After becoming rich overnight, I handed over the system.

Chapter 56 Various Ways to Spend Money

Sure enough, the county sent them a reward soon after.

The reward was much more generous than they had imagined. It included not only ten thousand taels of silver and a hundred acres of fertile land, but also a sweet potato made of gold. What made them happiest was that the entire village would be exempt from taxes for three years.

"This, this is too much!" The Liu family was shocked.

"I heard that after the county magistrate received the sweet potatoes, he rushed them to the emperor's palace. This must be a reward from the emperor." Liu Yuanxi was also excited. He was just a commoner and never expected that he would receive such a reward from the emperor.

When Liu Yuanxi said this, the others were even more astonished. The highest official they had ever seen was a county magistrate, and this was suddenly said to be a reward from the emperor.

"Clan chief, should we offer these things as tribute?"

Grandma Liu didn't understand either, and she and the others looked at the clan chief with longing eyes.

"No need for that. Keep the silver yourselves. As for the golden potatoes, you shouldn't spend them in the end." The clan chief advised them. Ten thousand taels of silver and a hundred acres of fertile land were truly enviable. Most importantly, this reward came from the highest level.

However, their village did receive some benefits. This Liu woman is quite lucky; it's said that she even had her son find those sweet potatoes.

The clan chief looked at Liu Laoda and shook his head. This Dajiang is too honest. He's not suitable to be a group leader. Yuanxi is more suitable.

Liu Yuanxi was unaware that he had been included in the list of candidates to succeed the clan leader; now, the whole family was thinking about how to spend all that money.

The Liu family never imagined that one day they would have to worry about spending money.

"Aunt Liu, are you showing off?" Lin Liuyi teased her.

Although she and Jin Huan have recently made some money, she doesn't have this problem; she's saving up to buy a house.

"Buy a house?" Old Mrs. Liu was a little confused. "Our house needs to be expanded."

"It's not just about houses in your village; you can buy one in the county. The educational and medical resources in the county are definitely better than in the village. After you buy one, it will be more convenient for your children and grandchildren to go to the city or study."

When Lin Liuyi said that, Old Lady Liu felt that he had struck a chord with her.

She's getting old, so of course she has to think more about her children and grandchildren.

"Buy a house in the county?" When Grandma Liu said this, the three Liu brothers were first shocked, then they thought it wasn't impossible, and finally they were happy.

"Mom, does that mean we'll be city people from now on?" Old Liu said happily.

“What do you mean by city people or not? Are we going to give up all this land? The county is buying houses so that you'll have a place to stay when you move to the city. But if you really move to the city, how will you make a living?” Old Mrs. Liu’s words brought everyone’s joyful spirits back down to earth.

Yes, they are farmers, they don't farm, and they don't know what to do if they come to the city.

The most disappointed person was Liu Yuanxi's wife. She was the daughter of a scholar and didn't know how to do farm work. Her mother-in-law had said she would buy a house in the county, and she thought she could leave the countryside and live in the city. But her mother-in-law changed the subject and said that they would still live in the village. She was quite disappointed.

"Then, Mother, how many houses should we buy?" Liu Lao Er's wife asked.

“I plan to give each of the three families a room, without favoring any one of them. But it would be best if you could have a small courtyard connected to each other, so that the three of you brothers could stay together.” The others nodded, their mother-in-law’s consideration was thorough.

“Alright, when we buy a house, we’ll all go to see it together as a family. After all, you’ll be living there, so you can choose the house yourselves.” Grandma Liu’s words made everyone even happier, especially the women and children. They don’t go out much anyway, and being able to participate in such a big event as buying a house made them feel a great sense of belonging.

"Also, everyone outside knows that our family received a reward. I'm thinking of giving five hundred taels to the clan to repair the ancestral hall and add some sacrificial land," Old Lady Liu dropped this bombshell.

“Of course, we’ve got so much money this time, the villagers will definitely be envious.” Liu Yuanxi also felt that her mother did the right thing.

"But those were all bestowed upon us by the Emperor," Liu Lao Er said somewhat reluctantly.

“Second brother, we still share the same surname, so we should try to get along well in the clan. Spending a few hundred taels of silver to gain some reputation is not a bad thing,” Liu Yuanxi explained carefully to his second brother and the others.

“The third brother is right. You are still on the family tree. A single tree cannot make a branch. The clan has helped us a lot in the past. Anyway, our family doesn’t lack this now.”

Money really does inflate one's ego; even old lady Liu can talk like that now.

The others agreed, thinking it made no difference and decided to give it to them.

"Mother, I have something to say." While the others were still discussing whether to use the remaining money to buy some more land, Liu Yuanxi suddenly interrupted them.

"What's wrong? What's the matter, Third Brother?"

"Mom, I don't want to study anymore. I want to come back and grow sweet potatoes with you." Liu Yuanxi said her true feelings shyly.

Before Old Mrs. Liu could speak, her daughter-in-law wanted to stand up and object.

Grandma Liu told her to sit down and calm down. "Third son, are you tempted by these rewards?"

"Mother, I've been studying for several years, but I haven't achieved anything. I might as well come back and grow sweet potatoes with everyone." Liu Laosan said dejectedly, expressing his true feelings.

If someone studies hard but their family gets rich by growing sweet potatoes and they gain honors, what's the point of studying?

"Third son, you can't think like that. Before, when we didn't have money for your education, we could only help you learn to read more. We didn't have the means to support your studies for the imperial examinations. Now that we have money, you should study even harder. I've decided that we will support your studies for the imperial examinations." Old Mrs. Liu had this idea for a long time.

"Mother, I..."

"Don't say anything. Our family is exempt from taxes for three years. If you pass the imperial examinations and become a scholar, it will be more than three years. Third brother, haven't you always thought you were the most useless person in the family? Then you should work hard to pass the exams and become a useful person."

"Mother, am I sure I can do it?" Liu Yuanxi asked hesitantly.

“Why can’t you? I say you can, so you can. You’ve been so busy with the sweet potatoes lately that you haven’t been studying properly. Here’s what we’ll do: after the clan’s ancestral hall ceremony tomorrow, you can go back and continue your studies.” Old Mrs. Liu made the final decision.

Liu Laoda and Liu Laoer didn't have any particular thoughts about it. After all, he was their younger brother, so if he liked to study, let him study.

The two daughters-in-law had some reservations, but then they thought that since the family had the money to send them to school, it would be even better if they could pass the imperial examinations and become scholars, just like their mother-in-law said.

Liu Yuanxi's wife was delighted that her mother-in-law continued to support her husband's studies.

In her opinion, her husband should be a scholar; otherwise, she would have fallen for him at first sight.