In the golden autumn of October, Xujia Village comes alive with activity.
With Jiang Zhi's new house completed and Xiao Man's engagement taking place, they decided to hold a banquet to celebrate the two events together.
Tian Gui went up the mountain a day early and personally carried the immobile Xu Dazhu down the mountain.
Xiaoman and Qiaoyun also needed to go down the mountain. Since the two of them had difficulty walking, they had to be supported by Errui and Xiaoman as they walked and rested.
This time, everyone went down the mountain because Old Yunya still had chickens and pigs to feed, so Qianniu and Peiqi stayed behind to guard the house.
The head chef was hired from the town, and a "baba banquet" was held according to the Ba County custom.
Originally, the traditional "baba banquet" required each household to borrow tables, benches, bowls, chopsticks, pots, and pans.
However, Xujia Village is a special case. The people here are both rich and poor. There are not many decent tables in the whole village, but every household eats meat and noodles.
Jiang Zhi could only give Li Laoshi the money to buy two wooden tables, and borrow the newly bought wooden tables from Liu Shi and Xu Gensheng's families. They could also make do with bamboo tables and bowls from other families. Everyone could just ride the tricycles.
However, as the guests arrived, Jiang Zhi realized the seriousness of the situation.
Jiang Zhi was the first person in Pingchuan County to receive a commendation from King Zhou.
She simply built a house to celebrate the occasion, and using this as an excuse, Old Song from Pear Blossom Town and several local gentry arrived, Zhang Juntou arrived with his subordinates, and Cao Yicheng from the post station also came.
This is not surprising; they are all old acquaintances.
However, the heads of other towns somehow got the news and brought along the village chiefs and wardens who were supposed to come for training next spring.
Seven or eight people from one town, thirty or forty from five towns, plus a dozen or so merchants and gentry from Pear Blossom Town, and suddenly a huge crowd arrived.
Jiang Zhi's face turned green; the banquet she had prepared wasn't even enough to seat this group of people.
Not only these people, but also Xiang Dejin and Wu Hongmao, who worked in the county government, along with several wounded soldiers who had recuperated in the Xujia Village medical shed, came.
This was quite an event; the number of guests almost rivaled that of the hosts in Xujia Village. There were not only no stools to sit on, but even the two newly built houses were filled with people standing up.
The arrival of these people was unexpected not only by Jiang Zhi, but also by everyone else.
Jiang Zhi only told Xiaoman and the others about receiving commendation from King Zhou at the county government; she did not publicize it in the village.
The villagers only knew that the government needed to make medicine. Now, every day, large convoys deliver various herbs to the village warehouse and Qingquan Bay. Xu Gensheng, Errui, and Xiaoman are busy receiving and storing the goods every day.
The influx of guests surprised Xu Changming and the others in the village.
Aunt Jiang is just from the He family, so why are there so many people here? Not only are there Song Tingzhang and Zhang Juntou, but also many strangers.
But at this time, we couldn't just be surprised; we also had to help entertain the guests, and each family brought out all the stools they could sit on.
Old Song from Lihua Town, accompanied by several village chiefs and a dozen well-informed village officials, strolled around the village, pointing and commenting on the various earthen houses.
It's not uncommon for farmers to build mud-walled houses, but a dozen or twenty houses in a row, all of the same color, are quite unique.
Each household has a path leading from the front of their house to their yard.
The mosquito coil workshop built in the middle of the field is particularly eye-catching.
At this time, the corn and rice in the fields had already been harvested, and the fields were completely bare.
The simple thatched hut resembled a proud, plucked fighting rooster, its long legs gleaming as it stood in the empty field.
Upon learning that this was not the property of any one family or clan, but rather shared by the entire village, and that every villager could earn money in their spare time, they were immediately amazed, and even the ugliest appearance became endearing.
This isn't a straw shed; it's clearly a hen that lays golden eggs.
The village couldn't accommodate so many people, so Jiang Zhi had to arrange for Lao Song and the others to go to the post station, where there was a canteen. Because it was used to receive officials, all the tables and bowls were provided.
Some people stayed in the village to be received by Qin and her family.
In Lihua Town, Wang Xiaoju carried a large basket and hurriedly bought vegetables, meat and fish. These were all temporary additions, so she could only buy whatever was available.
Beside her were several children, including Stone Monkey, running errands. Bowls and chopsticks could be bought at the general store, and the children bought them all in one go.
On the street, Old Wang watched with a complicated expression as his sister kept taking out her purse.
Behind Wang Laoda, a woman kept pushing him forward: "Laoda, hurry up, that's your sister. They're siblings from the same mother. Even if the bones are broken, they're still connected. So much time has passed, everything will pass."
Boss Wang said with a dark face, "You were the one who pulled all of Xiaoju's hair out, and now you want me to apologize? Whoever did it should be responsible for it. You go!"
The woman retorted angrily, "I was only doing this for my family, for five taels of silver. Why should we pay for the trouble your sister caused?"
Old Wang glared: "Isn't it because you kept nagging at home about how your sister's family was eating and living off you for free that she went back to Xujia Village to move grain?"
The woman protested, "I didn't say those words, my sister-in-law did. You're blaming me again."
Boss Wang turned and left, his heart filled with anger.
Since the house in Xujia Village was renovated last year, whenever he ran into Yaomei in town, he would deliberately talk to her. As long as Xiaoju called him "brother," he, as her brother, would find a way to back down.
However, Xiaoju wouldn't even glance at him, still sulking.
Having already missed the house repair in Xujia Village, and then thinking about how someone in Xujia Village bought cabinets and had furniture made a few days ago, that's a lot of hard-earned money. Who would turn down money?
Moreover, I had heard that the girl was very influential in the village and managed things, so she would definitely be able to help her family get business.
No, I have to take the initiative to humble myself since it's my own younger sister.
As he was thinking, Wang Laoda walked over to Wang Xiaoju and said in a strained voice, "Xiaoju, no matter how angry you are with us or how much you don't want to see us, we won't say anything."
"Your father used to miss you the most; you should go and burn some paper money for your parents this year."
Wang Xiaoju had already noticed her brother and sister-in-law standing nearby.
Pear Blossom Town has only two short streets. You can take a piss at one end of the street and the urine will flow to the other end. People from Xujia Village come to Pear Blossom Town for the market, so it's easy to meet up.
This isn't the first time. Every time I go to the market, I see my older brothers or sisters-in-law loitering around in front of me, and a few times my nephews and nieces have even come to hug my legs.
Wang Xiaoju still refused to back down.
I will never forget that day, from childhood to adulthood.
She was beaten in the village, and then beaten again when she returned to her parents' home. She was even kicked out of the house and made a laughingstock by the neighbors. So she vowed never to go back to her parents' home again.
As for burning paper money for one's father...
Old Wang was devastated by the day he was robbed in Pear Blossom Town, and he passed away while Wang Xiaoju was staying at her parents' home.
If their father hadn't died, they wouldn't have dared to kick them out.
Since her parents had been mentioned, Wang Xiaoju replied without even looking up: "I'm very busy right now, I'll go when I have time."
Old Wang was secretly delighted. His sister was stubborn, but as long as he went along with her temper, she was easy to talk to. He quickly said, "When will you be free? I'll have your sister-in-law cook the pork belly and prepare the incense, candles, and paper money!"
Wang Xiaoju frowned: "I'll bring my own paper money to burn at the grave. I don't need a single grain of rice or a cup of water from your family."
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