Chapter 266 Half Son
After leaving Chen Lao, Sui Yu asked, "Why did you come back so early today?"
Zhao Xiping smiled and said, "Thanks to you, Captain Gu and Captain Yang are sending their children to school here. They're using our services, so they'll definitely give us some benefits. From now on, they'll help me with patrols, so I can rest for every day I work."
"That's great. The kid told me he wants to eat the pancakes I made. Will you take a day off tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? Let's grind the dried broad beans into flour."
"I can rest tomorrow. I'll go grind beans tomorrow morning," Zhao Xiping said. "I remember there's a row of chives in the vegetable garden. I'm craving some egg and chive boxes."
"The leeks at this time are old and not as delicious as the leeks in spring." Sui Yu glanced at him and said, "I'll make you something new to eat. I'm sure you'll like it."
Zhao Xiping sighed, "After all, I can't compare to your son."
Sui Yu punched him, but he dodged with a smile.
"I'll make pancakes with bean flour, deep-fry two bowls of lard, stir-fry a bowl of lean meat strips, cut up some braised pork, mix some pickled radish, and blanch some bean sprouts. When the time comes, wrap these things in pancakes. They will definitely taste better than egg and chive dumplings." Sui Yu told him, "After eating the dried food, we'll have a pot of soup. I haven't eaten the dried kelp I brought back yet, so it's just right for making a pot of kelp and tofu soup."
Just by listening, Zhao Xiping felt that this way of eating was not bad, but he still said jealously: "You still care about your son. I have been married to you for many years, and only because of your child did I know about bean flour pancakes. If I didn't have a child, I would never know how to eat it until I died, right?"
Sui Yu smiled and glared at him, then put his hands in his pockets and said nothing.
"Aren't you going to defend yourself?" Zhao Xiping was anxious.
"What are you defending? Didn't you say everything?" Sui Yu asked.
A smile appeared on Zhao Xiping's face.
"This is a new way of eating that I learned in Chang'an." Sui Yu stopped teasing him.
"Don't think that I can't verify this just because I can't go to Chang'an. I'll go ask the merchants and see if this way of eating is available in Chang'an." Zhao Xiping started walking.
"Hey!" Sui Yu stomped her feet and chased after him to grab him.
Zhao Xiping turned around, pinched her cheek, and said angrily, "You can't continue this story, right?"
"I even made you an omelet, but you haven't eaten it yet." Sui Yu hugged his waist and rubbed against his chest, acting like a spoiled child. "I just suddenly remembered it. It's not made just for you."
Not far away, five merchants passed by together, whistling jokingly.
"Let go quickly." Zhao Xiping patted her, "Someone is coming."
Sui Yu had no interest in performing in public, so she pinched him and then let go of his hand quickly.
She looked up at the sky and said, "It looks like it's going to snow."
"If it snows, it snows. If it snows, we'll slaughter the pigs." Zhao Xiping said, "It's windy outside. Go back inside. I'll go check on the school."
The chimney had been built. Zhang Shun and Li Wu moved into the house and were building the flue and stove. The earthen wall next door had also been demolished, and the servants were clearing the dirt.
Zhao Xiping walked around inside and reminded them, "The autumn harvest is over, and we need to pick up the training we did early in the morning and late at night. I'll bring some people over to practice with you guys some other day."
After hearing this, the slaves became nervous and decided to increase the intensity of their training starting tonight.
It gets dark quickly in winter. When the light in the house becomes dim, the servants finish their work and run around the guest house on their own without being urged.
When the cub saw this, he remembered the promise he had made to his mother. He called two black dogs, twisted his legs and feet in an imitative manner, and ran slowly after the team of slaves.
Once there is one, there will be two. The little guy was running, and Dazhuang and Huaniu saw it and joined in.
"Old girl, you should go run too." Uncle Niu said, "The more you run, the faster you get hungry. The more you eat, the faster you grow."
A Shui doesn't want to move. Taking a bath in winter is too cold, so she doesn't want to sweat.
"Hurry up." Uncle Niu pushed her. "If you don't learn, your sister-in-law will let Hua Niu and Da Zhuang go with the caravan to make money, and you will stay alone in the guesthouse feeding chickens."
Only then did A Shui move.
"A Qiang, Hua Niu and Da Zhuang are running with the kid, you go out too." Cui Sao drove away the fire maid. In the guesthouse, they had no worries about food and drink, and no intrigue. These official slaves treated the younger generation like elders and were more or less kind. She whispered, "You little girl, be smart. Don't hang around us. This is how our life is. There is no hope. You little ones are different. Lady Yu was kind enough to let you learn to read with the young master, let you learn drums, and even allowed you to practice martial arts. You may have good fortune when you grow up. Don't be stupid. You can't take it easy now. Learn as much as you can."
Ah Qiang nodded quickly, washed her hands, and said, "Auntie, I'll be out right away."
"Go quickly." Mrs. Cui waved her hand.
"Go ahead, the kitchen doesn't need you to light the fire." Grandma Yin expressed her attitude.
Ah Qiang let out a happy "Hey" and ran out quickly.
"A Qiang, come quickly." Hua Niu and A Shui happened to pass by, and she shouted, "Come and run together."
"Here I come."
Sui Liang was influenced by them. He let out a long sigh, straightened his body and stretched a few times, then joined in.
The kid was tired after running a circle, and he walked towards the door breathlessly. Sui Yu went to meet him, and she took his hand and continued to walk slowly in circles.
"Your father will be off tomorrow. He'll take you to the city to grind beans tomorrow morning." Sui Yu said, "I won't go with you. I'll prepare the side dishes at home."
"Okay." The cub responded in a shrill voice. He covered his neck and wailed, "Mom, my throat hurts."
"Don't talk, breathe through your nose." Sui Yu pinched his mouth and said, "I'll talk next, you listen, no need to respond."
"Um."
When the two black dogs heard the sound, they turned back halfway, wagging their tails and walking slowly with their masters.
After walking around, it was already dark. Sui Yu took the kid to the kitchen to drink hot water.
"Once the kang in the school is built, we'll put a ceramic pot on the stove to boil water, and they'll have hot water to drink." Sui Yu said to Zhao Xiping.
Zhao Xiping nodded. He sat on a small stool and held the kid's legs. Worried that the child would get hurt from running, he pinched the kid's legs and rubbed them from the ankles to the buttocks.
Sui Liang pushed the door open with sweat all over his forehead. Seeing this scene, he took the bowl handed to him by his sister and drank some hot water. Then he pushed his nephew away and sat down in front of Zhao Xiping.
"Brother-in-law, my legs hurt too." He lifted his legs.
Zhao Xiping staggered over without even looking at him.
"Brother-in-law, you can't be partial." Sui Liang felt sour in his heart, "I knew you before the kid did, and we even slept in the same bed."
Zhao Xiping gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Shut up! Look at how old you are! You're almost growing a beard. Stop saying nonsense and annoying people."
Sui Liang took a deep breath.
"Rub it yourself, rub wherever it hurts." Zhao Xiping stood up and patted the goose bumps on his arms.
Sui Liang was so angry that he was breathing heavily. When the kid saw this, he immediately came over and hugged his uncle's legs and said, "Uncle, let me massage them for you."
Sui Liang squinted at Zhao Xiping and said, "I think of you as half a father. Okay, I'll remember this. When you're old and can't move, I won't provide for your retirement."
Sui Yu laughed heartily, and Zhao Xiping couldn't help laughing too, his face almost uncontrollably. He turned his back and said, "Come on, I don't have a son as old as you."
Sui Liang stiffened his neck and sulked.
The kid peeked at him, and he pressed his legs hard, saying something to make conversation: "Uncle, your legs are so thin."
"It's not as thick as your father and son's legs." Sui Liang said sarcastically.
The kid smacked his lips and looked at his mother as if for help.
Sui Yu was trying so hard to hold back her laughter that her stomach hurt. She waved her hand, signaling the kid not to get involved in the barrage.
After a while, the boy's hands were sore from exhaustion. He shook them and asked, "Uncle, are you okay?"
Sui Liang didn't want his nephew to suffer, so he said in a hoarse voice, "Okay."
Zhao Xiping took a deep breath, walked over silently, roughly lifted half of his son's legs, and squeezed his tense muscles with great force.
"Ouch..." Sui Liang howled in pain. He wanted to pull his legs back, but couldn't move. He could only beg for mercy: "It's okay, don't pinch me anymore."
Zhao Xiping didn't listen to this. He tried harder and didn't stop even when his fingers were tired and sore.
Uncle Niu heard the pig-killing sound, and he leaned in and said, "Yo," "You're a good brother-in-law. You even massage your brother-in-law's legs."
"Well, I still count on him to take care of me in my old age." Zhao Xiping said in a rough voice.
Sui Yu couldn't hold it in any longer and she burst out laughing. The kid didn't understand what she was laughing at, but he grinned too.
After massaging both legs, Sui Liang could no longer stand up. He slumped in the chair, looking at Zhao Xiping with horror in his eyes.
"Remember your words and take care of me in my old age." Zhao Xiping patted his shoulder heavily and said with a smile: "When I am old and can't move, you wash my left foot and you wash my right foot."
"You didn't really put in any effort to squeeze the kid." Sui Liang still had some opinions.
"Stop whining." Zhao Xiping didn't bother to pay attention to him. "I'm hungry. Let's go eat."
The merchants outside had already eaten, and the servants were busy running around the dining hall, some collecting money and some serving food.
"We didn't wait for you. We and your parents started eating first." Uncle Lao Niu said.
"Well, no need to wait." Zhao Xiping went to wash his hands.
Sui Yu and Xiaozai followed behind. The mother and son supported Sui Liang, who was pretending to be lame, and let him be complacent.
The next day.
Sui Liang dragged the kid around for a run. The uncle and nephew were exhausted and out of breath, but they were still excited as they went to find someone to massage their legs. Zhao Xiping had anticipated this and didn't even have time to eat. He led a camel loaded with broad beans and soybeans into the city to grind bean flour early in the morning.
With no hope left, Sui Liang had to accept his fate. He squatted down and massaged his nephew's legs, then let his nephew massage his legs again, with a force as light as an ant bite.
"I'm at a disadvantage by being half your father's son. I have to raise a son for him and take care of him in his old age." Sui Liang was so angry that he sneered, "I, I, I'm at a disadvantage, but your father still pretends to be at a disadvantage."
"Uncle, I will seek justice for you." The boy said righteously.
"Oh? How are you going to get justice for me?"
"Send me to the city to find my father, and I will beat him for you."
Sui Liang rolled his eyes, "You just want me to take you to the city to grind soybean flour."
The kid giggled.
Sui Liang was quite unwilling. He squatted on the ground, holding his chin and said, "How about you call me brother?"
With a "slap", Sui Yu passed by and slapped him. She pointed at him warningly, "You're going to get beaten."
Sui Liang laughed awkwardly, "I was just talking nonsense."
"Take the little one to the city to find your brother-in-law. He's in the village where Aning lives." Sui Yu said, "Tell the little one's aunt to come over for lunch."
"Oh." Sui Liang stopped arguing and went to lead the camel.
The boy went to Kurban and said loudly, "Master, I'm taking a day off today. I'm going to grind soybean flour. My mother wants to make me some pancakes."
"Okay, come back this afternoon to make up for it." Kurban nodded. "Bring me two pancakes this afternoon, and Anle's too. Don't forget."
"Okay." The kid ran away.
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