Buying a horse-drawn carriage, including the horse, would cost 102 taels of silver, or 102 strings of cash. A horse would cost 80 taels, and a carriage would cost 22 taels. This is one of the reasons why the people of Sunjia Village preferred to rent oxcarts to transport goods rather than buy horses.
Niu Da is still reluctant to buy it.
The oxcart was slow and could not travel during thunderstorms, which is why it was necessary to set off thirteen days in advance.
Shen Yu's family was slightly better off than Niu's. Shen Yu's mother's surname was Zhong. Old Mrs. Zhong had visited Niu's family when Shen Yu gave birth to Niu Baolan.
"Call her 'Grandma' and 'Grandpa'!"
Several of her talking granddaughters called out sweetly:
"Mother-in-law! Father-in-law!"
"Hey!"
My mother-in-law's family lives in a small courtyard house with eight rooms. There are two uncles and their wives, as well as one aunt.
The eldest uncle had only four sons, while the youngest uncle had five sons and one daughter. The daughter was about the same age as Niu Baozhu, around two or three years old.
My aunt is Shen's older sister. This time, my aunt came to her parents' home with three children, two sons and a daughter.
"You're here, but what did you bring?" Old Mrs. Zhong said reproachfully.
Grandpa Shen Zishan smiled broadly and scooped up three-year-old Niu Baozhu, saying, "Third girl, you've gained some weight since the last time I saw you!"
Niu Meihua, somewhat jealous, said:
"Father-in-law, hug me! I've gained weight since I was six years old! Father-in-law, I'm six years old now!"
"Okay, okay, Father-in-law, give our little Plum Blossom a hug too."
Shen Zishan, holding Niu Meihua, looked at the adorable little girl surrounding him and couldn't stop smiling. "Fourth girl, whose little girl are you holding?"
Shen Yu recounted how she had found Xiao Fubao and the series of events that followed. Shen Zishan said:
"You're such a lucky child! Your family's good fortune is all thanks to this child, so you two shouldn't treat him differently."
“She’s awake, Father,” Chen Yu said. “We love her so much.”
“Even though we’re better off now, we can’t spend like this. Let’s not even talk about food. This jacquard fabric is so expensive! We farmers are busy in the fields all day long, and when we’re tired, we just lie down and take a nap. Isn’t it a waste to use this to make clothes for your father and me?”
Grandma Zhong glanced at the cloth and said.
Shen Lin said, "Mom, you can't be biased. My sister's gift is a token of her affection. If you accept mine but not hers, it will only embarrass my sister and brother-in-law."
“Yes, Mom, if you don’t accept it, I’ll think you look down on me.” When Old Mrs. Zhong heard her third and fourth sons-in-law say this, she stopped refusing.
A dozen or so children were playing wildly in the yard.
The oldest is Shen Changzhu, the eldest son of Shen Guandao, who is fourteen years old this year. The youngest, Xiao Fubao, is carried on Shen Changzhu's shoulders like a horse. Six-year-old Niu Meihua also carries nine-month-old Niu Baolan up on his back, and then sits on Shen Changzhu's lap herself.
"drive"
Little Fu Bao grabbed Shen Changzhu's hair and giggled, laughing hysterically. The three sisters had really bullied Shen Changzhu.
The other children played a game called "Eagle Catches Chicks".
"Honey, this time we'll stay at your parents' house for at least ten days before going back. Before, we couldn't afford to stop working at home; if we did, we wouldn't have anything to eat." "Now that we're better off, I know you miss your family, so we'll just stay for another ten days or so before going back."
The fish, overjoyed, wept.
Cai arranged two guest rooms for Chen Yu, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, you have plenty of empty rooms at home!"
Her family was originally poor. Later, her eldest brother married Cai, and Cai's family gave her a jacquard loom as part of her dowry. Although the output was limited, the family gradually improved thanks to their weaving skills and her brother's income as a shopkeeper.
Shen Zishan had four sons and two daughters.
The second son's wife, Liu, was a formidable woman. Hearing that her younger sister had arrived with her family, she came over, cracking melon seeds and swaying her hips, saying:
"Oh, Sixth Sister, what a rare guest!"
Chen Yu said, "Hello, Second Sister-in-law!"
When Liu saw that Niu Da and Shen Yu were dressed better than her, and that the five girls were all beautifully made up, she smiled and said, "They're great, they're great!" "Sit down, don't rush!"
Shen Yu felt somewhat uncomfortable with Liu Shi's sudden enthusiasm. Liu Shi had originally intended to ridicule Shen Yu, but upon seeing Shen Yu's gold and silver attire, she said:
"Sixth Sister, you're all dressed up in gold and silver, why don't you buy one for Mom too? You've got money, and you've already forgotten your parents so quickly? That won't do!" "Luckily, of all her children, Mom loves you the most, her youngest daughter! She talks about you every day."
Chen Yu was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to stand or sit.
Old Mrs. Zhong rolled her eyes at Liu Shi. She had never shown favoritism. This second daughter-in-law of hers was good at sowing discord and spreading rumors.
Niu Dadao: "Mom, we've prepared it!" He took out a piece of clothing from the cloth bag, and then opened the clothing layer by layer, revealing a gold bracelet, a gold necklace, gold earrings, and a gold ring.
Old Mrs. Zhong said, "My son, why are you wasting so much money on an old woman like me!"
Shen Yu put a bracelet on Old Lady Zhong's wrist and said, "This is a gift from my husband and me to you. We haven't brought you anything nice since we got married so many years ago!"
Old Mrs. Zhong said, "Didn't you make me clothes and shoes? Don't listen to your second sister-in-law, she's just a smart aleck!"
Liu looked somewhat embarrassed.
Old Mrs. Zhong took off the large gold bracelet from her hand and said, "Cuihua, Meihua, come here!"
Niu Cuihua and Niu Meihua ran over, "Mother-in-law!"
Old Mrs. Zhong put the gold bracelet on Niu Cuihua's wrist and the gold chain around Niu Meihua's neck. "These are gifts from my mother-in-law!"
Then, she gave each of the five children a money bag, saying, "Thank you, Mother-in-law!"
Old Mrs. Zhong accepted the small items like gold earrings and gold rings, but the remaining items were too small and the children would easily lose them.
Besides, since it was a gift from her daughter and son-in-law, Old Mrs. Zhong was still very happy to wear it out and show it off.
As soon as Xiao Fubao touched the money bag, he became very excited and kicked his little radish legs.
Shim Chang-soo held his little sister in his arms, "Auntie, your little sister is so cute! She...she smiled at me!"
Chen Yu smiled.
Shen Changzhu asked, "Aunt, may I take my sisters to play?"
"Yes, but you can't play in the water."
Shen Changzhu and Shen Changyi took their five little sisters to catch loaches. Shen Changzhu held Xiao Fubao in one arm and held Niu Baolan, who had just learned to walk, in the other.
Three-year-old Niu Baozhu followed Niu Meihua with a small bucket, looking quite the part.
"Big brother, look how many loaches are in the ditch!" Shen Changyi casually caught a handful and put them into the small bucket that Niu Baozhu was carrying.
"Qiuqiu" Niu Baozhu looked at the loach in the small bucket, which was wriggling its body cutely, as if saying, "Come and eat me, eat me!"
Little Fu Bao clapped his hands happily, and even touched Shen Changzhu's tender young face, which amused Shen Changzhu as well.
"There are so many, and also eels!" Niu Cuihua grabbed two and threw them into the large bucket that Niu Meihua was carrying.
Niu Meihua stared in disbelief at the two buckets she and Niu Baozhu were carrying; they had become quite heavy in just a short while.
Shen Changyi said, "It's a pity that my aunt said we can't go to the water's edge to play, otherwise there would definitely be lots of fish and shrimp to catch by our pond!"
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