Chapter 7: The Wisdom of Charcoal Fire
In Qing, Su Shengsheng found an iron basin, filled it with charcoal fire, covered it with ashes, and sent it to the east room where his grandfather and his family lived.
After the other one was installed, it was sent to the right room where my grandmother and her family lived to warm their hands.
Another one, she cut some green onions and ginger, put them on the wooden rack supported by Qing, and prepared to boil ginger soup.
I'm so cold that I'm afraid I'll get sick if I just rest like this.
The well in the yard had been blocked for a long time, and Ning Yu was unable to get any water. Fortunately, Su Yuanzheng knocked on his neighbor's door and borrowed some water.
The water still had some ice in it, so Qing Ning increased the heat to bring it to a boil.
Su Hengji happened to come back and said, "Sixth sister, I've walked around this street and there are no shops open. I can't buy anything."
Su Shengsheng was a little surprised, because she could still hear the faint sounds of stringed instruments. "Shouldn't there be a curfew?"
Su Yuanzheng came over to get hot water for his grandfather, and when he heard this, he remembered, "Just now, the hunter next door told me that this street is closed. If I want to go to another street to buy things, I need to pay a street fee."
Su Shengsheng was surprised when she heard this. "Why are they charging by street?"
After he finished speaking, he saw his brother Su Hengji looking embarrassed, and even his neck turned a little red.
Su Shengsheng came to her senses and stopped asking questions. "It's none of my business. I'll just make a pot of mutton soup."
Brother Heng was feeling a little sleepy in the right room. When he heard that mutton soup was going to be made, he immediately broke free from Li's arms and ran to the central hall.
"Sister, I want to eat mutton soup pancakes!"
"Little ancestor, how can you make pancakes now? You don't even have a pan."
Su Shengsheng refused outright, but when she saw Brother Heng sniffing his stuffy nose and looking aggrieved, she had to change her words.
"How about asking Sister Yunxiang to make you some fish noodle soup with mutton?"
Only then did Brother Heng become obedient and happily stood by the brazier.
There are only bedrooms on both sides of the main house, and the central hall is for receiving guests. It is empty now and there is no space to move around.
Fortunately, Yunxiang is an expert at this, and now they have a group of helpers, so it is not difficult to do this.
Soon, a large pot of steaming mutton soup noodles with fish was ready.
The mutton inside was also bought on the road. Now that everyone had arrived, Su Shengsheng simply put it all on.
Finally, sprinkle some coriander on it and serve it on the table in a generous portion.
Of course, it was just a makeshift dining table made from the footstools on three carriages.
Unfortunately, it was too small and only used by a few elders such as grandparents. The rest of the people could only sit on the wooden bed with their bowls in their arms.
The ground was so cold that it penetrated his bones. Su Yuanzheng, unable to find a replacement, had no choice but to move the carriage planks into the house and barely set up three beds.
Because I am unfamiliar with the place, and it costs a lot to pack along the way, I can't stay in the inn all the time, and I don't know if the inn will accept me.
Besides, the bailiffs had taken away the shackles and other things in advance for the sake of King Xuanming, so it was not easy for them to move the place at will.
However, the windows were covered with quilts and there was a charcoal basin for warming hands, so the room soon warmed up.
Besides, everyone arrived safely and had hot meals, so everyone put aside their worries for the time being.
Listen quietly to the howling cold wind outside the window, slowly drink the hot soup in the bowl to dispel the cold.
Seeing that Grandpa was eating very little, Grandma was a little worried. "As long as he's alive, nothing else matters."
In the eyes of everyone, my grandfather, who had always been upright, has gradually faded since he was exiled.
Even his long eyebrows and silver hair had lost their former luster, and looked particularly withered under the oil lamp.
Not to mention that Su Shengsheng was a little frightened, but everyone else was also worried.
I was afraid that when I got there, Old Master Su would let go of the breath he was holding and become worse.
In the end, grandpa just patted grandma's hand and still said nothing.
The atmosphere was temporarily depressed, and everyone ate their meal with heavy hearts, and no one spoke.
After finishing the meal, they returned to their rooms in silence.
Su Shengsheng was extremely tired after holding on until this point, but she still persisted until everyone went to bed and the charcoal fire was filled before returning to the house to rest.
The carriage was narrow and could only accommodate two people.
My grandmother was old and naturally could not lie on the ice. My eldest sister-in-law was pregnant, and the female family members did not compete with her.
When Su Shengsheng entered the room, Qing Ning immediately made way for her and said, "Miss, please sleep here. I have warmed it up for you."
Su Shengsheng could hardly open her eyelids, so she lay down next to Qingning, not forgetting to open the corner of the quilt that was covering the window.
Su Yuanling, who was sitting by the window, shivered at the cold wind coming in from outside and looked at Su Shengsheng with dissatisfaction.
"Sixth sister, what is this doing? Are you trying to freeze us all sick?"
Su Shengsheng couldn't explain to her what carbon monoxide poisoning was, nor did she have the energy to say more. She just whispered, "I'll explain it to Fourth Sister tomorrow."
But Su Yuanling was angry all the way. Not only was she contradicted by the maid, but now even Su Shengsheng was unwilling to pay attention to her.
Feeling deeply insulted, she raised her voice sharply, "Opening the window to burn charcoal? How can this be justified?"
The women, who had traveled three thousand miles in a row, were already exhausted and were half asleep.
Su Yuanling's voice woke everyone up.
Su Shengsheng had a headache and closed her eyes. "Fourth sister, do you know why people feel suffocated when there's a fire?"
Su Yuanling didn't understand what she meant, but she didn't want to reply, so she didn't say anything.
Su Shengsheng didn't mind and continued talking.
"Take two candles of different lengths, cover them with an empty can, and after burning them for a while, you will find that the shorter candle at the bottom burns the most."
When Brother Heng heard Su Shengsheng's voice in this room, he quickly slipped over from the east room.
Without waiting for Su Shengsheng's response, he crawled into her bed with a grunt, "Brother Heng wants to hear a story too."
A pair of cool little hands actually made Su Shengsheng feel a little more refreshed.
Thinking that this was common sense and should be popularized to everyone, she straightened herself up.
"Similarly, if you place two candles of equal size outside, they will burn all the way to the end. However, the candles in the jar, due to the limited air, will only burn a short distance before going out."
Brother Heng, having been trained by Su Shengsheng, quickly came to his senses and said, "I understand. So we are the candle."
"Yes, Brother Heng is really smart!" Su Shengsheng touched his red face lovingly, "With so many of us crowded together, it's like many candles in a jar. They will go out faster."
The women who were forcing themselves to listen seemed to understand but when they heard that even one child understood, they didn't feel comfortable asking any more questions.
Su Yuanling has always been praised as the most talented girl in the family, but now she feels a little embarrassed.
"Where did Sixth Sister hear that? It's really alarmist!"
Along the way, Su Yuanling often showed her temper like a spoiled princess, but everyone was busy getting on with their journey and no one bothered to argue with her.
But Brother Heng protected Su Shengsheng the most. When he heard it, he tried to jump out of the quilt, but Su Shengsheng had anticipated it and held him back.
But there was no chance to stop Brother Heng's mouth, and he started yelling immediately.
"The Master said that if you don't know, then you don't know. Fourth Sister, you haven't studied much, so it's normal for you not to know. But you should be humble and polite and read more."
Now even a four-year-old child dared to lecture her. Su Yuanling could no longer bear it.
Especially when he heard Qing Ning, who was being held down by Su Shengsheng and not allowed to speak, giggle, he felt even more embarrassed.
"Su Hengji has read a lot, but what's the point? No one in the Su family can take the imperial examinations!"
Undoubtedly, Su Yuanling's words accurately and ruthlessly touched the hidden pain in everyone's heart.
The ancestors of the Su family were all scholars, but this lineage has completely cut off its official career. Even if they are well-educated, they can hardly find a place to use their talents.
So when Su Yuanling finished speaking, the breathing sounds in the room became heavy.
Second Madam Zhong glared at Su Yuanling fiercely and covered herself with the quilt.
"Sister, studying is useless. Does that mean Heng'er doesn't have to go to school anymore?"
Su Shengsheng patted him on the back. "Brother Heng, what's the previous sentence of 'cooking lambs and slaughtering cattle...'?"
Brother Heng had Su Shengsheng's enlightenment, and he had already memorized it by heart, "I was born with the talent... to recover..."
The childish voice passed through the central hall and entered the left room.
"My sister once said that although being an official brings honor, one must be true to oneself. Just like a poet who, though exiled, does not lose heart because of frustration, well... well, don't be afraid of being wronged, because heaven and earth will always be fair. As long as we..."
"If you don't hold on to anything, the world will be tolerant. Your innocence will eventually be restored!"
Su Shengsheng continued, and Su Yuanling turned around.
The room fell silent...
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