"Oh, Uncle Han, Aunt, it looks like Fourth Son has sent back some holiday gifts. There are quite a few items and looking like an official really makes a difference. You can also enjoy the good life now."
"Indeed, who in the village is as lucky as Uncle Han and Auntie? Fourth Son is the only one among us who has become an official, setting an example for our entire village."
Now that the Han Family had prospered, flatterers were numerous. Although in private, many harbored their own schemes and not all were sincere. However, openly, nobody wanted to offend the Han Family anymore, even if some grumbled that Han Yu owed his success to his wife's parents' home and rose up only because of his daughter-in-law. These grumbles were no longer voiced loudly as in the past but instead whispered in secret. The commoners did not dare contend with an official lest they end up like the few who had been arrested and delivered to the government, unsure when they might be released.
