on the west side have the same layout as the bedrooms in the east room. Both have been divided into bedrooms. However, those two bedrooms share a bathroom.
A moon gate was opened at the far left of the main house, near the screen wall, leading to the old house of the Li family.
Today, the old house of the Li family is also surrounded by a wall made of blue bricks, and it is quite high.
To the right of the main house is a row of ten rooms in a rear building, which were intended to house the farmhands.
To the right of the main house, there is a three-room west wing. On each side of the west wing is a fairly large side room. One side is used as a kitchen, and the other side is a bathroom.
The west wing was built purely for storing grain.
To the left of the main house is a moon gate leading to the second courtyard. Next to the moon gate is a walkway, about waist-high, lined with blue bricks.
Just now, the bicycles that Li Xiaonuan rode back on were from that passageway that led directly to the inner courtyard.
The outer wall of the Li family's main gate had a side gate for carriages and horses to enter and exit where it met the wall of the old house.
At this moment, the guards were invited into the main hall to rest. They were greeted by Xiao Gang, along with Old Song and his two grandsons.
Seeing this, Xiao Yang told Li Xiaonuan to hurry into the inner courtyard, as he needed to take over Xiao Gang's work.
Li Xiaonuan looked at the spacious and clean courtyard with satisfaction, feeling extremely pleased.
Of course, we have to ignore the disdainful looks of Granny Jin and the head maid beside her.
Accompanied by two arrogant servants, Li Xiaonuan proudly walked towards the inner courtyard.
No matter how others look down on you, you must first be content with yourself. Anyway, those people will never understand how she feels right now.
Seeing something you've always dreamed of, now truly before your eyes, is an indescribable feeling of excitement.
The second courtyard is much smaller than the front courtyard. Actually, it's not that small, but rather that it's divided into three courtyards.
After entering the moon gate, there are covered walkways connecting the left and right sides.
The main house still has five rooms, but it's not as big as the rooms in the front yard. However, compared to other houses in the village, it's very spacious.
There are three wing rooms on each side. The west wing is used as guest rooms, and the east wing is used as a kitchen and storage room.
Between the main house and the west wing are two adjacent moon gates.
The two moon gates led to two separate courtyards. The layout of those two courtyards was the same as that of the second courtyard.
That's where Li Xiaonuan prepared it for Xiaogang and Xiaoyang to live in in the future. They can live there after they get married.
Those two courtyards also have another passageway that can be used by carriages and horses to cross.
Behind this second courtyard lies a large courtyard that serves as a back garden. Along the back wall of this large courtyard is a row of more than a dozen rear buildings.
Those rear quarters were further divided into two sections. The section accessible directly from the inner courtyard was for the maids and servants. The section accessible only through a side gate was reserved for the servants.
Nowadays, only Old Song and his two grandsons live in the back house.
Of course, the rear building is also fully equipped.
As for the carriages and horses, they were all parked on the side of the old house, where a row of animal sheds had already been built.
In fact, Li Xiaonuan had already arranged her accommodation before the house was built.
Li's father and Su's mother slept in the two east rooms of the second courtyard with Xiao Gang. Li Xiaonuan lived in the two west rooms with the old lady. Xiao Yang lived in the west wing for the time being, and would move to the side courtyard after he got married.
However, now that Li Xiaonuan has become a princess and brought back a whole bunch of servants, she can't be arranged like that anymore.
Furthermore, Sang Moyun and her daughter also live in the backyard.
"Xiao Nuan, you should take Miss Sang and her daughter to the side courtyard. You can stay in the other two side courtyards. As for Xiao Yang and Xiao Gang, let them stay in the front courtyard." As soon as she sat down, Madam Su said to Li Xiao Nuan.
Li Xiaonuan thought this arrangement was appropriate and agreed.
Seeing that Sang Moyun's mother was a little tired, Li Xiaonuan took them to the side courtyard to settle down.
Although Sang Moyun and her daughter brought quite a few people to serve them this time, they still had plenty of room to themselves in their own courtyard.
Sang Moyun chose the courtyard closest to the front yard to stay in. Li Xiaonuan then moved into another one.
For a time, the servants were carrying and moving things, creating quite a lively scene.
After making arrangements for Sang Moyun and her daughter, Li Xiaonuan allowed Granny Jin to have the courtyard decorated for her before returning to the second courtyard.
Since that stroke, the old lady has become less mobile and talkative.
Fortunately, the Li family took good care of her and were willing to seek medical treatment for her. Therefore, the old lady seemed to be in quite good spirits.
"Grandma, we're sorry to have worried you. How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?" Li Xiaonuan sat down next to the old lady and asked with concern.
"It's alright, everyone gets like this when they get old. Xiao Nuan, our family is counting on you. Now that you're back, go and offer incense to our ancestors." The old lady spoke slowly, but her words were very clear.
"Yes, I'll go with my parents and Xiaoyang later. Grandma, you must be tired from waiting today, why don't you go and rest for a bit?" Li Xiaonuan asked when she noticed the redness in the old lady's eyes.
"Oh dear, I'm sleepy. I'm going to take a nap." Seeing that her son and grandson had arrived home safely, the old lady had no more worries. And so, the feeling of exhaustion crept in.
Li Xiaonuan personally escorted the old lady back to her room and settled her in before collapsing into a chair, exhausted.
"Emma, I'm finally home. Mom, I feel so relieved to be back in my own home. Suddenly I feel so tired." As Li Xiaonuan's spirits relaxed, words from her past life unexpectedly came to mind.
Fortunately, Su was also excited to be home and didn't pay much attention to what Li Xiaonuan was saying.
“Of course. All the way here, I wish I could grow wings and fly home in a flash. Now that I’m home, I feel so comfortable no matter how I sit.” Madam Su’s smile was genuine and gentle.
"Mom, let's go wash up and rest. There's still some time before evening. Your body can't take this much." Li Xiaonuan said, calling out to the east wing.
The east wing is the kitchen, which is now managed by a mother and daughter. It was bought by Xiaogang at Li Xiaonuan's request to serve the old lady and do some housework.
Soon, a girl of about thirteen or fourteen years old staggered towards the east room carrying a large bucket of hot water. Behind her was a woman nearing forty, carrying a large bundle of hot water.
After the hot water was poured, the woman came out and invited Su to come in and wash up.
"Madam, Miss, the hot water is ready," the woman said respectfully, standing to the side.
The young woman followed and called out "Madam, Miss," before carrying the two buckets back to the kitchen.
Li Xiaonuan then helped Su Shi back to the east room to wash up, and that's another story.
After Li Xiaonuan helped Su Shi to bed and returned to the main hall, Erbao rushed in.
"Sister Xiaonuan, my mom and dad are making a scene outside the gate. My mom looks like she's about to die, and my dad says it's because of you." Erbao said, choking back tears, looking at Li Xiaonuan with a very aggrieved expression.
After not seeing each other for several months, both Erbao and Dabao have changed. Actually, Erbao is a very eye-catching little boy, very cute.
Just seeing his tearful, pitiful appearance made Li Xiaonuan feel a pang of pity.
"Erbao, tell your sister what happened?" Li Xiaonuan led Erbao to her side and looked into his eyes as she asked.