Tang Weiting had called the women from his own enterprises this time merely for them to provide companionship.
How can men’s joyous times lack the presence of women? This is also why they often have women accompany them when talking business.
In the company of the women, he and his friends would not make any indecent moves. After all, the person they were meeting this time was no ordinary individual, and they didn’t want to give a bad first impression.
The County Magistrate Sima Heyu gathered information about the local customs and culture from these men.
He also intentionally wanted to test the knowledge of these sons of wealthy families.
Tang Weiting and some other rich young men had once been dashing students in the Capital.
Those who were around his age or a few years older were already married with children.
However, when they gathered, apart from discussing business, they also indulged in the refined pleasures of reciting poetry and enjoying music.
The sons of the wealthy families all felt that competing in wealth was too vulgar. Instead, they prided themselves on their skills in Qin, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting.
Yet they all admired Tang Weiting, indeed a successor cultivated by a great family.
When the County Magistrate Sima Heyu posed questions to them, they became interested and the men began to showcase their knowledge.
The County Magistrate Sima Heyu, who had also been an imperial examination candidate, believed he was more than a match for these rich young men despite lacking the luck to achieve a higher degree.
After several rounds of competition, the County Magistrate Sima Heyu nodded inwardly; some who appeared prodigal were actually not.
Just like Tang Weiting from the Tang Family, who was slightly more capable than the others. Without an imperial examination degree, he was still not inferior to him.
These people from the Tang Family did not pursue officialdom, choosing instead to strive for glory and wealth.
In fact, like those in government service, they also worked hard for money.
The County Magistrate Sima Heyu felt these people were worth befriending; he instantly hit it off with them, as if regretting not having met them sooner.
On the surface, they seemed to have become friends from their very first meeting.
However, what they actually thought of each other wasn’t important; as long as it made future work easier, that was enough.
This gathering had left Tang Weiting and his friends quite satisfied with the meeting, and they, too, were wary of someone trying to "sabotage" them.
The heart of County Magistrate Sima Heyu also lightened a bit, but he knew that there were still many challenges ahead that he needed to tackle.
Everyone knew he had arrived today, and many sent invitations, but his subordinates each feigned ignorance.
Even during the holidays, when the superior showed up and they pretended not to know, one could guess they weren’t very eager to see him.
The County Magistrate Sima Heyu also understood that someone must be pulling strings behind the scenes, and he would soon find out who it was.
In the end, he couldn’t spend all day partying with these men. A servant found him, reporting that the Lady had also run out, nearly causing a scare.
The County Magistrate Sima Heyu was also worried about Madam, as her health had suffered even more after the long journey.
Thus, after socializing for an hour, he took his leave with his entourage.
On New Year’s Day, one normally wouldn’t invite a doctor into their home.
However, hearing that Madam’s condition had worsened, and not wanting to refrain from calling a doctor, he made a special trip to the Medical Hall on the way back to invite one.
Fortunately, on the first day of the New Year, there was a doctor in the pharmacy.
The doctor hesitated upon seeing someone who looked and spoke like a foreigner. The thought of making a New Year’s house call didn’t appeal to him.
But upon hearing where he was being requested to treat someone, he did not dare to delay and followed with his apprentice to attend to the patient.
After sending the County Magistrate on his way, Tang Weiting and his friends did not disperse; their gathering continued. He, as the father, heard from his servants that his son, accompanied by some friends, had also arrived.
Glancing through the cabin window, he saw a small boat nearby where his son and friends were simply enjoying music and drinks without doing anything more outrageous, so he chose not to intervene.
Among the other wealthy men present, some had also heard that their sons were on a nearby boat.
They did not interfere but continued to indulge in drinking and merrymaking with the Beauties accompanying them.
The Ye Shiqi, whom Tang Shunyan was anxiously thinking about, and her elder sisters had just watched a battle between five Lions for their New Year’s snatch.
Everyone found it very joyful. After the Lions collected their red envelopes and were thinking of visiting other households for New Year celebrations,
they received an invitation from the local rich man, each claiming that they wanted all five Lions to visit their house first.
The rich man’s servants came together to invite them, each insisting that the five Lions should come to their house first.
The servants continued their argument, each adamant about fulfilling their own tasks.