Chapter 534 A Dream of Youth 66
As soon as they entered the courtyard, A Qiu ran over to help. Seeing that her second uncle waved his hand, she took a wet cloth and wiped his sweat.
"Grandfather, our radishes this year are really good, they're so big."
"If there's enough water, it'll be big. The weather's been nice these past few days, so have your grandmother dry some radishes and make some dried radishes to send to your great-uncle in town." The second uncle gulped down a big mouthful of water, which had finally cooled down a bit.
"good!"
A Qiu hurriedly went back to the kitchen to get the food. Inside, Wu Shi also came out with bowls and chopsticks. She only looked at her second uncle when she saw that her son and daughter-in-law had returned.
“Dad, the other day A-Yun came back and said she wanted us to make some more pickles to sell. I was thinking of pickling all these radishes and taking them to town to sell.”
The pickles she made last time were quite good; they sold for a string of cash, enough to last her a long time.
"Oh? Those pickles can actually be sold?"
Second Uncle was thinking that everyone knew how to make these kinds of pickled vegetables, so who would still buy them? Ayun said he was helping them sell them, but actually he was just giving them to his third brother's family to eat.
After all, the third brother's family, including A-Yun, would bring a lot of things to his children on a regular basis, and those things were much more valuable than these vegetables.
"certainly!"
Ms. Wu proudly raised her chin, "No one in the surrounding area is as good at making pickles as I am! A-Yun said that all the food shops in town order from her! I plan to pull out all the vegetables from my garden to make pickles."
These radishes can also be pickled.
Liu Ya came out holding a meatball, grabbed Wu Shi's hand, and jumped up and down, calling out, "Auntie! Auntie!"
Liu Ya and the other children all like Xie Yun very much because Xie Yun always brings lots of snacks when she comes back. She's a very nice aunt!
Madam Wu was also surprised. Why was her third brother's family returning to their hometown now? Had something happened? And why were there so many people? And where was Xie, the village head?
The eldest uncle ran ahead, his face flushed with excitement, and before he even entered, he shouted, "He's passed! He's become a Jinshi!"
"Ouch!"
This is the old woman who came out with a cane. She heard it too. Ever since Xie Wangzhong returned with the news of passing the provincial examination, everyone has been looking forward to it.
Now, my heart is finally at peace!
The Xie family's ancestral graves are truly blessed! They've produced a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)!
Regardless of any previous jealousy or anything else, everyone is happy now. After all, their family and their village have become different because they have produced a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).
Xie Lizheng was talking to Xie's grandfather, praising Xie Wangzhi incessantly, which made Xie's grandfather feel quite flattered.
Grandmother Xie glanced at it and went to discuss it with her sisters-in-law. Xie Wangzhi would definitely come back to worship their ancestors, so they needed to prepare as soon as possible.
And the officials who come to report should also be treated to a meal and given a red envelope.
The villagers all came to join in the fun. Grandfather Xie waved his hand and told his family to prepare several tables so everyone could celebrate together! They were all from the same clan, and everyone was very proud that Xie Wangzhi had made something of himself.
From now on, they will be able to stand out from others when they go out, after all, their village has produced a scholar who passed the imperial examination!
After offering incense to the ancestors and sending the people off in a lively manner, Grandfather Xie still did not feel tired. His face was ruddy, and he kept discussing things with his two brothers.
"Judging by the time, Wangzhi should be back soon. I'll provide the money to host a feast in the village, so everyone can have a good time and drink some celebratory wine. Wangzhi's classmates and other wealthy families will probably come to join in the fun, so we need to prepare in advance..."
Grandma was also very excited. When Grandma Xie saw this, she paused and quickly went to the kitchen to make a bowl of soup to cool down and relieve dryness for Grandma.
If something were to happen to his grandmother at this time, Xie Wangzhi would have to observe the mourning period again.
The village was bustling with activity, and the people they were waiting for had already boarded boats to return home.
Blue clouds drifted leisurely, yellow leaves fluttered under the blue sky, the river rippled, reflecting the long autumn scenery, cold mist filled the air, and the setting sun connected the river with the mountains, dyeing the landscape with autumn colors.
Xie Ning and Xie Qi sat to the side watching Xie Wangzhi paint. With just a few strokes, he captured the autumn scenery on the river in his painting, and both of them were quite impressed.
Xie Ning, in particular, rarely saw Xie Wangzhi paint and never imagined that his painting skills were so superb.
"Father, you are so amazing!" She can also draw, but she is not good at traditional Chinese painting. She can only draw detailed design drawings of various mechanical parts. Even without a ruler, she can draw them very accurately.
"Bao'er wants to learn?"
Xie Ning nodded vigorously. This wasn't just about cultivating one's character; painting could also earn money! Having an extra skill was never a bad thing!
Where is Qi'er?
Xie Qi slowly withdrew his foot, which had just taken a step, under his father's indifferent gaze. "I'll learn too."
Has he not studied it? Yes, he has! But drawing is so difficult, it's not as easy as writing. His handwriting is so good! Even his teacher praises it.
Xie Wangzhi put down his paintbrush and looked at Xie Qi with a somewhat somber gaze. "Your studies and calligraphy have become somewhat neglected. These next few days on the ship, you will need to seclude yourself and study diligently."
Although the imperial examinations now emphasize policy essays, poetry, calligraphy, and painting remain essential for social interaction among scholars. I don't expect you to have exceptional achievements in these areas, but you should at least be familiar with them. Do you understand?
"Your son knows." Xie Qi lowered his head and then met Xie Ning's round eyes.
The two stared at each other, one with their head down and the other with their head tilted back.
Xie Qi felt a tightness in his chest; this little thing wanted to see if he was crying!
Xie Qi, whose eyes were still a little red, instantly held back her tears. She sniffed and thought, "So what if I can't play on the deck? So what if I have to sit in the room and study? What's the big deal?"
There's nothing fun on the deck anyway!
Xie Ning shook her little head. Not only was there no fun, but there was also no food!
Most of the food on the boat is fish. Although you can get tired of it if you eat too much, fresh grilled fish is still very delicious, it's just been caught!
Using a small stove, place the marinated fish on the grill and wait until it sizzles and oozes oil before eating. Because it's well-marinated, not only is the skin crispy, but the fish meat is also extremely fragrant!
It's tender, fragrant, and juicy—absolutely delicious.
Xie Ning likes to sprinkle some Sichuan peppercorns and chili powder on it, which gives it a numbing and spicy taste that she really enjoys.
The fish slices were also delicious. One of the crew members on the ship could slice the fish into thin slices, which were then dipped in a sauce made of perilla and wasabi, making each bite incredibly fresh.
Xie Ning prefers to boil the food in hot broth and then dip it in sauce before eating, explaining that she's afraid of insects.
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