Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Leading Husband
Sun was thin and small, but she walked very fast. Lin Chuntao had to jog to keep up with her.
"Grandma, can you take someone back today?"
Without turning her head, Sun said, "Yes, your great-grandfather and the others are going with the village head to pick up people today. You can go there and choose first. I'm sure you'll find a good one."
When Lin Chuntao heard what Sun said, it was like going to the early market to buy cabbage, so she could pick the fresh ones.
She smiled and said, "Grandma, you make it sound like there are a lot of options for us to choose from."
Sun looked back at her and whispered, "During the war a few years ago, many families were wiped out, and their relatives were all moved to our side by the court. Many young men have never married."
Lin Chuntao widened her eyes somewhat artificially, her face full of surprise.
Sun said: "Otherwise, how could there be so many people willing to marry into the family?"
"Then if we bring the person back and split up the family later, can we draw a plot of land to build a house?"
"Of course, as long as you have the money to build it."
On the way there, Lin Chuntao and Sun chatted with each other, and before they knew it, they arrived at the headman's house.
The yard of the village head's house was full of people. Lin Chuntao took a quick look and saw that most of these men were probably around 20 years old, and some looked only 15 or 16 years old.
But regardless of their age, these people almost all look pale and thin.
In the corner there was a man who was not too thin, even a little burly, with regular features, thick eyebrows and big eyes, but there was a scar on his cheek, and he looked like he had a bad temper.
Noticing Lin Chuntao's gaze, he looked at her coldly, and Lin Chuntao was startled.
Sun in front greeted the village head enthusiastically, and Lin Cunzheng looked at Sun with some surprise.
"Why are you here?"
Sun smiled and said, "Chun Tao heard that the village head was taking you to pick up someone, and she wanted to be the first one to be chosen."
After he finished speaking, the village head and the village heads of several other villages were stunned for a moment and looked at Lin Chuntao.
They also didn't like outsiders in their hearts, but there was nothing they could do. The imperial court had issued an order, and they definitely wanted their daughters to marry local people. These orphans were like refugees, homeless and without a place to live.
Lin Chuntao looked at the village chief and called him "Grandpa", then bowed to the village head.
"My mother is gone, and my father just got married. He has no time to take care of me, so I rashly asked my grandmother to bring me here."
After hearing her words, Muramasa sighed helplessly.
The village head also said to the village heads of other villages: "Since the girl is here, let her choose first. After she chooses, you can divide it up and take it back to the village."
After that, the village chiefs had no objection and let Lin Chuntao go and choose.
She felt a little embarrassed for a moment.
After looking around, I found that they were all too thin. Given the current situation at home, I can't just throw him out as soon as I bring him home. I have to choose a sturdy one who can calm people down.
As he thought about it, his eyes fell on the scarred face again.
She turned back to look at Sun, "Grandma, what do you think of that scary guy in the corner over there?"
Sun followed her gaze and met Pei Ying's. She frowned slightly and whispered to Lin Chuntao, "It's not good to have scars on your face."
Lin Chuntao said: "I feel he is more capable of protecting people."
Sun nodded slightly. "It looks stronger than others, and it's also quite handsome. If you like it, that's fine."
Lin Chuntao pretended to be embarrassed and pursed her lips, whispering, "Grandma, please tell Grandpa and the head of the village for me. I'm embarrassed."
Sun glared at her and said, "You're a grown-up girl now, there's nothing to be embarrassed about."
Although she said that, Sun still told the village head and others. The village head called the man out and asked his name, which was Pei Ying.
He also introduced Lin Chuntao's situation and asked about his wishes.
Pei Ying glanced at Lin Chuntao, then bowed and said, "It's all up to you, sir."
The headman nodded, then asked someone to bring out the marriage certificate, wrote their names on it, and asked the two to come over and put their fingerprints on it. Two copies were made, one was kept by the government, and the other was given to Lin Chuntao.
"Your household registration will be in Shuangzi Village, Daping Township. When you return to the village, Lincun will allocate twelve acres of land to you."
Lin Chuntao hurriedly thanked the village chief.
She was sweet-talking and had set a good example. The village head was in a good mood and asked someone to bring out an iron pot and half a bag of brown rice.
"You're the first ones, this is for you."
After that, he said to the village chiefs, "Every village has the first one. After returning, everyone should settle down as soon as possible and report back in three days."
The village chiefs agreed one after another. Lin Chuntao held the pot, bowed to the village chief, and then thanked the village chief and his wife affectionately.
Their matters were settled and they stood aside. This time they brought fifty people, with each village divided into ten groups. The village chiefs began to select people to take back to the village.
Lincunzheng was the first to choose. After he selected nine people, he took everyone back to the village.
On the way back, Lin Chuntao walked with Sun, and Pei Ying walked at the end. Sun whispered to her, "Don't follow an old woman like me. Go talk to someone else and get to know them better."
Lin Chuntao pretended to be embarrassed, and Sun said, "You have already signed the marriage certificate and are husband and wife. Don't be embarrassed and go quickly."
She had no choice but to stand aside and wait for Pei Ying behind her.
In fact, she had wanted to go with Pei Ying for a long time, mainly because she needed to tell someone about the situation at home so that people could be mentally prepared. She also needed this person to form a united front with her to deal with the group of people who were eyeing her at home covetously.
But she concealed the fact that her family was going to marry her off, and asked Sun to bring her here to pick her up. There would definitely be conflicts if she returned.
She has to be more pitiful and sweet-spoken, so that the old couple Muramasa will stand on her side and help her.
Now that Sun had spoken, she waited for Pei Ying and walked together at the back.
"Well, my name is Lin Chuntao, and I'm nineteen years old.
Lin Chuntao briefly introduced himself. Pei Ying glanced at him and quickly looked away: "Yes, I saw your name on the marriage certificate."
Lin Chuntao smiled and asked him, "How old are you?"
"twenty."
"What about your birthday? When is it?"
Pei Ying replied, "June 5th."
"My birthday is the twenty-second day of the twelfth lunar month."
Pei Ying nodded, and Lin Chuntao pursed her lips, preparing to tell Pei Ying about the mess.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Lin Chuntao asked.
Pei Ying was silent for a moment and replied calmly: "No, neither are my parents. I am alone."
Lin Chuntao said, "I have three younger sisters. My mother passed away a few years ago, and my father just got married. My grandparents are still alive, and I have two uncles and two aunts. My father is the third oldest. We all live together. I don't have a good relationship with my stepmother, my stepfather, and my stepmother, nor with my uncles, aunts, or aunts. If I have money to divide the family and build a new house in the future, my three younger sisters will live with me. Don't worry, I will do my best to support them. They can work and won't be a burden to you."
Lin Chuntao explained everything in one breath, and Pei Ying just nodded.
The old couple Muramasa, who were walking in front, were in a good mood.
The old man asked his wife, "Did Lin Laowu ask you to bring Chuntao here?"
Sun shook her head. "No, I heard Chuntao say that her grandfather wasn't happy about it. It was her own idea. She said she had no mother and no one to help her, so she wanted to find an outsider, so I took her there."
Muramasa frowned slightly, "Will there be trouble when we get back?"
Sun snorted coldly: "It's impossible to turn the tables. The marriage contract has been signed and the court has made the arrangements."
Lin Cunzheng sighed slightly, "These Chuntao sisters are really pitiful. I haven't seen them for a long time. Seeing Chuntao today, I feel that she has grown up. She always hung her head before."
"She's just busy working. Look at the dress she's wearing today. It's so short. The adults in that family must be really embarrassed."
"Motherless child, if you don't know how to take care of things yourself, you will be bullied to death."
Sun sighed, and Lin Cunzheng shook his head helplessly, "It's still Lin Lao San who doesn't care about them. With their mother gone and their father like this, the sisters must be pitiful."
Shuangzi Village is not far from the headman’s home. It takes about fifteen minutes to walk there, and before you know it, you’re back to the village.
Muramasa arranged for people to call the families who had been informed before to come to the drying yard to pick up the people.
Sun and Chuntao Peiying said, "Tao girl, you two should go to the drying yard too, so that everyone can get to know the new people."
Lin Chuntao pursed her lips and blushed: "Grandma, this... I'm a little embarrassed."
Sun smiled, and Lin Chuntao raised her eyebrows and looked at Pei Ying: "Do you want to go?"
Pei Ying had no idea what Lin Chuntao was up to, so he just said, "I'll listen to you."
His words made Sun very satisfied. Lin Chuntao looked at the change in Sun's expression and whispered, "Then let's go. Grandma, please don't leave us alone in the drying yard. We don't know what to say."
"No, no."
Because Lin Chuntao had already selected the people, Muramasa did not send anyone to call Old Man Lin and his family to go to the drying yard.
At this time, in the yard of the old Lin family, Uncle Lin went to inform the Zhang family that they would come to propose marriage tomorrow afternoon. They even made sugar cakes to entertain him, which made him very happy. When he returned home, he kept praising the sugar cakes for being delicious.
The wives were looking forward to the twenty taels of silver that the Zhang family would bring tomorrow. There were three or four other young men in the family who were also of marriageable age, and these twenty taels of silver would solve their urgent needs.
Everyone is dreaming of a better tomorrow.
At the end of the Shen period, the old lady returned from the county town with her daughter Lin Xianer and her third daughter-in-law Qian Dingxiang after buying cloth.
They each bought enough cloth to make a set of clothes. Lin Xian'er bought red cloth, which she planned to make into a dress for her wedding.
Qian Dingxiang bought royal blue ones, saying she was going to make two sets of small clothes for her unborn son.
Tian was holding a few pieces of cloth in her hands, just ordinary gray linen.
Lin Chuntao's clothes were dry, so Chunhe put them on first. The three sisters stood quietly at the door, looking at the cloth in Lin Xian'er's hand with envy.
The four sisters haven't made clothes since their mother passed away.
Moreover, their clothes were all made of gray linen. What Lin Chunxing wanted most was a colorful dress, red, pink or green would do.
Seeing the fixed stares from Lin Chunxing and the other three, Lin Xian'er angrily scolded, "What are you looking at? Your drool is about to drip onto my cloth! Have you cut enough grass for tomorrow's pigs? If you don't, I'll check tonight and you won't have any food!"
Lin Chunxing didn't say anything, and Chunhe didn't say anything either.
Lin Xian'er twisted her waist proudly and took the cloth, preparing to go back to the house.
Old Man Lin then said to his son and daughter-in-law, "The village chief told me that each household must send someone to marry someone who has moved here. Your mother and I have decided to let Xian'er marry a man and stay at home, so that you wives can share more of the burden."
Tian looked at the changed expressions of her son and daughter-in-law and said in a deep voice, "The government will allocate twelve acres of land to them for the marriage, so they can't take yours."
Hearing this, the sons finally breathed a sigh of relief. Uncle Lin flattered them, saying, "That's great! By bringing a son-in-law into our family, we'll have an extra worker."
"When will you recruit?" asked Lin Lao Er.
Tian looked at Old Man Lin, who replied, "I haven't mentioned the exact date. Muramasa will come and call when the time comes."
As soon as they finished speaking, Lin Chuntao brought Pei Ying into the yard.
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