Chapter 1
Daliucun
As the sun sets, a magnificent and colorful sunset paints half the sky, a truly beautiful sight to behold.
On the path at the east end of the village, many villagers were walking home drunk, some staggering and needing their families to help them up.
The children followed behind in small groups, chatting and laughing, creating a lively scene. The crops on both sides of the road had sprouted at some point, and the weather was getting warmer and warmer.
"The Wen family's feast today was alright. They killed a chicken, and that stew was really delicious. It's a pity I didn't get to eat much meat."
A man dressed in a coarse cloth shirt had just finished speaking when he let out a burp and gave an embarrassed smile.
His wife glared at him upon hearing this.
A woman dressed in coarse blue cloth glanced at him and then said, "If you ask me, the previous banquet was still the best. I can still remember the taste of that pork."
Upon hearing the woman's words, the villagers on their way home couldn't help but agree.
That time, the Wen family held a celebration to commemorate the eldest son becoming a scholar. Old Man Wen even slaughtered a large, fat pig. Compared to the wedding banquet of the third son of the Wen family today, it was a world of difference.
"But if the third son of the Wen family passes the exam in the future, we can have another meal together."
"That's true, but I don't know how many more years it will take."
The villagers talked about it endlessly.
At this moment, the Wen family members, who had been busy all day, breathed a sigh of relief in the Wen family courtyard.
Old Man Wen squatted in the yard, watching his sons getting ready. He was quite happy, as another son was getting married and the family had grown up.
The Wen family was considered a respectable family in Daliu Village. Although they were not particularly wealthy, they had no worries about food and clothing. Their eldest son passed the imperial examination last year, which brought great honor to the family.
The only regret that Old Man Wen felt was that his eldest son and daughter-in-law did not bring their two grandsons back today; otherwise, he would have been incredibly proud.
Looking at his own little courtyard, he felt quite proud.
There are more than twenty plump old hens in the chicken coop in front, and a pigsty in the backyard where piglets that were recently brought home are kept.
A half-acre vegetable plot was specially set aside next to it, where a lot of vegetables were planted. If they couldn't finish them, they could be sold for money. The rooms were also kept clean and tidy.
Their family lives in the village and is currently considered a wealthy household.
Inside a small house on the west side, a woman dressed in a red dress and wearing a red veil on her head rubbed her hands together and then silently said, "Sign in, sign in."
"Today's check-in is complete. The system reward has been sent to your backpack. Please check it."
A mechanical voice suddenly rang in Yingxiang's mind. Her face lit up with joy, and she eagerly lifted her red veil, clasped her hands together, and silently opened her backpack. The next second, she had a small blue pouch and a new piece of purple cotton cloth in her hands.
Yingxiang looked at the things in her hands with some excitement. She put the cotton cloth aside. She had been given this before, so she wasn't surprised. But this little blue purse was rare. She wondered how much money was inside.
You know, money is a good thing. This is the first time the system has given her money since she transmigrated. Yingxiang opened her purse, took a look, and saw a total of five small silver ingots.
She almost burst out laughing, but quickly covered her mouth and took the opportunity to peek inside the room.
The room was simply furnished. She sat on a large kang (a heated brick bed), on which was a brand-new set of bedding. In addition, there was a small cabinet, a desk, and several books on the desk.
She knew that her husband was a scholar, and his family was well-off in the surrounding villages. He had an older brother who was a scholar, so the family was quite well-off.
She's considered to have married up, but her future is uncertain. There are many brothers in the family, and the matchmaker said that she already has two sisters-in-law, and will have two more younger brothers and sisters-in-law in the future.
When Yingxiang heard that there were five brothers, she was amazed, but her father didn't give her a chance to refuse. He agreed on the spot.
Thinking of this, Yingxiang couldn't help but sigh.
She jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed), opened her dowry chest, which didn't contain anything particularly valuable, but it was securely locked. She put the money and fabric inside, locked it, and then hung the key on her person.
This lock set was a reward from the system before, and it's quite practical. The little key is pretty, small and delicate. She strung it with a red string and carries it with her, which is also safe.
After putting everything away, Yingxiang returned to the kang (a heated brick bed) as if nothing had happened and covered her head with the veil again.
She had also heard that her husband was famously handsome, and thinking of this, Yingxiang couldn't help but feel a little hopeful.
As darkness fell, Yingxiang began to doze off; the person had not yet returned.
The noise in the yard outside gradually subsided until finally, only a few barks from an unknown source could be heard.
Yingxiang was in a daze, which was understandable given her healthy lifestyle these days. It was simply because life in ancient times was too boring; she had gotten used to waking up early and going to bed late.
The door creaked open, and Yingxiang was so startled she almost fell over. Thinking it was her husband, she quickly sat up straight, only to find it was her mother-in-law.
"Third brother's wife, you should rest. Third brother went to see the guests off and may not be back for a while."
This person must be her mother-in-law. Thinking about the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Yingxiang nodded obediently.
The woman seemed quite satisfied, and then went out again. Yingxiang couldn't help but yawn, and started to feel sleepy again.
An hour later, just as Yingxiang was about to fall asleep, the door was pushed open again, and the next second, the red veil on her head was immediately removed.
Yingxiang instantly sobered up. The room was somewhat dark, and she couldn't see the person's face clearly. She could only vaguely make out his tall figure and the faint smell of alcohol on him.
Wen Shi went to the village entrance to see someone off and should have returned earlier, but a classmate stood up for him and kept talking while holding his hand. The classmate was only doing it for his own good, so Wen Shi didn't refuse and naturally responded. In this way, he was delayed for quite a while.
Wen Shi didn't think too much about it. Face is something you earn yourself, and even if you don't have it now, you might have it in the future.
In the darkness, he began to undress and prepare to get into bed. Yingxiang, as if remembering something, immediately shifted her body.
"You light the lamp first."
A woman's somewhat nervous voice came through the phone. Wen Shi frowned, puzzled. He knew that candles were very expensive, and ordinary families wouldn't use them.
Only his eldest brother in his family could use it all the time, and his family would say that he studied late into the night and was very diligent.
Although he was also a scholar, he was clearly not as highly regarded as his elder brother. If he lit a lamp, people would say he was wasting money.
However, he still put on his undergarments and used a tinderbox to light the half-burnt candle on the table, making the room a little brighter. The candlelight was dim, and Yingxiang was able to see the face of the person in front of her by the light of the candle.
Fortunately, he was quite good-looking and looked much like the rumors suggested. Yingxiang coughed twice, signaling him to turn off the lights.
In the dead of night, just as Yingxiang was about to drift off to sleep, she was pulled away again. She instinctively covered her mouth, not knowing whether the room was soundproof or not.
As dawn broke, the person beside me finally fell asleep.
Yingxiang sighed inwardly, "Wow, he's so much better than my ex-boyfriend." Drowsiness washed over her, and her eyelids drooped uncontrollably. Before long, she was so tired that she fell asleep.
The consequence of indulging in one night of revelry was that I was almost late when it came time to serve tea the next day.
The main house, the largest house in the middle of the courtyard, has always been where the elders lived. Old Man Wen and his wife sat in the middle, watching the two kneeling below serving tea.
The two exchanged a smile; it was indeed a joyous occasion, as their family had gained another member.
"Third brother's wife, your eldest brother and sister-in-law are not here right now, so these are your second brother and sister-in-law, and these are the fourth and fifth brothers. From now on, we will all live together, so you must get along well."
Yingxiang nodded upon hearing this, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Wenshi, who stood calmly to the side.
She felt a little embarrassed thinking about how he had acted the night before, and she didn't even look at him directly. In her heart, she cursed him, thinking that he was just a well-dressed gentleman.
“You and your second sister-in-law discussed and did all the housework together.”
The old lady of the Wen family was wearing a dress that was neither new nor old, and her tone was somewhat stern. Yingxiang endured her slight discomfort and nodded.
"Your wife knows, Mother, don't worry."
"That's good. You seem like a sensible person."
Father Wen didn't say anything. After serving tea, he had to prepare breakfast. Previously, the meals at home were all cooked by Second Sister Wen, but now Yingxiang was there.
She couldn't be like before; her eyes immediately turned to Yingxiang, the meaning of which was quite clear.
It's impossible for Yingxiang not to be hungry.
"Dad, Mom, it's getting late, your wife will go cook now."
Her obedient and sensible behavior surprised Wen Shi, who was standing to the side. The insults from last night still lingered in his ears, and his intuition told him that this wife was definitely not this obedient.
However, it's too early to tell anything right after marriage; let's see how things go after they've been together for a while.
The men were not allowed in the kitchen, so Sister-in-law Wen, unusually relaxed, sat inside. Everyone started chatting and laughing.
Yingxiang walked to the kitchen, opened the cabinet next to her, and saw the white flour, eggs, and lard inside. She took a bowl; she had to cook this meal well and couldn't skimp on herself.
With five eggs, three large bowls of flour, and two bowls of water, she kneaded the dough and started a fire.
She had cooked before at her parents' home, but every time she did, her stepmother scolded her for days and then wouldn't let her cook anymore.
She had been in this world for several years and had long since adapted to life in ancient times.
Yingxiang coughed lightly and moved quickly. Making egg pancakes would be too troublesome, and she didn't know how many would be enough. She looked at the scallions next to her and decided to make a large scallion pancake.
With a large family and a big iron pot, one is enough.
She rolled out the dough and heated the oil with practiced ease. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, making her look like a very capable woman.
Before long, the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside guokui (a type of flatbread) was ready, and its aroma naturally wafted into the house.
"It seems that the third son's wife is a very good cook."
After speaking, Madam Liu smiled, her face full of anticipation. Old Man Wen didn't say anything, but glanced at his third son out of the corner of his eye, looking somewhat angry.
He always felt that his third son didn't respect him. Yesterday was a big day for him, as he helped him get married, but today his son was still not enthusiastic towards his own father at all.
He was still the same as before, as if he owed him something.
How much dowry did your wife bring?
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