The next day after breakfast, An Ning and An Dashan went to Captain Zheng's house with gifts. An Dashan said, "Sister-in-law, I've been troubling you these days. We're going back tomorrow, so I came here today to express my gratitude."
Zhao looked at so many gifts and said, "Brother An, you are too polite. Just based on the relationship between our two families, it is my duty to help you. Why do I need to give you so many gifts?"
An Dashan smiled but said nothing. An Ning continued, "Aunt Zheng, please don't refuse. These things are not enough to express our gratitude."
Zhao smiled and said, "Okay, I'll accept it. You'll be leaving tomorrow, so stay at home for dinner today!"
An Dashan declined, "There are still many things to pack at home, so I won't stay for dinner today."
Zhao didn't stay long. After they talked for a while, An Dashan and his daughter got up and said goodbye.
An Ning and An Dashan came back from Captain Zheng's house, and went to the palace to buy some things they would need for the journey tomorrow, and then returned to the house. In the afternoon, An Ning personally cooked several of her specialty dishes.
In the evening, An Yong came back from work. The three of them sat together, eating and chatting. An Yong took out a pure silver longevity lock and said, "Dad, I couldn't go back when my mom gave birth. This longevity lock is a gift from me to my younger brother and sister."
An Dashan took the longevity lock and said, "You have to be careful here. Dad doesn't ask you to be promoted to a higher position or become rich and powerful. As long as you are safe, that's enough."
An Yong nodded and said, "I understand, Dad." Then he turned to look at An Ning and said, "Ning Ning, I'm not at home, so everything at home depends on you."
An Ning nodded and said, "Don't worry, brother."
After dinner, An Ning took out a five-hundred-liang silver note and said, "Brother, keep this money for your own use. Don't let yourself suffer."
An Yong quickly pushed the banknote back into An Ning's hand and said, "I don't need this banknote. I still have a lot left from what you gave me last time. Besides, I have a salary of twenty taels a month now, which is enough for my family."
An Ning pushed the banknote back and said, "Brother, you should take this money. You are now a fifth-rank official, and you will have to make friends in the future. You can keep this money for emergencies."
After hearing what An Ning said, An Yong did not refuse anymore. He packed up the banknotes and said, "Okay, I'll take them first. When I have money in the future, I will definitely save more for your dowry."
An Ning was a little speechless. Why did everyone have to save up a dowry for herself?
Nothing happened that night. Early the next morning, An Dashan and An Ning set out on their journey. Because they did not take the post station's carriage, they traveled faster and reached home in just fifteen days.
An Ning and An Dashan arrived home on July 12. As soon as they entered the village, they met a villager. He saw An Dashan and his daughter and said, "Dashan, you are finally back. You should go home quickly. My wife said that your wife seems to be giving birth soon."
An Dashan was shocked and said quickly, "Okay, I got it." Then he drove the mule cart back home.
An Ning comforted him in the car: "Dad, don't worry too much, my mother will be fine."
An Dashan seemed to comfort himself and said, "Yes, your mother has already given birth to two children. It should be fine. Maybe by the time we get home, your mother has already given birth."
When the two of them just walked to the door of their house, they heard a baby crying. An Dashan heard it and quickly got off the mule cart and started knocking on the door. Soon, Gao Yunfu, the eldest son of Gao's uncle, opened the door. When he saw An Dashan and An Ning, he said happily: "Uncle, cousin, you came back at the right time. Aunt just gave birth to a big fat boy."
After hearing this, An Dashan ran in excitedly, and An Ning followed closely behind him.
An Dashan and An Ning looked at the red, wrinkled baby in the cradle and were a little afraid to reach out to hold the baby.
An Ning's grandmother, Wang, placed the child in An Dashan's arms and said, "You came back at the right time. The child has just been born, which shows that he was waiting for you two."
An Dashan held the child in his arms and said to Gao: "Thank you for your hard work, Yingniang."
Gao, who was lying on the bed, smiled and said, "It's not hard. Is Dayong settled?"
An Dashan nodded and said, "It has been settled. The wedding date is set for the ninth day of May next year."
Gao smiled when she heard this and said, "Great, I'm relieved then."
The other people in the room were also very happy after hearing what An Dashan said. The child in An Dashan's arms opened his mouth, yawned, and then fell asleep.
An Dashan put the child down and said to Gao on the bed, "You two should take a rest!"
Gao was indeed tired, so she nodded and closed her eyes. An Dashan and his companions walked out of the door quietly, closed the door, and came to the main room to talk.
An Dashan couldn't wait to ask Uncle Gao, "Brother, how many kilograms of winter wheat did you produce?"
Uncle Gao got excited when he mentioned this matter and said, "Dashan, this winter wheat is so good. One mu of land can yield more than 800 kilograms of grain. My family will also plant this winter wheat."
An Dashan did not expect that the yield of winter wheat would be so high. After all, an acre of ordinary wheat would only produce 300 kilograms, which was considered a lot.
An Ning already had an idea in his mind. In ancient times, the fertilizer level was not enough. If it was enough, one acre of land could produce at least 1,000 kilograms of wheat.
An Dashan couldn't hide his excitement and said cheerfully, "Then take the wheat seeds with you when you leave. You can plant them directly after the autumn harvest."
Uncle Gao nodded in agreement and said, "Well, I'll have to trouble you to teach me how to plant it when the time comes."
An Dashan waved his hand and said, "It's no trouble. Just call me when the time comes."
After talking about wheat, An Ning said, "We'll have to wait a while for this winter wheat, so why don't we think of a name for our brother first."
Wang said, "This child was born at a time when there is a happy event in the family, so why not just name him Anxi!"
Uncle Gao shook his head and said, "No, no, Anxi sounds like Anxi, which is unlucky. Let's change it. Maybe just call it Anji."
An Ning thought for a moment and said, "I don't think it sounds nice. How about calling him An Rui? Rui means auspicious."
An Dashan and Wang both nodded and said, "This is a good name, let's call him An Rui." With the final word, the child's name was decided.
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