Catching so many fish meant he could make his wife some fish soup. Niu Da was overjoyed. When he got home at dawn, he first looked at his two little daughters sleeping in their cradles, then pulled Chen Yu aside and whispered:

"Honey, look! I caught four big fish and two pounds of small fish today! It's strange, though, the fish in the water seem to be driven by a ghost; they just keep biting my hook."

Chen Yu peeked into the bucket and saw four fish weighing three or four pounds each. Three or four pounds isn't particularly big, but small fish and shrimp are very hard to find in winter.

“These four big fish, we’ll sell them at the market today. They’ll fetch a good price. As for these few pounds of small fish, we’ll keep one pound for ourselves and give the rest to the family that lent us money. These days, most families don’t have any surplus food. It’s a kindness of them to lend us money, so we should be good to them too!” Chen Yu muttered to herself.

"Of course! But these larger fish will make you a soup. Your fifth daughter is nursing, and you've been working hard. You need to nourish yourself properly," Niu Dadao said.

Niu Da killed the fish and busied himself in the kitchen for a while. A pot of fragrant fish soup was ready, and Niu Da served it to Shen Shi.

Chen Yu's complexion has improved slightly.

After the meal,

"Niu Da, is your Niu Da home? We'd like to hire a car to go to town tomorrow," a woman said. "There are eight of us in total. Winter is coming, and we want to take advantage of the good weather to go out and buy some winter clothes for our family members, and also sell our eggs."

Niu Da, speaking through the doorway, replied, "Yes."

Chen Yu invited the woman to come in and sit down, saying, "Come in and sit down." Niu Da poured a glass of water and handed it to the woman to drink.

The woman's eyes widened as soon as she entered and saw two or three pounds of small fish, and four large fish weighing three or four pounds each.

"Although the snow has melted today, it's still early winter. Where did you catch so many fish? This must weigh about 20 pounds."

Shen Yu laughed and said, "My husband caught these fish in that remote place called Guhu Lake. I told him to take them to sell tomorrow. Last time, he still owes a lot of money to the Tan family and the mute Niu family."

Niu the Mute couldn't speak, and his wife Zhang Min was blind. They had two sons who were both normal. The family farmed eight acres of land. Although Zhang Min was blind, she was not blind in spirit. She helped Niu the Mute farm and did all the farming, just like a normal person. She was a well-known and skillful woman.

However, since both of them could only farm and could not do other business, they could only make a living and support their youngest son's schooling. They could only eat meat during the Lunar New Year.

The mute ox lent the two hundred coins he had spent on the meat to Niu Da so he could pay for his wife's medical treatment after she gave birth.

The woman had originally intended to ask for two small fish to take home, but upon hearing that she had to repay the mute ox, she hesitated to ask.

"Madam Niu, is this the deposit for tomorrow, or is it still the usual two copper coins per trip?"

Niu Da's oxcart was cheaper than other cart drivers. Zhao's family from the same village charged four coins per person to take people to town, while Niu Da only charged two coins, so eight people would only cost sixteen coins. Therefore, many people were willing to ride in Niu Da's oxcart.

“Yes, it hasn’t grown,” Shen said.

The woman left sixteen copper coins and went home.

Niu Da would bring people to sell goods, and if the goods he brought did not exceed five jin (2.5 kg), he would only charge two wen (0.02 yuan) for every five kilometers he traveled.

Niu Da's oxcarts were cheaper than Zhao Si's in the same village, so wealthy families in the village were willing to rent Niu Da's oxcarts to transport their tributes.

However, this is only busy around the Lunar New Year. Compared to normal times, it's a case of some people having too much and others having too little.

Besides pulling carts, the oxen used to help people plow fields. However, everyone felt that the oxen owned by Niu Da were old now. They could still pull carts, but since speed wasn't important, they couldn't plow fields as fast as the other oxen in the village. There weren't many families in the village with oxen, and people would only look for Niu Da's oxen when they couldn't find any other oxen.

Niu Da Niu is idle seven out of ten days. When the weather is warm, he makes a living almost entirely by fishing.

Chen Yu had an old loom that she originally wanted to sell to pay off her debts, but it was too old and she couldn't get a good price for it.

We have a chicken at home. It laid eggs a couple of years ago, but they didn't fetch a good price. We sold the eggs when the weather got warmer, which helped supplement our household income, so we didn't sell it.

There was no girls' school in Niushan Village. Although the Great Zhou Dynasty allowed girls to attend school, there were very few girls' schools in the countryside, so they didn't have to pay tuition and could barely make ends meet.

When Niu Da opened the chicken coop in the morning, it felt warm inside, just like before.

Surprised, Niu Da found ten eggs in the henhouse and took them to show Chen Yu, who was holding a baby:

"Honey, there are ten more eggs in the chicken coop!"

Chen Yu was slightly surprised: "Ten more?" Does this mean ten eggs every day?

Niu Cuihua also glanced at the ten eggs in surprise.

Chen Yu quickly grabbed a winnowing basket, put the eggs in it, and made three egg drop soups with some pickled vegetables for the children.

Chen Yu weaves cloth every day.

In the midst of my busy schedule, I took a moment to play with my little baby in the cradle. "Oh dear, our little baby peed! Did you poop? Mommy, smell if it stinks!" "No, no, it doesn't stink!"

Little Fu Bao lay listlessly in the cradle. She couldn't laugh, her hands wouldn't obey her commands, she couldn't roll over, and she couldn't speak.

But she wanted to turn things around.

She tried to twist her body, but couldn't.

She kicked Chenyu with her little feet, seemingly venting her dissatisfaction. The little one was pink and tender, very adorable, with big, beautiful eyes that made people happy.

Shen Yu pinched Xiao Fu Bao's pink and tender nose.

Niu Da loaded the coarse cloth he had woven the day before the fish had gone to the town with the fish he had caught, and put it on the oxcart. He then took seven or eight women with him.

Upon arriving in town, the women got off the bus.

Buying New Year's goods usually takes most of the day.

Niu Da parked his car at the entrance of the East Market and started selling his wares at his usual stall. The West Market was not a place for poor people, and small vendors could not enter it, so they could only sell in the East Market.

Although most of those who came to the East Market to buy things were poor, there were also servants from wealthy families who came out to shop. Seeing that Niu Da's stall had two trays of eggs and a dozen or so catties of large fish, Aunt Zhou said:

"Big Niu, what big fish did you catch? How much did you sell it for?"

"It's Aunt Zhou! We're old acquaintances, would we overcharge you? Same price as always, thirty coins a pound, this one must weigh three or four pounds." Aunt Zhou was a stewardess of a family surnamed Jia in town, and she was accompanied by two maids, presumably out shopping for her master.

"Thirty coins a pound is still a bit expensive. I'll buy all four big fish. How about twenty-five coins a pound?" Aunt Zhou bargained.

"How about this, Aunt Zhou, I'll charge you twenty-nine coins per pound, and I'll also give you a pound of crucian carp to help you recover. Is that alright?"

"Twenty-eight coins a pound, I'll buy it for twenty-eight coins," said Aunt Zhou.

After considering for a moment, Niu Da agreed: "Okay!"

Large fish cost 30 coins per pound, while very small fish and shrimp cost 10 coins per pound. Meat cost 50 coins per pound. These are the market prices.

There were four large fish. Three of them weighed four catties each, so one fish cost 112 coins, and the three fish cost 336 coins. The last fish weighed three catties and cost 84 coins.

Four items would amount to 420 coins.

Even fishermen sometimes don't catch this many fish in a single day.

He first thought about the four hundred coins he owed the Tan family. He paid them all back, leaving him with thirty-six coins. He bought a pound of sugar, four ounces of oil, and a rattle drum. Although he didn't have much money left, Niu Da was still very happy. As the saying goes, being debt-free is a blessing. He could finally put down the burden in his heart and thought he would probably be able to have a good New Year this year.

When Niu Da returned, the second brother Niu Meihua and the third brother Niu Baozhu were playing around the fourth brother Niu Baolan and the fifth sister Xiao Fubao.

The rosy-cheeked little baby was laughing heartily, waving her arms and legs, her voice crisp and clear.

"Dad, Dad, Fifth Sister can smile! Fifth Sister is so good!" Niu Meihua's little face was beaming, and Niu Da quickly went over to check on Niu Jingyi.

Niu Da took the rattle drum he bought for a copper coin and shook it. Xiao Fubao was so happy that she kicked her little hands and feet.

Niu Da picked up Xiao Fubao and couldn't resist giving her a peck on her rosy cheek. "The baby's hands are a little cold; we'll need to warm them by the fire at home."

"Honey, you're back so early today. Have all those ladies finished shopping? Are the fish sold out?" Shen Yu came over from the vegetable garden, carrying a basket of vegetables.

Niu Da assumed the vegetables were a gift from someone.

"Sister Zhang and the others didn't have that much to buy. They were lucky today to run into Aunt Zhou, who bought all our fish and their eggs, so we came back together! After we eat, we'll pay her back, and then I'll go fishing for another afternoon."

"If we're lucky, we can sell the fish and buy you a pork knuckle to nourish you, and some meat for the kids." Niu Da is a caring person.

"I've paid off all the debts and even bought some brown sugar. I can add a couple more eggs from now on!" Niu Dadao said.

Chen Yu said, "I won't eat it. If you want to give it to someone, give it to the three teething babies. They're growing a lot."

The chickens at home lay almost ten eggs every day, and Niu Cuihua, Niu Meihua, and Niu Baozhu can drink egg drop soup every day.

We can still save up four eggs at home every day.

"Dad, Mom, dinner is ready," Niu Cuihua said as she came out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of side dishes.

Niu Da glanced at his eldest daughter, feeling quite gratified. It seemed his eldest daughter really wasn't stupid after all.

"I'm not hungry yet. Your mother and you guys eat first. I'll check on the baby."

"Don't lie to me. You went out before dawn and haven't eaten anything yet. How can you not be hungry? There's some fish soup at home. Have a bowl of fish soup to fill your stomach first," Chen Yu said.

Shen Yu knew that Niu Da always doted on her and couldn't bear to see her go hungry while taking care of the child, so she said that she wasn't hungry.

Niu Da thought for a moment and said, "Fine, I can't argue with you!"

Niu Cuihua brought over a bowl of fish soup from the kitchen and said, "Dad, I made all of this. I can help Mom now. Aren't I amazing?"

Her expectant look amused Niu Da. "Hehe, impressive, impressive!" Niu Da patted Niu Cuihua's round head and laughed.

After drinking the fish soup, which temporarily relieved his hunger, Niu Da, carrying his fourth daughter Niu Baolan on his shoulder and holding his fifth daughter in one arm, casually asked:

"Honey, who sent these vegetables?"

Chen Yu said, "Didn't you see it when you came in? It grew in our vegetable garden."

Niu was taken aback. "I just delivered all the vegetables to Sister Xia yesterday and got two ounces of lard in return. Where did the vegetables come from in the garden?"

Chen Yu said, "If you don't believe me, go and see for yourself!"

Niu Da, holding Xiao Fubao, glanced into the vegetable garden and saw that his few plots of land were covered with lush green white cabbage, romaine lettuce, water spinach, and amaranth.

The little baby in his arms seemed quite pleased with the vegetables in the garden, and laughed.

Niu Da was somewhat surprised. The child looked to be very young; he hadn't smiled when they found him yesterday, but he was smiling today…

Chen Yu and her children ate first, while Niu Da ate last.

After finishing his meal, Niu Da said:

"My daughter and I will go to the back mountain to collect some wet firewood later. We'll burn it for a while once the dry firewood gets bigger." Although firewood costs money, there are still a few wild trees on the back mountain of Niushan Village, so some villagers often go in to collect firewood.

The hill behind Niushan Village is abandoned; the villagers use it as their ancestral graves, and there are no large wild animals or anything like that on the hill.

"We have to be back before dark, don't be too late!" Chen Yu said.

Niu Meihua held up a bowl of egg drop soup, tempting Xiao Fubao and Niu Baolan: "Lulu, time for egg drop soup! You're too little, you can't eat it."

Little Fu Bao was so hungry she cried.

Chen Yu held Xiao Fubao in her arms, glared at Niu Meihua reproachfully, and said, "You're the one who likes to bully your little sister!" She took Niu Meihua's egg soup and fed Xiao Fubao a lick.

Five-year-old Niu Meihua wanted to cry.

Chen Yu led Xiao Fu Bao, Niu Bao Lan, Niu Bao Zhu, and Niu Mei Hua to play in the village.

Niu Da and his wife were good people in the village. In the past, whenever anyone was in trouble, Niu Da would lend them whatever he had. Most of the people in Niujia Village were also trustworthy.

Even if you're starving, you still have to pay back that debt. As the saying goes, if you borrow and repay, it's easy to borrow again.

When Niu Da encountered difficulties, most people were willing to help him.

Zhang Min called out to Chen Yu:

"Madam Shen, there are four bran cakes on the stove. If you don't mind, you can give them to the children as a snack."

Although Zhang Min is blind, she can recognize who is who just by the sound of footsteps.

Braised rice cakes weren't very tasty, but in an era when a child's New Year celebration consisted of eating a candied hawthorn, braised rice cakes were the only snack that children from poor families could afford.

Therefore, in the eyes of Niu Cuihua and her children, bran cakes were an extremely delicious treat.

In ordinary households, the vegetables and snacks are almost devoid of oil and salt. Oil and salt are expensive commodities, with salt being even more expensive than oil.

The pancakes weren't very oily or salty.

Salt was monopolized by the government, and ordinary people who sold salt illegally would be beheaded. Although oil production was not monopolized by the government, the process of making oil by hand was very hard and complicated. In a county, you could not find more than three oil merchants who made oil, so oil was not cheap.

Fortunately, vegetables don't need much oil or salt and taste just as good. However, this is why most poor people are pale and thin.

The same applies to Niu Da and Shen Yu.

These bran cakes, devoid of oil and salt and even a little bitter, were the most delicious treat in the hearts of poor children.

"Thank you, Sister Zhang," Chen Yu said.

Niu Da, who was gathering tree branches on the mountain, saw a wild rabbit.

The mountain behind Niushan Village is not large. Wild animals exist, but they are extremely rare and cunning, so they are not easy to encounter.

Niu Da crouched down, ready to catch a wild rabbit. Suddenly, the rabbit ran forward a few steps and then stopped. Niu Da was surprised, but still took a few steps forward.

The hare suddenly ran away.

Just as Niu Da was feeling dejected, he vaguely saw something growing by the grave. He parted the grass and saw that it looked like a blood lingzhi mushroom.

Niu Cuihua walked over carrying a pheasant. "Father, what are you looking at?"

“There seems to be a blood lingzhi here.” Niu Da didn’t know much about blood lingzhi. There was a coffin fungus that grew in cemeteries that was about 80% similar to blood lingzhi, but that kind of thing was highly poisonous.

Niu Da felt that it was highly likely to be a blood-red lingzhi mushroom, so he called Niu Cuihua over, and the two of them first bowed to their master:

"My daughter and I had no intention of disturbing you, please forgive us."

Then, lying down beside the grave, Niu Cuihua used a branch to dig up the blood lingzhi mushroom. She said, "Father, let's take this to Doctor Xue for testing tomorrow. If it's a blood lingzhi mushroom, then we're really lucky!"