Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Song Fuxue heard the noise and supported her sick body...
Song Fuxue heard the noise and came out despite his sick body.
He looked at them and knew that they were genuinely enthusiastic, so he quickly thanked them politely and made it clear that his family was in trouble and he had nothing to repay them at the moment.
"Song Er knows a few words. If there's anything you need from your family, please feel free to ask. I won't refuse."
Aunt Zhao's eyes lit up, and she said cheerfully, "You can't write two Songs with one stroke. When you were prosperous, you never forgot your clansmen. You gave money to build roads and private schools, and everyone saw it."
She originally married into Songjia Village because the village had a prime minister, and every household benefited from it, becoming much richer than others.
Moreover, the affairs of scholars, such as officials who were promoted and demoted at times, were truly ups and downs and very exciting.
They will have to maintain it well in the future.
When an elder came out to negotiate, Song Mian consciously stepped back. Seeing her neighbor being so kind, she felt quite touched. No matter how turbulent the situation was, the people could still live their lives.
"Aunt and brothers, come in and have some tea?" Song Fuxue asked politely.
Aunt Zhao waved her hand, signaling the men in her family to go back, and then followed Song Mian into the house. She looked around the empty house and fell silent.
"Your house... is quite spacious?"
Aunt Zhao racked her brains to come up with a decent word.
Song Fuxue smiled dryly. There was nothing in the room, so it was naturally spacious.
"Please prepare more food. The drought is severe this year. My family has to work under the scorching sun to water the crops. My old face is getting sunburned. If the harvest is poor, the price of food will definitely go up."
Aunt Zhao kept on talking, glancing at Song Mian from time to time: "Hey, I just want a little girl, or a little granddaughter, but unfortunately my family is not so lucky, only boys, I really want little girls."
This little girl is hardworking and she likes her from the bottom of her heart.
Song Mian smiled gently: "Grandma Zhao is blessed, and her wishes will surely come true."
She is willing to make good friends with her neighbors and her words are nice.
Aunt Zhao waved at her cheerfully and went home. "If you need anything, remember to look for me."
"Well, we're new here and don't know how to farm, so we're bound to trouble you a lot."
Song Mian watched Aunt Zhao leave, then looked at the watered vegetable patch at the edge of the field. Chi Ge'er squatted beside her, sticking out his little butt, and asked curiously, "Will they sprout tomorrow morning?"
"No."
"Grow up quick, stupid little seedling!"
The setting sun melted into gold, and the sky was shimmering. Anticipating that it would soon get dark, Song Mian took Song Chi's hand and went back to the hut together.
For dinner in the evening, I only cooked some rice porridge, which was enough to fill my stomach and help me fall asleep early.
Lying in the thatched hut, Song Mian couldn't sleep.
The Song family never had the chance to take the imperial examinations again. In ancient times, among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, it was naturally better to be able to take the imperial examinations. Since they couldn't, they could only follow the path of farmers.
But the little food at home can't last long.
Before she went to sleep, she had a vague idea in her mind and planned to discuss it with her aunt tomorrow.
The next morning, when Song Mian woke up, the sky was just beginning to turn pale.
After she got up and washed, she saw Wenlan speaking seriously.
"Sister Mian, I'm thinking of going to Aunt Zhao today and asking her to help us replace the refined white rice with brown rice. Although common people's food like quinoa soup is not tasty, it can last us for two more months. This way, we can slowly make plans and not be too tight on money."
"Leave some for the old ancestor. She's old now, and she doesn't need to suffer this."
Song Mian didn't want to eat brown rice, but this was the best solution. She pondered for a moment before replying seriously, "Maybe if my pies sell well, we'll have enough money to buy rice..."
"I'm already in a coffin, so why should I be afraid of suffering? Since we're going to replace refined rice and white flour, let's switch to brown rice and corn and eat them together!"
Old Madam Gao Xiu knocked the ground with her crutch, her face showing no sign of refusing to be questioned.
"As for Sister Mian selling pies, there will be many places to spend money in the future. It's okay for us to suffer temporarily, but your grandfather has always saved money before enjoying it..."
Wenlan pressed the back of her hand against the itchy spot on her face and said, "It's enough for the youngsters to eat. How can I let you suffer with me?"
"Listen to me." Gao Xiu was too lazy to argue.
The remaining rice and flour are exchanged for brown rice.
Song Zhuo went to the next door and knocked on the door, asked Aunt Zhao to come over, and told her about his family's needs.
"Two kilograms of this top-quality refined rice can be exchanged for five kilograms of brown rice. If we exchange them all, we can really eat for a longer time." Aunt Zhao's eyes widened when she saw the refined rice.
It is true that a lean camel is bigger than a horse. Even if they are down and out, these days are the good days they dare not imagine.
"Please help me change the white rice into brown rice." Gao Xiu hardened his heart and said it with his eyes closed. Besides, making money had to be put on the agenda.
At least we have to make enough food to last until the autumn harvest. Winter is coming soon, and we have to spend money to buy warm clothes, coal, and bedding. When you think about it, time is quite tight.
"My family wants to exchange with you. It just so happens that my third son is getting married and needs white rice to decorate the house."
Aunt Zhao was overjoyed. She shook the rice bag and shouted across the fence, "Boss! Send me a stone of clean brown rice!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the dark and thin man came over with his sons, carrying small sacks of brown rice.
"This sack can hold 30 kilograms, no more, no less, so don't worry."
Aunt Zhao touched the white rice lovingly and said cheerfully, "Come and have a drink at the wedding."
She walked away contentedly carrying the rice.
Song Mian: ...
This aunt is really quick and efficient.
Looking at the shelled brown rice, Wenlan was silent. She walked forward and touched the brown rice. It was a bit prickly. Thinking that she would only have brown rice to eat in the future, she felt uncomfortable. It didn't matter if she suffered. The children were still young and had done nothing wrong.
Song Mian looked at the remaining flour and knew that it was reserved for making pies. It seemed that they took this to heart.
Gao Xiu looked at the stunned people, took off the silver hairpin on her head and handed it to Song Mian.
"You've been so determined since you were little, and you have a plan in mind. Your aunt hurt her face, and her brains aren't as good as yours. This silver hairpin is pure silver. If you take it to the pawnshop, I'll give you at least one or two ounces of silver, enough for you to buy the things you want to sell. Regardless of whether the business is successful or not, let's give it a try."
Her dry and thin hands patted her arms encouragingly.
Song Mian held the silver hairpin in his hand, looking at the delicate bat pattern. The edges were polished to a shine, showing that it was something she usually wore.
"I'll redeem it as soon as I make money from selling pies."
Everything is fine in this home.
Song Mian stared at the silver hairpin in a daze. A scarred hand reached out from the side and took the hairpin.
"This hairpin was bought by your uncle when he passed the imperial examination."
Now the hairpin is still there, but the person is gone.
Song Mian looked up and saw Song Fuxue's face was pale, but surprisingly handsome. He could vaguely see the "talented and elegant, like the brilliance of jade" of the former top scholar.
But now he is covered with scars, from his cheeks to his torso and limbs, with very little healthy skin. He received no treatment in prison, and when he was released, all he got was a bunch of thistles from the local area, which he pounded into a paste and used as medicine. His body was covered with greens and looked very pitiful.
But he has a peerless appearance and a straight back, and he has the fragrance of plum blossoms that comes from the bitter cold.
There is a kind of pride that is hard to break.
Song Mian stared at him for a moment, then turned back and took the hairpin handed back by Song Fuxue. He asked, "Dad, your injury is very serious. You'd better not get up and walk around."
Song Fuxue looked at the newly renovated courtyard and suppressed her grief and anger.
"My father's ambition has not been realized, and my brother's injustice has not been redressed. These minor injuries are nothing."
Speaking of this, everyone fell silent and was speechless for a while.
Song Fuxue didn't want to make the atmosphere too dull, so she pretended to be relaxed and said, "My injury is not serious. I will go to the pawnshop with you tomorrow morning."
Song Fuxue talked too much and started coughing again. He coughed until his face turned red and stopped after a while.
Seeing him like this, Song Mian took a bowl, poured boiled water into it, and dropped some spiritual spring water into it. This spiritual spring water tasted very good and had the effect of strengthening the body, which was most suitable for his broken body.
I think even if you have any injuries, drinking the spiritual spring water will help you heal faster.
"Xiao Mian has become more sensible."
Song Fuxue stopped coughing and couldn't help but praise again.
Song Mian raised his eyes and smiled.
"I'll exchange it for silver tomorrow. It's too late today."
It was midsummer, and there were signs of a severe drought. The temperature was unbearably high. During the hottest time, we didn't dare walk outside.
The next day, before daybreak, a cough was heard. When it stopped, there was the rustling sound of someone putting on clothes.
Song Mian was awakened and got up to get dressed.
Because he was going out, he did not wear the linen clothes for mourning, but changed into an ordinary cotton robe. When he went out and stood next to Song Fuxue, they really looked a bit similar.
"Let's go."
Song Fuxue was worried that she was not fast enough, so she leaned on the old lady's cane and walked out slowly.
"Your aunt is used to being the mistress of a high-ranking family. When it comes to small matters, she's not as thorough as a young man like you. You're fourteen years old, and at first glance you might still be able to act like a young boy. That's really unfair to you."
Song Mian listened to his hoarse voice, lowered his eyes and said: "Why are you feeling wronged? Look, we have come across many young girls along the way."
She was glad that she didn't travel through time to the inner house.
Even though she lost her life of luxury, she could still be a free bird.
When the two men arrived in the town, it was already bright. When they arrived at the pawnshop, the street was bustling with people and was extremely lively.
The shouts of the street vendors, the wine banners and cloth banners fluttering in the wind on both sides of the street, and the aroma of food all hit you in the face, converging into an ordinary atmosphere of everyday life.
Unfortunately, Song Fuxue had no time to care about anything else. He took her directly into the pawnshop. Finally, he stroked the silver hairpin and whispered, "This hairpin is worth pawning."
He still wanted to redeem it back. Even though the person was gone, the item was still a memory.
At the small window of the pawnshop, one could see an old man with a gray goatee, tremblingly holding a silver hairpin and examining it, then glancing down at the two of them condescendingly.
"It's worth one ounce of silver." He weighed it and put it on the scale to weigh it.
Song Fuxue's expression remained unchanged: "This silver hairpin is made with the craftsmanship of inlaid silver and hollowed out. It cannot be priced like pure silver."
After hearing what he said, the shopkeeper looked at him twice more. Although he looked embarrassed, he still had a dignified demeanor. After thinking for a moment, he added another three hundred coins.
"This is the only price we can offer. If it's any higher, we won't accept it."
Song Mian looked at her father and then at the pawnshop owner. Both of them had a cowardly temperament. Their expressions were extremely calm, and they didn't reveal a single thing about their thoughts.
"Never mind, I'll give you another hundred coins."
Song Fuxue then revealed a little smile: "Thank you."
"No, if you want to pawn it alive and redeem it within a month, there's no interest. If it's more than a month, there's 1% interest."
"knew."
Song Fuxue took the cut one or two taels of silver, counted out four hundred coins, put it in his saddle bag, and went out with his crutches.
"If you want to make pies, you'll need a griddle and a charcoal basin. These two items are not expensive and are common household items. A hundred pounds of coal costs one ounce of silver, and a small cart of earth mixed with coal costs only three ounces of silver..."
"Pork is expensive, about ten copper coins per pound. On the first day, five pounds will be enough."
Song Fuxue worked as an editor in the Hanlin Academy. He happened to have compiled the palace meal accounts and was familiar with these prices.
Song Mian's face was full of admiration, he knew so much.
Moreover, he was able to let go of things. The change of his status from the top scholar to a prisoner did not make him feel sorry for himself. Instead, he lived his life seriously based on his past experience.
"Let's go shopping with you."
Following the footsteps of the common people, they slowly arrived at Chaoqian Street, where everything was sold. The two of them stared at the griddles for a long time before choosing one without any flaws. They paid for it and bought a charcoal basin. When it was time to buy coal, they bought ten pounds of coal and were given a handful of match soil to mix with it.
Go further and you will see a meat stall.
"What kind of meat makes delicious pies?" Song Mian asked the butcher.
"Look, the meat between the two bones at the back of the pig's neck is the best for stuffing. It's half fat and half lean, perfect for chopping and tastes great."
"Then give me a pound."
"It's expensive here, twenty copper coins per pound."
"This is it."
Song Mian stood in front of Song Fuxue and talked back and forth with the butcher in a very serious manner.
"Not bad." Song Fuxue held the hemp rope used to tie the pork, a relieved smile on her face.
This child has great potential.
When the two were returning, Song Fuxue's footsteps paused for a moment in front of the bookstall, so fast that it seemed like an illusion to her. Then she gathered all her thoughts and walked forward as usual.
Song Mian drank the spiritual spring for two days and his body recovered. Relying on his strength, he carried everything by himself and did not let Song Fuxue touch it. She felt a little embarrassed to use the injured person and looked very pitiful.
"I can take it."
"You can't."
Song Mian took two quick steps forward and turned back with a relaxed look on his face: "Look, I'm not tired at all. I've grown up."
Song Fuxue showed a faint smile at the corner of her lips and nodded: "Well, my girl has grown up."
At this time, the sun was rising high, causing the air flow in front of it to distort.
It was so hot that I didn't have the energy to talk.
Song Fuxue was covered in wounds, and when he was soaked by sweat, the pain was as painful as a bee sting. He endured it until his face turned pale, and did not say a word, refusing to reveal even the slightest bit of vulnerability.
Fortunately, Songjia Village is not far from the town, so I got home before I died of exhaustion.
After returning to the hut, Song Mian poured two large bowls of water without saying a word, handed one bowl to her father, and held the other bowl and drank it gulps down.
After drinking the spiritual spring water, I felt like I was coming back to life.
"It's so hot out here! It looks like there's going to be a severe drought this year. Let's sell some pies quickly so we can stock up on food and winter supplies."
Extreme weather always occurs together. After the hot summer, there is always a cold winter. We must prepare in advance.
Song Fuxue frowned.
The current ruler is incompetent. When his father, the prime minister, was in office, the national treasury increased tenfold, but the other party did not appreciate it at all. Before his father's body was even cold, he could not wait to settle accounts with his family.
It would be fine if it were normal, but now it is the second year of severe drought, and the grain in the national treasury can indeed last for ten years. If there are no corresponding policies and the victims cannot be comforted in time, I am afraid that there will be constant rebellions in various places.
These……
Even if he knew, he could do nothing about it.
With the country's destiny at stake, he did not have the ability and courage like his father to turn the tide.
"I hope you can all grow up." It is very difficult for children to survive in troubled times.
Song Mian washed his face with water, and only then did he feel much more comfortable with his sunburned face.
"Take your time." She was confident.
No one can resist the charm of spiritual spring water.
Song Fuxue nodded: "The food you cook, even if it is just porridge, tastes better than ordinary food. Dad has eaten all kinds of good food, but he can't find anything that tastes better than what you cook."
The simplest stir-fried eggplant is so delicious that you want to swallow your tongue.
So when the idea of selling pies was proposed, no one objected.
"Let's make some pies at home tonight!" Song Mian said with a smile.
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