Good farming at the foot of Changbai Mountain

Chapter 34

After the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the taste of the year became more and more intense. Xue and Zhixin often went to the town to buy things, and they always had to buy some new year's goods.Mrs. Chen led Huixin and Jingya to make clothes at home. It's Chinese New Year, so they have to make new clothes.Besides, Huixin is going to get married this year, so the family members naturally can't wear clothes that are too old, and embarrass Huixin.

Huixin's dowry is almost ready, and the Chen family planned to make some furniture, but the Tao family said that his family is a carpenter, and they all did it together, so there is no need for the Xu family to worry about it.So the furniture was not made, and Mrs. Chen left all the money for making the furniture to Huixin, asking her to keep the bottom of the box.

"Grandma, the clothes are ready, you can see if there is anything inappropriate, and I will change them." Jingya finished a piece of clothing, and showed it to Mrs. Chen.

"Okay, it's good. Jingya, you have practiced your needlework. This stitch is much better than mine. I didn't have such a good skill at that time. You will only be eleven after the new year. Grandma has to tell your mother to start saving your dowry. Prepare it in advance, so you won’t worry when the time comes. Look at your sister-in-law, who also started saving for your dowry since eleven or twelve, so you don’t have to be too busy now.” Mrs. Chen Looking at her granddaughter, Jingya looks quiet and delicate, somewhat similar to Huixin.It is said that nieces are like aunts, which is not wrong at all.He is good-looking and has a good handicraft, so the future marriage will not be bad.

Jingya's face flushed, "Grandma, what are you talking about? I'm still young, and my uncle and elder brother are not married, so it's my turn?"

"You are wrong about this. Boys still have to study and take the imperial examination. Naturally, it will be later. Girls are different. They have to make a marriage arrangement as soon as they are young, so as to save others Gossip. Besides, I just want you to save the dowry first, so you don’t have to be too busy later, and I’m not going to marry you right now. We need to find a good one for Jingya in the future.” Chen said to her granddaughter , the hands are also non-stop, sewing clothes with flying needles and threads. "By the way, why didn't you see Jinghan today? Did you go to town with your parents?"

"No, it seems that I went out to find Yumei to play." Jingya picked up another dress, which was cut out by Chen in advance, and all she had to do was sew it on.

"Oh, it's time for her to go out and play, this Jinghan, she can't rest all day. Now that the pig has been sold and the bean sprouts have stopped, she should take a good rest. A child as old as her, who is not All she wants is to play? However, this Jinghan knows how to pull things around the house all day long. Speaking of which, Jinghan has really put in a lot of effort. She led Wenxuan and Wenchang to get those things back this year. This Girl, I don’t know who to follow, once she is allowed to go up the mountain, she will become capable, if she is kept at home, she will be crushed.” Chen shook her head and smiled, this little granddaughter is different from other girls, she has a wild temper Very, I don’t know if it will be better when I grow up.

A few people were talking and laughing while they were sewing. Before noon, Xue Shi and Zhixin came back, carrying a lot of things on their backs.Zhixin piled all the New Year's goods on the kang, and picked them up for Mrs. Chen to have a look. "Mom, here are the candies, firecrackers, pairs, and these are peanuts and jujubes. In addition, these are Jingya and Jinghan's head flowers. Look at the color, how bright it is. The doll should be very beautiful wearing it. Yes." Zhixin killed a lot of prey a few days ago, and the fur was left behind, but the meat was sold to the restaurant in the town, and he also sold some money, so he bought some hair flowers and hair ropes for his daughter. class of gadgets.

Chen looked at it and thought it was good. "Okay, this color is indeed fresh and suitable for them to wear. The two girls are not young anymore, so they should dress up. By the way, have you bought any fish? There must be fish for the New Year. Besides, do you have to catch up with them?" In the past few days, I will also buy back the vegetables that Huixin used on the day of her wedding? Otherwise, there will be no sale in the first month." Chen recalled that Huixin also had to hold a banquet when she got married.

"Mom, I'll go to the town with Meilin tomorrow to see if we can buy some. Since the price hasn't risen too much these days, I should buy it back. It may be much more expensive under the new year. It's cold now. Very well, you can keep it after you buy it.” Zhixin also thought of this, and happened to inquire about the price in the town today, and luckily, the price didn’t increase too much.

Mrs. Chen got up and took out some money, and put it in front of Zhixin, "Take this money, go see what you have tomorrow, and buy some."

Zhixin didn't refuse either, and just took the money away. "Mother, I'm going to chop some firewood. I'll be busy at the end of the year, and I don't have time to chop. Besides, it's hard to use an ax in the first month, so let's save more now." Then he went out.

Mrs. Xue sat on the edge of the kang and helped to pack everything, and then Mrs. Chen put it in the suite in the east room, and took it out when she was ready to use it.

The new year is getting closer and closer, and the days are passing by in a busy day. After the new year, every household starts to clean the house, paste the windows, steam steamed buns, pork and so on.Jinghan is naturally busy with this and that, and is very happy every day.Chinese New Year, who can not be happy?
On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Tao family came to give gifts. They brought a pig, a jar of wine, and two boxes of clothes, cloth, head jewelry and other things.Those who came included Tao Qingnian, Tao Qingfeng and his wife, Matchmaker Qian, and Tao Qingnian's uncle and aunt.Of course the Xu family had to stay for a meal, the Xue family was busy cooking, and the Tao family left after eating.

After sending all the Tao family away, Mrs. Chen told Zhixin that the pigs would be slaughtered tomorrow, otherwise it would be difficult to use a knife in the first month.Zhixin also knew about it, that is to say, the pig will be slaughtered early in the morning.

Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Xue were all there looking at the betrothal gift that the Tao family gave Huixin, a set of silver jewellery, two pieces of cloth in each of the four colors, two pairs of pillowcases, tea leaves, wedding cakes and so on.It's not a good thing, but it's not bad. "Okay, this is pretty good in our crop yard. Huixin, except for tea and wedding cakes, I will bring you the rest of these things. Get married and live a good life. After two years, you will have Son, didn't Qingnian agree to split the family? It will be easier then." Chen asked her daughter again.

"Mother, I know, mother, don't worry, my daughter won't embarrass mother." Hui Xin looked at these things and was also very happy.

On the morning of the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, Zhiming's family of four came back from the county. Zhiming and Zhu's hands were carrying a lot of things.When Mrs. Chen saw it, she blamed them for wasting money. "You are in the county, and you have to spend money to buy everything. What are you spending that money to buy at home? Just come back. Come, Jingwan, Jingxian, let grandma hug you, grandma misses you so much."

Jing Wan and Jing Xian quickly came to Chen Shi's side, and called grandma sweetly, but Chen Shi was so happy that they kissed their little faces. "I'm getting older, and I'm thinking about who is not in front of me. I've been thinking about it for the past few days, and you will be back soon."

Jing Wan and Jing Xian ran to find Jing Han to play, and Mrs. Zhu took out a box of snacks from the things they brought, "Take it and eat with Jing Han and sister Jing Ya, okay, don't mess around." The two The little girl nodded, took the snack and ran away.

"Mother, Zhiming earns a lot now, so this is nothing. We are far away, and it is rare to come back. It is just to buy something, to honor you and my father, it is nothing." Mrs. Zhu sat Chen's side, while Zhiming was next to the old man, and the two chattered.

In the afternoon, Zhixiang actually rushed back from Changbai Prefecture, riding a carriage with his classmates.At the door of the house, a lot of things were unloaded from the carriage.Zhixin and Zhiming heard the commotion outside, so they hurried out to look, and when they saw that the fifth brother had returned, they hurried forward to help.

"Old Wu, what are you doing? It seems like you have brought back other people's grocery stores. You haven't made any money yet, where did you get the money to buy these things?" Zhixin looked at it and said asked quickly.

"Brother, who said that I don't make money? I was rewarded by him in Changbai Prefecture for helping the magistrate to deal with some things. In addition, I also have a salary. This time I bought all the salary. Zhoucheng After all, it is better than ours, and many things are of good quality and cheap, so I bought more. Isn’t this my little sister who is about to get married? As a brother, I have to show it.” Zhixiang has been out for a while now to practice , It can be regarded as an eye-opener, and people become more calm.

The brothers moved all the things down, and then Zhixiang gave the coachman money, and the coachman left.The three brothers brought all the things into the house and put them on the old lady's kang, which shocked Mrs. Chen.Zhixiang hastily told his parents what he said just now, and then he told some things about him in Changbai Prefecture.

It turned out that the magistrate had just arrived in Changbai Prefecture. He used to be a small official in the capital, but this time he was released and became the magistrate of a prefecture.His hometown is in the county, so his son did not follow him in the capital, but studied in the county, and he and Zhixiang became classmates.This time, both his son and Zhixiang were admitted to Juren, so the magistrate asked them to go to Changbai Prefecture to practice for a while, so they couldn't just study hard.

When Zhixiang arrived there, he was appreciated by the master Zhizhou, so he wanted to keep him by his side as a small official.Because Zhixiang still remembers next year's Chunwei, he wanted to give it a try.Master Zhizhou said that it would be best if he passed the exam, but if he failed the exam, he would go to Changbai Prefecture.It would be nice to stay with Zhizhou as a small official and gradually get promoted, and Zhixiang agreed.Opposite Changbai Prefecture is Koryo. A lot of trade between the two countries is carried out here, so it can be regarded as a rich place. It is also very good to be able to work there.

Zhizhou heard that Zhixiang's younger sister was getting married, so he sent a lot of good things for Zhixiang to bring back to add makeup to Huixin.Zhixiang took out the samples. Some of the cloth and brocades woven by Goryeo were colorful and vivid, and they were not comparable in this town.

(End of this chapter)