Chapter 279 Could it be that he's going to marry Yao Man?

Song Chunxue noticed that the eldest brother paused again.

"If I'm not too busy with chores at home, I'll stay overnight before going back, since it's quite a long way to and from here."

She stood up. "Fourth brother went with the caravan. You'll sleep in his room tonight."

The eldest brother was somewhat surprised.

"Did the fourth brother really go to the caravan?"

"He's still young, won't he get taken advantage of?"

"He probably didn't want to do odd jobs in the county. The fourth son has always been arrogant and looks down on making small money. But the caravan was too dangerous, so didn't Mother stop him?"

Song Chunxue stopped at the door. "He's already been there once and almost didn't make it back. This one he found is pretty reliable. He's someone I know. Since he doesn't like studying or making money, I didn't stop him this time. It's better than him getting scammed behind my back."

The eldest brother nodded. "What about the second brother? Has he written a letter? How is he doing in the army?"

"I wrote it. The letter is in Sanwa's room. I'll find it for you later. Take a look for yourself."

Song Chunxue thought to herself, it's rare for the eldest brother to care about his younger brother.

"Okay, I'll see in a bit." The eldest brother asked while eating, "Where's my sister? Didn't the fourth brother tell her about you moving to the county?"

“I wrote it, but your sister hasn’t replied yet. I don’t know if she received it.” Song Chunxue knew he really wanted to ask about Sanwa, so she took the initiative to speak up. “Sanwa is studying at Taolin Academy, which is the best school in the county. Recently, the teacher even praised him for studying diligently.”

The eldest brother felt uneasy after hearing this, but he still nodded in agreement, "That's good."

Song Chunxue went to the fourth brother's room to tidy up the quilt.

Jealousy is inevitable. Having lived for so long, she knew that the eldest brother was very jealous of the third child being able to study in such a good school.

But aside from jealousy, he couldn't do much to change anything.

The only thing he could do was change his mindset, reflect on himself, and adjust his thoughts.

He understood that Song Chunxue was determined to support Sanwa's education, and no one else had the right to say anything.

This is favoritism, it's dominance, and it's also compensation.

It is precisely because it is an attempt to make amends that they are ashamed to speak.

The next day, the Taoist priest left home before even having breakfast.

Song Chunxue felt a pang of sadness; her senior brother always considered others.

The eldest sister was going back, so she steamed some buns and made egg drop soup.

Before leaving, she packed a few crispy lard cakes and flatbreads for the eldest brother and gave him a string of cash.

One string of cash is equivalent to one thousand copper coins, which is also one tael of silver.

This was after careful consideration.

If they give too much, Chen Feng will probably encourage his eldest son to come to the county more often in the future.

She would feel guilty if she gave too little.

"This is the last time I'm giving you money. I was originally thinking of giving you that gray donkey, but donkeys take up a lot of feed."

“You already have a donkey, and you can’t raise that mother and baby for long. Don’t sell them too soon, let the baby donkey grow up a bit more.”

Song Chunxue suddenly changed her mind because the little donkey would have to be sold sooner or later, and she didn't want to sell it herself.

The Taoist priest had always wanted that gray donkey, and she wanted to save it for him.

The eldest son nodded solemnly, "Mother, I understand. You definitely wouldn't want to sell it to a donkey dealer, or it might end up in a butcher shop. I'll sell it to someone in the village."

“Please visit the house in our hometown often. I will be going back to harvest wheat in a few days. Next year, you may have to cultivate some of those fields. If you can't cultivate them, you can let someone else do it. But my second brother said that the land in the family should be reserved for him.”

“I understand,” the eldest brother said, bowing his head. “I won’t take over their land. Being able to grow more land for a few more years is already a bargain for me.”

As he spoke, he led two donkeys and a cart, and hitched the cart to the outside of the yard.

The two-month-old donkey is adorable and cuddly, hopping around beside its mother.

Song Chunxue felt reluctant to part with him.

"Go home and take good care of it, don't sell it too early."

She couldn't help but repeat the instructions again.

The eldest son laughed and said, "Mother, I'll raise them for eight months before selling them."

He really wanted to ask his mother about her relationship with the Taoist priest, but he was afraid of upsetting her, so he kept quiet.

Anyway, it's all my mother's business.

"Mother, I'm leaving." The eldest son picked up the donkey whip and flicked it lightly. "Mother, go back to your room."

Song Chunxue watched his receding figure and the little donkey that hopped and skipped around for a while before returning to its mother's side, her vision blurring slightly.

...

In less than half a month, Cunxintang was ready.

They plan to open on the Dragon Boat Festival.

Song Chunxue was surprised, "Where did you buy the medicinal herbs, Senior Brother? How did you manage to gather them all so quickly?"

The Taoist priest smiled mysteriously.

"you guess."

"..." Still keeping us in suspense, Song Chunxue guessed casually, "Did you show off your skills to the medicine dealer?"

“Well, that makes sense,” the Taoist priest stroked his glossy black beard. “Mei Yang found a reliable medicine dealer for me, and it was all done in two days.”

Song Chunxue was quite surprised that Mei Yang was willing to help the Taoist priest.

"There's one more thing. I think Mei Yang's good fortune is coming soon. I estimate that he will be able to marry his soulmate in less than half a year," the Taoist priest sighed. "Alas, junior brother, you have no chance."

Song Chunxue chuckled twice, "Whether I have a chance in this lifetime, Daoist Master, isn't it very clear?"

"But you have indeed developed feelings for him, haven't you?" The Taoist priest looked at the azure sky and said in a low voice, "If you are determined and do not take the talisman given by your master, perhaps you will be the one to discuss marriage with Mei Yang in a few days."

"He is indeed your love interest, but I can see that his persistent and clingy nature is what truly wins people's hearts."

"It's also my fault for insisting on bringing you into this path, otherwise..."

Song Chunxue kicked him, "Senior brother, stop talking. Don't use your skills on me."

The Taoist priest chuckled and sat cross-legged on the stone bench.

He picked up the tea canister and poured half a cup of tea for Song Chunxue, then poured the remaining half into his own teacup.

The dried longan has a very distinct and refreshing flavor.

"The Dragon Boat Festival is coming soon. After the festival, I will go to live in the Taoist temple on the mountain. I will not go to the clinic to see patients before the plague comes here. I want to go up the mountain to cultivate myself for a while."

He poured the well water into the tea canister, his tone gentle and mild, "After I leave, junior brother, don't slack off."

"Don't worry, I'm even more serious than my senior brother now." Song Chunxue didn't stop her. "There are only a few days left until the Dragon Boat Festival. I need to prepare some good food. How did my senior brother celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in the past?"

"Wrap zongzi, race dragon boats, hang Zhong Kui portraits, hang mugwort, drink realgar wine..."

"What is a zongzi?" Song Chunxue asked curiously. "How is it made? Do you know how?"

"It's wrapped in glutinous rice and bamboo leaves, which we don't have here."

Song Chunxue nodded, "Realgar wine is sold in taverns, I'll buy a pot to try later. Does that Taoist priest know how to paint Zhong Kui?"

"Yes, I will paint two tomorrow."

While we were chatting, two dogs that were lying on the ground sunbathing suddenly jumped up and ran towards the gate of the yard.

"Woof woof woof!"

They started barking before anyone even knocked.

"Knock knock knock".

"Sister Song, this is Yao Man. Are you home?"

The Taoist priest looked at Song Chunxue, "They're looking for you."

Song Chunxue opened the door, only to see Mei Yang following behind Yao Man.

"Why did you two come together?"

Song Chunxue stepped aside and said, "Come in."

She wondered if the person Mei Yang was going to marry was Yao Man.