super concubine

Chapter 3 Yu Niang
After Dr. Hu left, Meng Qiuxiang became melancholy.

Although Dr. Hu was benevolent and did not accept the consultation fee from Xiao's family, the medicinal materials in this prescription were very embarrassing given the current situation of Xiao's family.

After thinking for a while, Meng Qiuxiang went back to the room, took out a jade bracelet that was pressed at the bottom of the box, called Yuniang, and said, "Yuniang, while there is still some time left for dinner, go to the pawn shop and get this Done!"

After finishing speaking, she handed the jade bracelet to Yu Niang, who shook her head and said, "Mother, this... can't be done!"

Meng Qiuxiang said: "I told you to go. You know the situation at home now. Since you got married, the life at home has been getting worse day by day. Your husband-in-law has also gone and never returned. Now Xiao Mo is the only one left in the Xiao family. , the condition has finally improved, and I need money, but I just asked you to make a trip, so why not?"

Meng Qiuxiang obviously misunderstood what Yuniang meant, but Yuniang didn't dare to talk to her. What Meng Qiuxiang said was the truth. After she married into the Xiao family, her husband first enlisted for military service and died in battle, and then the Xiao family took care of her. The scholarly family, after losing the only labor force in the family, and in order to treat Xiao Mo's illness, coupled with the severe drought in the past two years, Zhuangzi had no harvest, and spent all his savings in three years, leaving only his ancestors The few acres of dry land left behind could not be sold before the severe drought, and it was even more impossible to plant something. In addition, many men in Changle Town died in battle, so most of the remaining people in the town are some Old, weak, sick and disabled folks, and dozens of widows who lost their husbands.

In this way, after the severe drought and the loss of labor force, even if the Xiao family has fields, they can only watch them go to waste and become pieces of grassland!

On the day of marriage, after Qiao Yuniang was taken to the Xiao family, the military service of the conscription came to the Xiao family, and Xiao Fu was forced to conscript. With a clean body, he can completely leave the Xiao family cleanly.

But Qiao Yuniang is a woman who values ​​love and righteousness. She thinks that a good girl does not marry a second husband. Since she married the Xiao family, she is a member of the Xiao family. Besides, when she first married into the Xiao family, Meng Qiuxiang and Qiao Yuniang got along very well. Well, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are very harmonious, so Qiao Yuniang stayed at Xiao's house to take care of Meng Qiuxiang and Xiao Mo who was ill, and refused to remarry.

After knowing the news of Xiao Fu's death, Qiao Yuniang's father, Qiao Yuanwai, also came to Xiao's house several times to ask Yuniang to remarry. At first, Meng Qiuxiang tried to persuade her, but Yuniang refused.Later, the family situation of the Xiao family went from bad to worse, and under the pressure of life, Meng Qiuxiang's temper began to change slowly, especially when she treated Yuniang from the previous docile, she became more and more mean. The death of her husband brought the Xiao family to the state it is in today.

In addition to being mean to Yuniang in words, Meng Qiuxiang also became more and more strict with Yuniang. After eating every day, she urged Yuniang to work. Qiuxiang treats her like this?She cried several times in secret, but she still didn't intend to leave Xiao's house. Seeing this, Meng Qiuxiang scolded: "Why cry? Get out if you can't stand it. It's not enough to hurt your husband, and you want to hurt me and Xiao Mo too." dead?"

Whenever this happened, Yuniang didn't dare to cry anymore, but she didn't leave Xiao's house either, she wiped away her tears and continued to do housework.

This time Meng Qiuxiang asked Yuniang to be a jade bracelet, but Yuniang refused. If Meng Qiuxiang's temper was followed in the past, I am afraid that Yuniang would be scolded. Maybe it was because Xiao Mo woke up, and Meng Qiuxiang was in a bad mood. It's also a lot better, so I didn't even scold people.

Even so, Yu Niang didn't dare to say anything, so she had to go out obediently and came to the pawnshop.

After wandering in front of the pawnshop for a long time, Yu Niang hesitated and refused to go in.Holding the jade bracelet Meng Qiuxiang gave her in her hand, she thought that it was her mother-in-law's dowry when she married into Xiao's family, and she pawned it today. Looking back on it later, Meng Qiuxiang would definitely feel sad.

Gritting her teeth, Yu Niang finally put the bracelet into her sleeve pocket, then took out a gold hairpin and held it in her hand.

It was given to him secretly by his mother before he got married, and Yuniang kept it until now, seeing that her uncle Xiao Mo's illness had improved, so she was willing to take it out.

After entering the pawn shop, Yuniang handed over the golden hairpin across the tall counter.

"Shopkeeper Lin, please take a look for me, I want to pawn this hairpin."

Yuniang's beautiful voice woke up Lin Yiye behind the counter. Lin Yiye is the owner of Linji Pawn Shop in Fengming Town. The Lin family has been doing business in Fengming Town for generations. Lin Yiye is the only only son of the Lin family. When they enlisted in the army a few years ago, the Lin family spent a lot of money to exempt Lin Yiye from military service. Lin Yiye was also a child. Helping the family manage the business, according to Mr. Lin's meaning, the imperial examination must be taken, and the business must also be managed, so there will be no delay!

But since he intends to let Lin Yiye manage the business, it can be seen that Mr. Lin has no hope for Lin Yiye's career in the imperial examination.

Mr. Lin’s name is Lin Chong, and his name is Bingkun. He is known as the God of Wealth in Changle Town. The mayor, but maybe Lin Chong was unlucky. He encountered a drought just after becoming Lizheng. This drought lasted for three years. Fortunately, Changle Town is close to Feishui and not far from Chaohu Lake. down.

However, given the current situation in Changle Town, except for dozens of widows, the rest of the people are old, weak and young children. Even if Lin Chong didn't go to the county government office to take care of it, he might not be able to get a proper seat here.

Because the Xiao family is the only scholarly family in the town, the Lin family and the Xiao family are also very close, but since Xiao Mo's father died, they have become estranged a lot, but the relationship between the Lin family and the Qiao family is also good, so Yuniang Every time he comes to pawn something, Lin Yiye will give a very fair price. This time, seeing Yuniang take out a good-looking gold hairpin, Lin Yiye weighed it and said: "Sister, this hairpin is really good. Things, are you really going to do it?"

Yu Niang nodded, but she still looked a little bit reluctant.

When Lin Yiye saw it, he said, "This time, I want to hide it for you again. I can't tell Aunt Xiao or your natal family?"

"Yeah!" Yu Niang nodded, lowered her head and said, "Please help shopkeeper Lin..."

Lin Yiye sighed. To be honest, the story of Qiao Yuniang has spread in the town over the years, but the people in the town are all women who spread rumors. When they heard Meng Qiuxiang scolding Yuniang, they followed her. It was rumored that Yuniang was a broom star, which made the Xiao family into the current situation.

But Lin Yiye knew how much Qiao Yuniang had actually paid for the Xiao family, not to mention anything else, it was handled by herself over the years, and the dowry that Qiao Yuniang had given was probably worth a hundred taels of silver.

One hundred taels of silver, even for the current Xiao family, is enough to spend for several years.But because of Xiao Mo's medical treatment, the cost has increased. It can be said that if there is no Qiao Yuniang, the mother and son of the Xiao family would have starved to death long ago!

Thinking of this, Lin Yiye said: "Sisters and sisters, it's not that I don't help. Yiye also admires the behavior of my brothers and sisters, but this is not a long-term solution for you. Why don't you listen to Uncle Qiao's words, leave Xiao's house, and remarry?" What about the good people?"

Uncle Qiao in Lin Yiye's mouth is Qiao Yuniang's biological father, Qiao Zheng. Since Xiao Fu seemed to have died, Qiao Zheng also visited the Xiao family several times, wanting Qiao Yuniang to remarry. Xiao's mother did not object to such a request, but Qiao Yuniang herself But very determined, would rather die than remarry.

After hearing Lin Yiye's words, Qiao Yuniang shook her head and said, "Thank you for your concern, the shopkeeper. You should take care of Yuniang's affairs. Please help me with the hairpin. My uncle woke up today..."

Hearing this, Lin Yiye couldn't help asking in surprise: "Brother Xiao is awake? This is really a miracle. I wonder if the doctor has seen it?"

Yuniang said: "Thank you for your concern, the shopkeeper. Just now, Dr. Hu has seen Uncle's condition, and he also prescribed a prescription. This time, Yuniang came here because she wanted to be some silver taels to get medicine for uncle. Please also ask the shopkeeper help no matter what!"

"In that case, let me help you again!" Lin Yiye thought for a while, but agreed. Yuniang said that the pawn was for saving Xiao Mo's life. For this sake, Lin Yiye It's not easy for Ye to refuse. Although it is said that opening a pawnshop to collect things is a business that does not accompany you, but the Lin family is based in Fengming Town. Not to mention Qiao Yuniang's loyalty, Lin Yiye also saw what happened to Qiao Yuniang, and he was inevitably moved with compassion.

After thinking about it, Lin Yiye said: "Since this is the case, I have nothing to say. The Lin family doesn't take money from you. I will buy it from my own pocket, but here I want to say In a word, this is the last time, and my sister-in-law will be a thing in the future, so please go elsewhere!"

She didn't expect Lin Yiye to be so benevolent and righteous, Qiao Yuniang was moved, and then thought about what else she would have in the future?Immediately, she kept nodding her head and said to Lin Yiye: "I won't bother the shopkeeper anymore. Yuniang will never forget the shopkeeper's great kindness. In the future, when my uncle becomes rich, I will repay the shopkeeper!"

"I don't dare to repay you. This is 15 taels of silver. Sister-in-law keep it!" Lin Yiye took out a large silver ingot from his bosom, took some broken silver from the counter, and handed it to Qiao Yuniang.

Seeing that Lin Yiye gave herself so much money at once, Qiao Yuniang couldn't help but smiled happily, nodded to Lin Yiye and said 'thank you', and ran out of the pawn shop.

After leaving the pawn shop, Qiao Yuniang planned to go to Dr. Hu's pharmacy to get medicine. When passing by the market, she suddenly remembered what Dr. Hu said, Xiao Mo was weak and needed nourishment, so she wanted to see if she could buy some mountain delicacies , Take it back to repair Xiao Mo's body.

But in the market in the evening, where are the delicacies sold?What's more, in Changle Town, apart from the old and the young, there are some widows. Where can anyone go up the mountain to hunt?So Yu Niang rushed to nothing.

Yuniang pouted in disappointment, and was about to leave the market when someone shouted, "Yuniang, where are you going?"

Looking back, it turned out to be Widow Chen from the town. Widow Chen’s husband’s family name was Wang. Like Yuniang, her husband also died on the battlefield, but there was no old man in her husband’s family, only a six-year-old son. With his son in his arms, he can still plow the fields and manage the family in order.

Widow Chen is good at farming, but she is not very good at needlework, so she often finds Yuniang and asks her to help mend some damaged clothes. After going back and forth, the two became friends who talked about everything.

Seeing that it was Widow Chen, Yuniang said, "It turned out to be the sister-in-law of the Wang family, I, I went to Dr. Hu's medicine hall to get medicine..."

Widow Chen stepped forward and took Yuniang's hand, and said, "It's just right together. Hey, Yuniang, I heard your uncle is awake?"

Yu Niang nodded, and said a soft 'hmm', she lowered her head and dared not look at Widow Chen, her face was as red as an overripe apple!
Widow Chen glanced at Yuniang, seeing how shy she was, she whispered in her ear, "Seeing you like this, could it be that your dream has come true?"

Yuniang let out an 'ah', knowing what Widow Chen meant, and remembering what she had said in front of Widow Chen before, she couldn't help feeling shy.

Although she once vowed not to remarry, she said that she was born as a member of the Xiao family and died as a ghost of the Xiao family, which means that she has no intention of remarrying, which means remarrying!But in Yuniang's heart, there is actually a lucky idea, that is, after Xiao Fu's death, she can pass it on to Xiao Mo. This idea is unknown to others, and Yuniang only told Widow Chen once. After hearing this, Widow Chen said, He sighed and said, "I'm afraid it will be difficult!" Then he explained it to Yuniang.

According to Widow Chen's words, she is Xiao Mo's sister-in-law and the widow of Xiao Mo's biological brother!The ancients were extremely particular about marrying wives, especially scholars!In ancient times, it was a taboo for a man to marry the widow of a close relative. Although the law did not prohibit it, if he wanted to remarry Xiao Mo, it would be quite difficult.

Even though he is still a virgin, and Xiao Fu is not husband and wife, who knows if Xiao Mo will despise his status as a widow, or if Xiao Mo is a scholar and knows etiquette and customs, he will certainly not Marrying your own sister-in-law as a wife against the displeasure of scholars in the world!
In this way, even if Yuniang has thoughts in her heart, she dare not reveal them, but Widow Chen must not be able to hide them, but Widow Chen is not a person who likes to gossip, and occasionally only jokes when she is alone with Yuniang After all, I won't mention it in front of outsiders, so as not to embarrass Yuniang!
Widow Chen squeezed Yuniang, with a look of teasing her. Where is Widow Chen's opponent, Yuniang is thin-skinned, and she is on the street with people coming and going, so she begged for mercy: "Sister-in-law, it's okay If you don't mention this matter again, if you say it again, I will ignore you!"

Widow Chen then said solemnly: "Okay, if you don't say it, don't say it, but you have to accompany me to catch pheasants the day after tomorrow, how about it?"

Hearing Widow Chen, Yu Niang thought for a while, this is also good, it happens that Xiao Mo needs mountain treasures to nourish his body, and it can prevent Widow Chen from making fun of him, so he can kill two birds with one stone, so she nodded and agreed.

The two walked together until Yuniang was separated from Widow Chen in front of Dr. Hu's medicine hall. After Widow Chen left, Yuniang hesitated for a moment in front of the medicine hall, gritted her teeth, and walked in!

(End of this chapter)