Chapter 221 Couple's Night Talk
"Mom and Dad are always busy, and everything they bring back is taken away by the second child.
How could the second brother and the others possibly finish eating so much food?
"Boss, do you think the second brother and the others took some things out to exchange for money?" Zhang Cuihua suddenly thought of a possibility.
"Of course I did. I thought of that a long time ago. Otherwise, how could they possibly finish all the food?
And even if they could finish it, I guess the second child and the others wouldn't be willing to eat it all.
After all, supporting a scholar at home is no small matter. It may even cost the entire family money to support him.
I see that the second brother and his family live very frugally, they must be trying hard to save money," said Gu Nian.
"That's true, it's really not easy to support a scholar.
"We have to be frugal in the future. Fortunately, we have saved some money before. Otherwise, if we let Shuanzi go to school, I'm really worried that we won't be able to support him." Zhang Cuihua said.
"How much silver is left at home? Twenty taels?" Gu Nian gave all the silver he earned to Zhang Cuihua, so he didn't know how much silver the family had exactly.
"After you left, I collected all the money in the house. Now we have a total of 26 taels, 835 coins.
However, there is not much brown rice at home, so we need to buy some. And Shuanzi, when we go to his second uncle's house, it is not enough to just take brown rice, we also have to buy some fine grains.
Also, Shuanzi only has one set of clothes without patches, so I have to buy cloth to make him two new clothes.
Also, Shuanzi had to buy pens, ink, paper, and inkstone, as well as books to study.
I heard that books are very expensive. A thin children's enlightenment book costs two taels of silver.
"Master, can we really afford to send Shuanzi to school?" Zhang Cuihua was actually unsure.
"Let's be frugal, and if I work harder, I can at least support my son's education for a few years.
In a few years, if Shuanzi has this talent, we will grit our teeth and support him.
If he's not cut out for it, I'll ask someone to find him a job in town, so he doesn't have to live like me, toiling in the mountains through wind and rain." Gu Nian thought clearly.
Everyone knows that studying can change one's destiny, but studying is too expensive.
Ordinary families really have to pool their entire family's resources to support a scholar.
Another point is that even if one has studied, only a very small number of people can pass the examinations to become scholars or juren.
Most people just work hard in vain, wasting money and not learning anything useful.
This is not the worst thing. The worst thing is that these people are self-righteous, lazy and ignorant. Apart from reciting some nonsense, they can do nothing else.
You have no hope of passing the imperial examination, and you don't know how to farm after returning home, and you are unwilling to work. Your family can't support you for nothing.
So studying is good, but people with average financial resources cannot afford it.
Fortunately, Gu Nian's family only has one son, Shuanzi. If they work hard for a few more years, they can always let Shuanzi study for a few more years.
At worst, Shuanzi still has two older sisters, and the dowries of the eldest and second oldest girls can be quite a bit.
Of course, this will only happen when there is really no other way.
"Well, you're right. No matter what, we have to let our son learn to read and write.
The second and third sons’ sons all go to school, so there’s no reason why our Shuanzi shouldn’t go too.
It’s okay. Starting tomorrow I will take my two daughters to dig bamboo shoots and dry them.
In the summer we pick mushrooms and fungus, and in the autumn we gather all kinds of mountain products. At the end of the year, the three of us can earn a few more taels of silver.
Go set up a few more traps and catch more pheasants and rabbits. I will dry them and save them.
When you have saved a lot, apart from giving the money to your second brother and the others every month, you can take the rest to the county town to sell.
If we work harder, we can always let our son continue his studies." Zhang Cuihua was thinking about how to make more money.
"Well, I'll deliver the bolt tomorrow and come back. After I come back, I'll go hunting. This time I'm going to a place farther away.
Try your luck and see if you can shoot a wild deer. It's valuable and hunting it is not very dangerous.
The same goes for traps. I'll go somewhere farther away and set more traps. We've already caught so few of them nearby that there aren't many left." Gu Nian also shared his plans.
"Okay, but it's not safe for you to go alone. Otherwise, you can call the fourth brother and you two can go together." Zhang Cuihua was worried about Gu Nian going hunting alone in such a far place.
"That's fine. It's safer with two people. Maybe we can even kill a bison or something." Gu Nian nodded in agreement.
There are too many wild animals in the mountains, and you can lose your life if you are not careful.
"Don't be so anxious to earn money as to hunt dangerous prey. We still have some money at home, which is enough to support our son's education for two years.
We can save the rest slowly. Remember, you are the pillar of our family. If anything happens to you, our family will be finished," said Zhang Cuihua.
"I know, don't worry, I won't do anything dangerous." Gu Nian also knew that he was the backbone of the family.
If I were to pass away, my son would have a hard time not only continuing his studies but even surviving.
So he was really afraid of losing his life? He definitely wouldn't approach a bear or a bison by himself.
"I'm glad you know. By the way, how's the matter with the eldest girl going? Did Second Aunt agree?" Zhang Cuihua asked again.
"Second Aunt said to let me take a look, but she also said that if I look for it in town, I probably won't find anyone with good conditions.
Even those with average conditions may not be willing to marry us mountain girls.
If the eldest girl wants to marry in town, she can only find men from poor families who have difficulty finding wives. "Speaking of the eldest girl, Gu Nian sighed.
"What should we do? Otherwise, we should just find a girl in the village at the foot of the mountain.
Even in town, if there's really nothing to eat or drink, life would be miserable." Zhang Cuihua thought about it and decided that letting her daughter marry in town might not be a good idea.
"Let's wait and see when the time comes. Anyway, the girl is still young, so you can choose one for two years." Gu Nian said.
"You're right, I'm anxious. The girl is only thirteen years old. There's still time in two years." Zhang Cuihua also felt that she was anxious.
"There's no rush for the eldest girl's marriage. It's a good opportunity to let her help out at home for two more years."
The big girl is very capable now. She follows Zhang Cuihua out to do work every day and acts like an adult.
After Gu Nian said this, Zhang Cuihua also realized that, yes, if they let the big girl stay at home for two more years, she could be of great help to them.
"You're right, I was anxious. Seventeen or eighteen is the most appropriate age to get married.
This girl will belong to another family once she gets married, so let the eldest girl enjoy the happiness at home for a few more years."
"Well, I'm glad you understand."
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