Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Full Moon Wine

On the day Miao Ying was discharged from confinement, Li Hongying boiled a large pot of water for him so that he could take a comfortable bath. He entered the bathing room and didn't come out for almost half an hour. Li Hongying thought something had happened and called him several times from outside.

After washing, Miao Ying felt that he no longer smelled bad, and the hot weather outside also made him feel very comfortable.

"Dry your hair, don't catch a cold." Seeing that he had finished washing, his grandmother took a towel and helped him dry his hair.

The sun was shining brightly in the yard, causing a slight burning sensation on his skin. Miao Ying took a deep breath. His grandmother sat behind him and wiped his hair bit by bit.

Mantou and Huajuan also lay down beside his legs, sweeping their tails across his legs.

Li Hongying was now in a shady place under the eaves, guarding Xuetuan's little bed and taking him to bask in the sun.

They are going to hold a full moon banquet for Xuetuan tomorrow, and they don't plan to make a big deal about it, so they will only invite the Miao family, Fu Lingyou, and Ye Feng's family, and no one else.

There were only two tables of people eating, so Li Hongying planned to make the wine herself. Unexpectedly, when Miao Ying was drying his hair in the yard, Zheng Caier suddenly came to the door.

Miao Ying looked at her carrying the basket, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and quickly welcomed her in: "Sister-in-law, why are you here today?"

Zheng Cai'er also smiled. "I was afraid your family might be too busy, so I came early today to help." She put down the things she had brought and walked over to Xuetuan's crib, her eyes narrowed with smile. "This is the baby! This is the first time I've seen him. He's so beautiful, just like Xiaoying."

When Miao Ying was just born, only Liu Qiong and Miao Dahai came. It was the first time that Zheng Caier saw Xuetuan, and she liked him more and more the more she looked at him.

"Call him Xuetuan." Miao Ying also walked over and gently touched Xuetuan's cheek with his fingertips, "Because he's white."

Zheng Caier nodded, liking it very much: "This is really white, it will be so beautiful when it grows up."

No one doesn't like to hear people praising their children. Miao Ying used to not understand why so many people like to show off their children on social platforms. As parents, they really have a very high filter for their children.

"Mom and Dad should bring Pangpang over tomorrow so they can play together." Zheng Caier also sat down next to Miao Ying and started talking about other things.

"The other day your brother took rapeseed to an oil press not far from our house to be pressed. We had a good harvest, about 300 kilograms, and 150 kilograms of oil. Excluding the oil press labor, we sold it for 37 coins per kilogram that day, which means we made about 45 taels of silver. I still have some oil left, which I plan to use for my family's consumption and for future banquets. I plan not to sell any more of it."

"Why don't you bring it to our house for exploitation and why don't you charge for it?" Miao Ying asked.

Zheng Caier said with a smile, "The distance is too far, so we might as well go closer. Your brother didn't hide it that day and told everyone that it's a good idea to plant this. Some people in the village are gritting their teeth. I guess more people will plant it next year."

Miao Ying nodded: "But as more and more people plant it, the price may not be this high anymore."

"Of course, things are valuable because they are rare." Zheng Cai'er remembered something, "Someone came to our house a while ago and said they were going to prepare a feast. I was a little nervous, but your brother encouraged me and even came with me."

"How's it going?"

Zheng Caier nodded. "It's pretty good. The owner even gave me some money, saying it's much better than those old masters. Thank you, Xiaoying."

"That depends on how well you cook it." Miao Ying added, "When I have time, I'll teach you some other dishes."

Zheng Caier nodded and thanked him again.

On the day of the full moon banquet, Miao Ying put a big red bib on Xuetuan, which was made by Lingzhi. Children are afraid of heat, so he took this kind of cool fabric from home and made several small belly bands for him.

Xuetuan was originally white, and now wearing red clothes, he looked even whiter, just like a lucky dumpling. Everyone who saw him liked him very much.

Because it was just a family dinner, only two tables were set up, and the bowls and chopsticks used were from home. Zheng Caier was again the one who prepared the meal, and Li Hongying assisted her.

Miao Dahai and his friends also brought Pangpang. Now both children were placed in the room, and Miao Ying and Liu Qiong were watching over them. Pangpang was already able to walk with the help of something. He was particularly interested in the snowball on the bed and always wanted to poke him. Miao Ying would always pick him up with a smile and poke Pangpang's belly, making him giggle.

"This child has grown really fat." Miao Ying held him in his arms, "Don't poke his brother."

"This Xuetuan is getting more and more beautiful." Liu Qiong looked at Xuetuan sleeping soundly on the bed. "Is he easy to take care of?"

"He's easy to take care of. He doesn't cry or make a fuss." Miao Ying said with a smile, "I don't really take care of him at night. Huo Xing is the one who takes care of him."

"Then he's better than your brother." Liu Qiong laughed, "Your brother sleeps like a pig all day long."

As they were talking, Xuetuan woke up. He didn't cry, but just kept humming. Miao Ying picked him up, and he calmed down, looking at Miao Ying with his eyes open.

"Take the child out and let your brother see him." Liu Qiong also picked up Pangpang, and the two walked out of the room together.

Miao Dong saw Xuetuan at a glance, and quickly came to Miao Ying and reached out to hug Xuetuan. He was very skilled in holding a child, and he liked Xuetuan so much that he wished he could take Xuetuan home to raise him today.

"Fortunately, the saying that nephews look like their uncles did not come true for our Xuetuan, otherwise what would we do if our little brother looked like you in the future?" Miao Ying said from the side. He still remembered that Miao Dong had said that his nephew looked like his uncle, and he still had this worry. It would be okay if it was a boy, but if it was a girl or a boy who looked like Miao Dong, that would be the end of it.

"Go, go." Miao Dong found a stool and sat down, teasing Xuetuan. Xuetuan was not old enough to recognize people yet, so he was very happy as long as he could hold him.

Fu Lingyou, who was still talking to Huo Xing, also came over and took Xuetuan from Miao Dong. His gesture of holding the child was very stiff, but he held her firmly. Xuetuan was attracted by the gem on his hair tie and tried to move his hands to grab it. Fu Lingyou smiled, raised one hand and pulled the gem off, letting it fall on his fingertips. Xuetuan laughed.

Lingzhi also came over and used Fu Lingyou's hand to tease Xuetuan: "I didn't know that brother could hold a child."

Fu Lingyou smiled and said, "Learn it in advance."

Lingzhi blushed a little and let go of Fu Lingyou's hand: "What did you say to big brother just now?"

"Let me tell you about the oil press. I plan to find a escort team to transport the oil to the capital in a while. Will you come with me?" Fu Lingyou asked him. "Grandmother wrote to me saying she wants to see you."

Lingzhi hesitated for a moment and said, "I feel guilty when I see her."

Even though Fu's family didn't say it, Lingzhi still knew that they wanted to marry Fu Lingyou to a woman of equal social status. He didn't know what Fu Lingyou had exchanged with them, but when facing the elders of the family, he still felt guilty.

Fu Lingyou tapped his head and said, "I told you not to dwell on it so deeply. Leave the shop to Miao Yingguan and come with me to the capital to relax."

"Miao Ying has to take care of the child." Lingzhi was a little shaken.

"Does he look like he'd be content to stay home and take care of the kids?" Although Fu Lingyou hadn't dealt with Miao Ying much, he knew him well. He was a man of his own ideas, and wouldn't be content to stay in the inner chambers. Showing him the shop would help him relax a bit, what do you think?"

Ling Zhien said, "Let me think about it."

Miao Ying came out of the kitchen and picked up Xuetuan from Fu Lingyou's hand. Fu Lingyou then placed the gem on Xuetuan's body.

Miao Ying also saw it and smiled at Lingzhi: "Is this the full moon gift from your uncle?"

"That's too stingy." Fu Lingyou took out a red sachet from his arms, which was embroidered with cranes. "This is the full moon gift."

Miao Ying accepted it without hesitation: "Thank you, uncle, on behalf of Xuetuan."

Xuetuan was energetic for a while, but now he was hungry and started to cry softly. Xiaolin brought out some goat milk and also gave a bowl to Pangpang. When Pangpang saw Xuetuan start to drink the milk, he grabbed Liu Qiong's hand and wanted to drink too.

After the two children finished drinking milk, Xuetuan fell asleep, but Pangpang was still energetic. When they sat down to the table, Zheng Caier fed him a piece of braised pork. He can now eat something other than milk, and his favorite is braised pork. The fat melts in his mouth.

Everyone had already seen the child, and the guests and hosts were enjoying the meal. Zheng Caier's cooking skills seemed to have improved a little more than last time. Ye Feng took her hand on the spot and said that he must ask her to cook for his mother's family's banquet.

Zheng Caier also nodded and asked about the specific time. She then thought that she probably had three more companies to work with later and they should be able to take their order, so she made an appointment with Ye Feng. Ye Feng said that he would come to her house to invite her again when the time comes.

At the banquet, Fu Lingyou also told Miao Ying about their trip to the capital, and asked Miao Ying not to set up a stall in the county town, but to go to the shop. They would also take Xing Ge'er away, and Miao Ying would be left alone in the shop.

Miao Ying had originally wanted to go out and set up a stall to work, so since they all said so, he immediately agreed: "Okay, I'll help you watch it for a month."

After dinner, Ye Feng said goodbye. He had a lot of things to do at home. Miao Dong and his family also had to go home. Zheng Caier had to go out to prepare a banquet in two days, and their family also had to run a shop, so they were also busy. Fu Lingyou was going to stay overnight, so he saw them off with them.

After sending the people away, Fu Lingyou said to Huo Xing, "We need a few people to escort us this time. You are not familiar with the people in the escort agency, so why not ask a few of them to come with us?"

Zhenwei Escort Agency has a branch in their county. In fact, Fu Lingyou doesn't need to contact him anymore, but for safety reasons, he was asked to go with him. With the token in Huo Xing's hand, it would be more convenient.

In the afternoon, everyone was busy with their own things. Xiaolin and Huo Xing were making oil drums in the tool shed. Lingzhi took Fu Lingyou to the house where he used to live to see his former vegetable garden, and took Youyou for a walk.

Miao Ying and Xuetuan took a nap together. Li Hongying had the rare time to go out and chat with the villagers. Her grandmother also went to bed.

These were ordinary summer afternoons in their home, a rare moment of leisure and comfort.

It was not until the evening that Miao Ying opened the sachet. Inside was a thumb-sized gold ingot, round and cute, with a few pearls inside.

Miao Ying told Huo Xing to save the money for Xuetuan. When Xuetuan grows up, he should have a considerable fortune.

As for Xiaolin, Miao Ying also saved a lot for him, and also saved some for Huo Xiaobao's betrothal money.

In short, everything is moving in the right direction.