Chapter 677: 677: Elderly Mr. Di Returns Home

“What is Father thinking?”

A mere mention of Di Ruoning made Liu Sisi’s brows furrow.

Di Yelei shook his head and cast a glance at Liu Sisi: “I noticed that the old man has been going to see them these days, but I have no idea what they talked about…”

Liu Sisi responded in a flat tone: “Oh!”

No matter the outcome, it seemed like the matter was about to reach its conclusion.

Until the end of July ended and the golden August of autumn arrived, Nan Tianzong was not sighted. To everyone’s surprise, Elderly Mr. Di suddenly made a decision!

“Dad! I absolutely cannot agree to this! How can I live in the city while you return to live in our old home! This is unacceptable!”

Di Yelei was the first to object.

Liu Sisi on the side quickly chimed in: “Father, why don’t you just stay here in the house? The rooms are vacant anyway. Living with us, it would be more convenient if something were to happen, wouldn’t it?”

Elderly Mr. Di dismissed them with a wave of his hand: “Third Child! It’s more convenient for your father to live in the mansion, but it’s not comfortable for me! It would be no problem to stay for a day or two. But having to stay for too long, your father genuinely feels itchy all over. I don’t feel good without handling a hoe!”

Di Yelei gritted his teeth, refusing to give in.

“Dad, I’m not refraining you from gaining silver by working in the fields. If you want to farm, I will order workers to prepare a piece of land in the back yard. You can plant vegetables and flowers every day. That would be great too, don’t you think?”

Elderly Mr. Di had a disappointed face and let out a long sigh: “It’s not just about land, it’s about people! I miss our home, miss our fellow villagers in the Upper Village! Third Child, if you really respect me, let me get back!”

Elderly Mr. Di was practically pleading with Di Yelei in a low voice!

“Dad, You….”

A sorrowful expression crossed Di Yelei’s face. He didn’t know what to do.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Liu Sisi looked at Ms. Zhao beside her and saw that she kept her mouth shut without a word.

Di Yelei gathered his thoughts: “Dad, If you really miss our fellow villagers, the day after tomorrow is my day off, I can take you back for a few days before we return.”

Elderly Mr. Di opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, then he issued his ultimatum: “Anyway, I am determined to go back! If you don’t send me back, I will leave on my own tomorrow morning. Weren’t we all walking when we first came to the city?”

After saying this, he didn’t wait for Di Yelei to respond, and turned around to leave the front hall with the help of his crutch.

“Dad! Dad——”

Di Yelei hurried after him and tried to prop up Elderly Mr. Di, who shrugged off his hand and continued to walk.

Di Yelei followed persistently: “Dad! Please listen to me… Father, tell me the real reason why you want to go back?” He finally managed to support Elderly Mr. Di’s hand.

Elderly Mr. Di finally stopped and let out a deep sigh.

“Third son! I feel guilty about you and YingEr! Isn’t this all because of Ruoning’s affair…” Elderly Mr. Di could not continue.

After his conversation with Liu Sisi, Di Yelei handed over the right to decide Yuan Mengbai’s fate to Elderly Mr. Di.

Elderly Mr. Di thought for a long time and finally gave Di Yelei the go-ahead.

As such, Di Yelei, in accordance with the current laws of the Great Zhao, sentenced the suspects Old Man Li, Jiang Xiaocai, and Yuan Mengbai, the three main culprits, to be exiled to Lingnan. He then submitted the case to Gongzhou Mansion.

Liu Sisi deliberately inquired and found out that this exile and enlistment involved tattooing the criminal’s face, then sending them off to perform labor in remote regions for the rest of their lives.

The Lingnan mentioned here should be Hainan Island in later generations. However, this ancient time had no carriage transportation, so felons were led on foot by soldiers officers in chains shackles and handcuffs to Hainan. Could Old Man Li, a lame man, and Yuan Mengbai, a frail scholar, survive the months-long journey to reach Lingnan?

In the end, Di Yelei couldn’t bear it. Three days ago, Gongzhou Mansion sent back the final judgment: Yuan Mengbai originally had the rank of a scholar but was stripped of his title and relegated to commoner status, his descendants were forever barred from holding office!

As one of the main culprits in the kidnapping, Yuan Mengbai was released intact, only stripped of his title, and continued to live vigorously!

Seeing Yuan Mengbai staring at her with those malicious eyes, Liu Sisi was so annoyed that she wanted to tear him apart!

Because of this, Elderly Mr. Di felt shame and refused to continue living in the Di Residence. He insisted on returning to the village, and Ms. Zhao naturally followed.

Left with no choice, Di Yelei finally nodded in agreement.

On the day Elderly Mr. Di was sent home, both Liu Sisi and Di Yelei, along with Di Ah-bao, took action.

The items on the carriage were packed full; from food, clothing, and necessities, to all sorts of spare items. As long as they thought of it, they prepared a copy, stuffing it into the carriage.

Amid the hubbub, a lineup of carriages finally set off.

Having not returned to the Upper Village for a long time, the group hadn’t yet reached the village entrance when countless fellow villagers gathered around.

Everyone’s faces were full of smiles as they helped Elderly Mr. Di down from the carriage and accompanied him along the path back to the small courtyard of the Di Family. Originally, from the village entrance to the Di Residence, there was only a narrow path, which was specially dug by the villagers after hearing that Di Yelei had been appointed as a sixth-rank official.

The broad stone path stretched from the entrance of the village all the way to the front of the Di Residence’s gate.

“There’s no place like home!”

Looking at the warm-hearted villagers, Elderly Mr. Di shed tears.

“Of course, there’s no place like home! I say, Fude, you won’t leave once you’re back this time, right?” The Land Officer reluctantly held Elderly Mr. Di’s hand tightly, unwilling to let go for quite a while.

In just half a year, Uncle Land Officer had aged significantly; his hair was almost completely white.

“I won’t leave! I’m going to retire in the Upper Village now that I’m back. Everyone says that city life is good, but what’s so good about it? There’s no land for me to farm, no vegetables for me to pick, and no one to chat with. Although I eat meat in my mouth… I feel stifled in my heart!”

Elderly Mr. Di, finally reunited with his childhood friends, had a lot to say that he hadn’t been able to express.

Di Yelei could only stand by the side and smile bitterly. What else could he say?

“Yes, yes! A few years ago, my second son also took me to live in Gongzhou City for a while. I tell you, I couldn’t eat or sleep properly there. I missed my hard bed at home, the few acres of land in my house, and the villagers of Upper Village! Old buddy, I understand what you’ve been through!”

The two old men, once they got together, immediately shared a mutual understanding, their clasped hands refusing to part.

Seeing the two growing more and more animated in their conversation, Di Yelei quickly invited everyone to sit down.