Chapter 13 He Couldn't Forget His Grudge Against the Incompetent

But Jiang Ji had to speak softly.

That's impossible.

Because he clearly remembered his husband's ugly face before and after their marriage.

After the New Year, Ye Daji and Ye Liang came over to help plant potatoes, and Ye Li also came along.

He and "Ye Li" were already engaged and were to get married this year. Before the wedding, "Ye Li" came to the Jiang family with her father and brothers, which was not particularly out of the ordinary.

People in the countryside don't have so many rules.

But after lunch, "Ye Li" called him to the backyard, put her hands on her hips, and arrogantly demanded that he raise the betrothal money from one tael to five taels, otherwise she would not get married.

As agreed by both families, the wedding arrangements should be kept to a minimum.

Try to keep expenses under five taels.

Because he hadn't saved enough money for his trip to the prefectural city to take the imperial examination this autumn.

Studying is too expensive; besides tuition, you have to pay for daily necessities like writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

The Ye family provides him with half of his tuition each year, and he has to cover the other half, including his daily expenses.

But he was too young to solve it before.

His second uncle and the clan chief lent him a helping hand, and over the years they lent him money on and off, totaling more than eight taels.

But back then, that idiot asked for five taels of silver as a betrothal gift!

What angered him even more was that after being bossy, the idiot started complaining, saying that it was his father who insisted on saving people, and ended up losing his own life because of it.

The consequence of being incompetent yet stubborn is that the Ye family has to tighten their belts and work like slaves for the Jiang family, not even getting a proper meal at night.

Now, in order to save money for his travel expenses, even important events like his wedding have to be simplified.

On what grounds?

He, "Ye Li," wanted a betrothal gift and wanted to get married in a grand and spectacular way!

These words made his fists harden immediately.

He just wanted to go back to the front yard to find Ye Daji and break off the engagement!

His face was so frightening that the fool immediately chickened out, dared not spout any more nonsense, and ran away in a flash.

But after calming down and considering the practical issues, he decided to sell one acre of inferior land.

He knew this was short-sighted and extremely foolish.

But he had no other choice.

The Ye family was poor, and so was the second uncle's family. He couldn't bring himself to ask the clan chief for a loan; after all, you can help in an emergency, but you can't support someone who's already poor.

After much deliberation, he decided to sell the land.

Some of the silver was set aside as travel expenses for the imperial examination.

Part of it was used as betrothal money.

Of course, there are conditions for hiring a silver dollar.

He gave her five taels of silver as a betrothal gift. After the simpleton married into the family, she was expected to treat his two younger brothers well and manage all the household affairs so that he could concentrate on his studies without distractions.

He knew that the woman was not a good wife, but as the saying goes, "He who takes a man's money is bound to do so," and since the woman had received five taels of betrothal money, he should at least contribute something to the family.

Despite the Ye family's objections, he handed over the five taels of betrothal money to the scoundrel.

But who knew he was being naive.

The good-for-nothing took the betrothal money, but not only did he not do any work, he also abused Xiaomai and Yage'er!

Besides humiliating his father and abusing his brother, the idiot also had his own personal grudges.

He and the good-for-nothing only spent two days together: the day of their wedding and the day after.

But the idiot didn't give him a good look. He complained about the dilapidated state of his home and thought he was incompetent. He even said that if he failed to pass the imperial examination, he should return part of his tuition fees to the Ye family.

Of course, he can ignore these sarcastic remarks directed at him.

But he cannot let go of the hatred for his father's humiliation and his brother's mistreatment for the time being.

However, he had to give face to the two brothers, so he nodded to them and said, "Okay, I will."

He secretly added to himself that he would try his best to be understanding.

However, the effect is not guaranteed.

Ye Liang was quite pleased to hear him agree: "Good, good, I'm relieved to hear you say that. Hurry up and drink the soup, it'll get cold soon."

Seeing Ye Liang's smile, he smiled too, picked up his spoon, and focused on eating.

The others also focused their attention on the food; today's meal was truly tempting.

Everyone ate a piece of flatbread, sipped soup, gnawed on a bone, and ate a few bites of stir-fried pork with garlic sprouts. They were truly satisfied.

After the meal, Jiang Ji led Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya to collect firewood.

Without a moment's rest, Ye Li ladled out the remaining bone broth and prepared to fry tofu puffs.

Because I was making soup, we started frying a little late today.

In addition, there were many fried items, and the finished product weighed seventeen or eighteen pounds. When Ye Liang left with the basket on his back, the sun was already setting in the west.

Ye Li told him to take a car back to the village.

Along the road from Baxian Town to Beiyang County, many people make a living by pulling carts. Even in the evening, there are oxcarts and mule carts waiting at the town gate.

The price is a bit expensive; it costs three coins for a 17-mile journey from Beiyang County to Darong Village.

Ye Liang simply couldn't bear to spend that money.

Walking seventeen miles is easy.

Earning three coins? That's as difficult as climbing to heaven!

Ye Liang agreed verbally, but once they left the county town, he still chose to walk.

Ye Li could actually guess this.

But he had no choice.

Whether it's him or the Ye family, their financial resources are too meager.

Ultimately, it all comes down to making money.

It was time to soak the soybeans again. He poured twenty pounds of soybeans out of the bag, rummaged through them briefly, and finding no bad beans, he put them into the earthenware basin.

Twenty pounds of soybeans will probably take an hour to grind tomorrow.

But it's okay.

With the able-bodied men back, he has nothing to worry about!

However, pushing the millstone once will inevitably leave you drenched in sweat.

It's almost April.

The fourth month of the lunar calendar, converted to the Gregorian calendar, is roughly May.

The weather has turned warm, but if you actually take a bath in the yard, you'll most likely catch a cold.

Fortunately, the Jiang family had a bathtub, after all, they had been wealthy in the past.

It hasn't been used for a long time, so it's accumulated some dust.

He carried the wooden bucket into the storeroom.

A millstone stood in the center of the storeroom, while some odds and ends and a bathtub were piled up in the corner.

Just as Jiang Ji finished cleaning the bathtub inside and out with soap, he returned with the two little ones.

In the past, Jiangmai and Jiangya could only collect about 20 jin of firewood; they couldn't carry more than that.

But now Jiang Ji has actually brought back a dead tree!

Ye Li was very satisfied.

This is indeed a strong laborer.

Seeing Jiang Ji pick up an axe, preparing to chop the dead tree into firewood, he rolled up his sleeves and went into the kitchen to cook dinner.

I have to get up in the middle of the night. If I don't eat and go to bed early, my body simply can't take it.

There was still a small bowl of bone broth left. He cut some tofu into it, added water and a little salt, and then stir-fried the bean curd residue, cornbread, and leftover garlic sprouts with meat from lunch. That made up a meal.

Dinner was ready by then, and it was already dark.

He lit the oil lamp and invited the three Jiang brothers to eat.

Without Ye Liang to act as a mediator, Jiangmai and Jiangya had finished recounting the recent events while gathering firewood, so the dinner table was somewhat quiet.

Ye Li did not speak.

Jiang Ji also remained silent.

Jiang Mai sipped her soup from the bowl, her dark eyes darting back and forth between her older brother and brother-in-law.

Jiang Ya held the bowl, which was bigger than his face, and drank it with great concentration, sip by sip.

After finishing his drink, he let out a burp.

Then he patted his round little belly, his little face full of satisfaction.

I want to drink it every day!

But the family had no money.

He and his second brother had to save the wages they earned to give to their eldest brother for travel expenses.

But……

He looked at Ye Li with his big eyes; he really wanted to drink it again.

He asked in a low voice, "Brother Li, can we still drink bone broth in the future?"

Ye Li looked at him upon hearing this and, seeing his somewhat hesitant question, couldn't help but smile: "Of course you can."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mai immediately said before Jiang Ya could speak, "Brother Ya, big bones are very expensive."

Jiang Ya blinked her big eyes twice: "I know, I was just asking."

Ye Li found it both funny and heartbreaking to hear this: "Brother Ya, let's continue drinking tomorrow. We'll only buy two pork bones; it won't cost much."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ji, who was engrossed in his meal, couldn't help but secretly look up and glance at the person sitting opposite him out of the corner of his eye.

Did he hear that right?

Why are they spoiling Ya-ge'er so much?

Jiang Ya shook her little head and said seriously, "Two of them will cost a lot of money."

He said with a smile, "I'm so glad I got to drink today, all thanks to Brother Li! Thank you, Brother Li!"

"You despicable person..."

Ye Li felt both heartbroken and fascinated.

He put down his chopsticks and the pancakes, and stretched out his hand to Jiang Ya: "Ya-ge'er, come here, let me rub you."

Jiang Ya was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, and then looked at her second brother.

He still remembered his second brother's instructions.

However, seeing that his second brother didn't speak or object, he jumped off the stool and walked towards Ye Li.

Li Ge has been doing well lately. As long as Second Brother doesn't stop him, he's willing to listen to Li Ge.

As for the eldest brother...

The older brother didn't say he couldn't get close to Brother Li.

The dining table wasn't big; he only took two steps forward before sitting next to Ye Li.

Ye Li first raised her hand and rubbed his little head: "Why are you being so good?"

Then she pulled him into her arms and rubbed his little body hard.

So lovable!

Jiang Ya had never been so intimate with his brother-in-law before. The moment Ye Li pulled him into her arms, his small body tensed up noticeably.

But Ye Li just rubbed him, hugged him tightly, and kept praising him, saying that he was the most obedient and sensible child.

Hearing this, he not only relaxed, but his little face also turned a little red.

He wasn't the most sensible.

He was so hungry for it that he asked Brother Li when he could drink bone broth again.

While Ye Li and Jiang Ya were busy being affectionate, Jiang Ji openly watched them.

Seeing Ye Li's genuine smile, Ya Ge'er's eyes also sparkled with joy. He pursed his lips, his feelings complicated.

When he was about the same age as Ya Ge'er, he often snuggled up in his mother's arms like this.

But Ya Ge'er has never enjoyed such treatment.

His mother died early, and Ya Ge'er was raised in his second uncle's house.

He knew his second uncle's temperament. Xiaomai hadn't been wronged, but Ya Ge'er had heard a lot of unpleasant things.

Actually, his second aunt treated Ya Ge'er very well, but ever since Ya Ge'er became sensible and realized that his second aunt was not his biological mother, he no longer dared to cling to her like that, for fear that his second aunt would become impatient.

Who would have thought that less than ten days after the simpleton changed his ways, Ya-ge'er would be willing to get close to him...