Li Yuan looked at the two women's embarrassment.
He found it amusing.
So he deliberately said in a cold voice, "Your welcoming feast was crudely prepared; you both deserve to be punished."
The two women trembled in fear, their muscles visibly tensing up.
But then they heard Li Yuan say in a gentle voice, "However, your husband has important matters today, so I will spare you for now."
"I will properly discipline you two tonight."
Both women breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
Immediately after, Li Yuan said, "You don't need to worry about food and drink; I've brought some with me."
With that, Li Yuan turned and brought in the carrying pole he had brought from outside the door.
The two women looked up at the carrying pole, both a little stunned.
They saw the carrying pole was fully loaded with various supplies.
Li Yuan first took down the various meats hanging on the carrying pole.
He said to the elder sister, Chu Wanjun, "Take these. The roasted goose and pig's head meat are already cooked."
"Heat them up in the stove, then slice them and arrange them on plates for the table."
"This piece of pork belly, blanch it in hot water to remove the gamey smell."
"Cut it into pieces with green onions and ginger and cook it. I'll be entertaining guests soon."
The elder sister quickly stood up and agreed, taking the ingredients with both hands to process them in the kitchen.
Li Yuan then turned to the younger sister, Xiao Zhu, and instructed, "Take the wine I brought and divide it into bowls, arranging them nicely."
The younger sister, Xiao Zhu, also quickly took the wine pot to pour the wine.
After entrusting the wine and meat to the Chu sisters for preparation,
Li Yuan said to them, "Prepare the welcoming feast well."
"Your husband will go to the Village Entrance first to take care of some matters."
"I will talk with you when I return later."
With that, Li Yuan took the household registration plaque from the Chu sisters' door and walked towards the Village Entrance.
Looking at her husband's dashing figure,
The Chu sisters felt as if they were truly dreaming.
The younger sister was still swooning.
The elder sister had already reacted.
"Let's quickly do what our husband instructed."
"Soon, those Elders and the Village Chief will come to the house for the welcoming feast."
"We mustn't embarrass our husband."
The younger sister also recovered and quickly nodded in agreement.
Just then, the stove still had a warm fire.
The Chu sisters quickly took the ingredients into the kitchen.
They put the pig's head and roasted goose into the pot to warm over a low fire.
In an instant, the kitchen was filled with the fresh aroma of meat.
The reason Li Yuan chose this pair of Chu sisters was, of course, due to his Huiyan of Discernment ability.
Just now, when he walked to the East Village Entrance,
He saw light emanating from the two women in this courtyard.
Li Yuan knew that this was his supernatural ability telling him.
These two women were of the highest value to him.
What's more, Li Yuan looked closely.
The elder sister, Wanjun, was gentle and beautiful, while the younger sister, Xiao Zhu, was lively and agile.
Both beautiful women fit Li Yuan's aesthetic preferences.
So, why hesitate?
Therefore, Li Yuan directly knocked on the door and entered.
He chose this pair of Chu sisters to be his women.
Holding the Chu sisters' household registration plaque, Li Yuan arrived at the Village Entrance.
At this time, the short, stout Military Fortress Commandant was chatting amiably with the Old Village Chief and the Soldier Family Baizhang.
Li Yuan walked over, bowed first, and then said,
"Soldier Family Li Yuan has chosen the Chu sisters from House No. 7, Section A, East Entrance of the village, as his wives."
"Here is the household registration plaque; please, Elders, register it."
Upon hearing that this Lang Jun had chosen the Chu sisters from the East Entrance of the village,
The Old Village Chief and the Baizhang exchanged glances.
Both showed expressions of surprise.
The Village Chief stroked his beard and smiled, saying,
"Then congratulations to this Lang Jun; you've certainly gained a lot by choosing the Chu sisters."
Li Yuan quickly bowed and saluted, asking with a slight hint of confusion,
"Why is that? Please, Village Chief, enlighten me."
The Old Village Chief, Gao Bo, seeing Li Yuan's politeness, was pleased.
He then said to him gently,
"Most of the families chosen to fill households in our East Village this time."
"Are mostly relatives of Soldier Families who died in the Chishui River battle half a year ago."
"The majority of them are widows."
"Meaning, the male members of their families died in battle, and the officials need to assign a new man to their household to take over and live with them."
"But the Chu sisters are not in this situation."
"Oh?" Li Yuan was a little surprised.
He had thought that the Chu sisters were sharing a husband, and only after their husband died in battle would it be his turn to fill the household. Now it seemed that wasn't the case.
The Old Village Chief continued,
"The Chu sisters have never been married."
"Their father and brother were the ones who died in the Chishui River battle."
"I heard that their father used to be an official in the Great Liang capital."
"Because he was too upright, he offended the Elders."
"He was implicated in factional strife, and his entire family was then exiled to Ding Prefecture to become Soldier Families."
"The journey of exile was arduous, and family members died until only the father, brother, and the two sisters remained."
"When they arrived in Ding Prefecture, they were assigned to our East Village; their brother became a Soldier Family, and their father became a village scribe."
"With their father and brother supporting them, their family managed to get by."
"Alas, during the great battle at Chishui River last year, their father and brother accompanied the imperial army to battle."
"Unexpectedly, both father and son died on the front lines."
"Losing the protection of their father and brother, these two sisters suddenly became orphans."
"Since they are relatives of a Soldier Family, they must follow the Soldier Family's rules."
"Thus, they were chosen this time to be Soldier Family dependents who needed a new household head."
"This Lang Jun, both of the Chu sisters are unmarried virgins."
"Did I say it wrong when I said you got a great deal?"
With that, the Old Village Chief looked at Li Yuan with a smile.
"So that's how it is."
Li Yuan, naturally, was also full of pleasant surprise.
As a Soldier Family, he thought it would be good enough to be assigned a widow.
He never expected to gain two virgins for free; of course, he got a great deal.
Hearing this, the new Soldier Families following behind the Military Fortress Commandant, waiting to be assigned wives, all showed expressions of envy and jealousy.
Everyone here was to become a Soldier Family.
How could all the good fortune fall to this young man?
The Military Fortress Commandant also shook his head with a smile.
"Such good luck, Li Langjun truly makes others envious."
With that, he took out the Soldier Family roster and wrote Li Yuan's name in the position of household head for House No. 7, Section A, East Entrance of East Township.
He handed the household registration plaque back to Li Yuan and said,
"Congratulations, Li Langjun."
"From now on, you are their husband."
The Village Chief and the Baizhang also nodded in congratulation.
Li Yuan quickly bowed deeply to everyone, saying politely,
"I have prepared wine and meat; I invite you all to my home for a brief chat later."
The Military Fortress Commandant, the Baizhang, and the Village Chief all nodded in satisfaction.
The Commandant and the Village Chief, along with a few others, still needed to preside over the remaining ordinary Soldier Families' household lottery.
The other Soldier Families, seeing that Li Yuan had gained two virgins as wives,
Were already impatient.
They urged the Commandant to quickly start the lottery.
Seeing that there was nothing else for him here,
Li Yuan turned and walked back into the village.
This would be his home from now on.
He wanted to take a good look at this East Village.
To be honest, in Li Yuan's opinion, the geographical location of this East Village was quite good.
To the south of the village was a small plain, mostly cultivated into farmland, with a small river flowing through the middle.
To the north and west of the village were continuous mountains.
To the east, there was also a small river, but due to the dry season, the water flow was not large, and some areas had already dried up.
Most of the people in the village looked emaciated.
It was currently the lean season, so it seemed not many people could eat their fill.