Chapter 438 A New Life
There are still kind-hearted people in the village, such as Granny Li, who went to Chang'an City with Dan Niang to sell vegetables earlier.
The Bao family, an outsider living at the east end of the village, had a donkey cart. Old Bao drove the cart, while Granny Li and Dan Niang walked alongside it.
From Daya to Wuya, the whole family rode in a donkey cart towards Chang'an City.
Once inside the city, Danniang and Old Baotou discussed the location, and sure enough, they arrived at the teahouse in Changshoufang, where Mr. He was sitting by the window.
Mr. He spotted Dan Niang immediately; after all, with four little girls following her around, she was quite conspicuous.
Dan Niang handed over the divorce papers, and Mr. He took them, read them, and nodded.
"You wait here, I'll go to the yamen and get it stamped, then it'll be done."
After Mr. He left, Dan Niang received a purse from Granny Li.
"Uncle Bao, here you go, drive the donkey cart to the carriage shop. We'll wait for you here. We'll have to trouble you to return the official divorce papers later."
Although Old Bao was surprised that Dan Niang was cunning and had hidden the money with Granny Li earlier, the usually taciturn Old Bao didn't say much. He simply accepted the copper coin Dan Niang gave him and drove the donkey cart to the carriage shop.
When Lao Baotou returned after parking his car, Dan Niang had already led several people to sit at a soup noodle stall on the side of the street.
"Uncle Bao, thank you for your help."
"Sit down and have a bowl of hot food to warm yourself up."
Old Baotou often came to Chang'an City, and knowing that such a bowl of soup noodles was not cheap, he was a little embarrassed to sit down.
But Dan Niang couldn't really accept using someone else's donkey cart for free, so she said a few more nice words before finally getting Old Baotou to sit down and start slurping his food.
After waiting for another half hour, Mr. He finally got off a carriage.
Dan Niang took the divorce papers stamped with a red seal from Mr. He's hand and immediately burst into tears.
Why are you crying?
This is great news! You've escaped your misery, and better days are yet to come.
The Women's Support Association has already notified me; you can take the girls there now.
"Thank you, Mr. He! Thank you, Mr. He!"
Dan Niang bowed deeply to Mr. He, her voice choked with emotion.
Danniang bought a few more baked buns, divided them into two portions, wrapped them in oil paper, gave one portion to Granny Li, and the other portion to Old Baotou.
"Thank you so much, Granny Li and Uncle Bao. Take these baked buns home and eat them."
"We'll have to trouble Uncle Bao to take Granny Li back to the village and deliver the contract to the Sun family."
Finally, it was Old Bao who offered to take Dan Niang and her five daughters to the Women's Assistance Association. Dan Niang looked at Wu Ya, who was not even two years old by the traditional Chinese age reckoning and was being held by Daya, and nodded and thanked him.
When they arrived at the Women's Assistance Association, Old Bao and Granny Li were relieved to see that someone had actually taken in Dan Niangniang and her five children. Only then did the two of them get on the donkey cart and return to the village.
So when Li San Niang returned home from her shift that day, she saw a basket of wild vegetables that Dan Niang had brought her.
"It was delivered in the afternoon, along with her eldest daughter. I gave the child some pastries, but she was too embarrassed to eat them herself. I took some from her, and then she started to eat them in small bites."
"Sigh, what a good child. He seems like a filial and good child."
Li San Niang looked at Li Da Sao and asked, "Didn't you say you'd found me a job?"
"Would you still have time to go dig for wild vegetables?"
"Sigh, it must have been that big girl who took a few little kids to do it."
They're currently staying at the home of an old widow in one of the outer three cities; I specifically found this place for them, so they finally have a place to stay.
Looking at the wild vegetables, Li San Niang saw that the roots were still covered in soil, indicating that she must have dug them up from the mountains outside the city before dawn.
This huge basket must have taken most of a day to prepare.
"This vegetable looks fresh. I'll wash it tonight, blanch it, and then mix it up and eat it."
Li San Niang sat down and chatted with Li Da Sao while they picked vegetables together.
"Didn't they say that those children still have to pay back the Sun family for their food rations?"
Mr. He didn't say what to do about this.
"They did say that the money could be given, but the Sun family had to sign a contract specifying how much money would be repaid. They also had to explain that after the money was repaid, the two families would have no further relationship, and the Sun family would not be able to interfere in the marriage at all."
In the future, there's no need to rely on the eldest daughter and the others for retirement money.
Li San Niang nodded, "Mr. He is very thoughtful. If we repay this money, and in a few years the Sun family can sell it to pay for the bride price, then it will really be a loss."
After discussing this matter, Li San Niang looked at Li Da Sao and couldn't help but think of Li Da Lang, who had gone far away with the army.
However, Li San Niang was unwilling to talk about Li Da Lang. Li Da Sao, as the mother, was definitely more concerned about Li Da Lang, who was away from home, than she, as the younger sister-in-law.
So, Li San Niang brought up Li Er Lang, saying, "Er Lang has been coming home quite late these past few days after work, so we need to make him something good to eat to help him recover."
"Sister-in-law, I bought a roast chicken; I need to save a drumstick for Erlang."
These past few days, Li Erlang has been working late and hasn't had time to have dinner with the rest of the Li family.
It was almost time before Li Erlang returned, after the Li family had finished their dinner and had a cup of tea in their mouths.
Sister-in-law Li initially wanted to refuse, since a roast chicken only has two legs, which would usually be given to Xiao Silang and Luzhu'er. However, Sister-in-law Li thought of Li Erlang's somewhat pointed chin these days, so she didn't object to Li Sanniang's words.
While the Li family members were chatting in the main hall, Li Sanlang, who had been guarding the door, heard the commotion outside and asked a question. Upon hearing the voices of Li Erxiong and Li Erlang, he quickly opened the door.
These past few days, it has been Brother Li who has driven the family's carriage to fetch Brother Li back home.
After Sister-in-law Li prepared the food and brought it to the main hall, Brother Li and Brother Li Erlang had already washed their hands.
Li Erlang was already starving. He was at the age where he was growing, and after a busy day filled with mentally taxing tasks, he had endured it for quite some time.
After Li Erlang picked up his bowl and took a few bites, he realized that there were several pieces of chicken leg meat buried in his bowl. When Li's sister-in-law saw Li Erlang looking up at her, she smiled and said, "Your aunt bought a roast chicken and specially saved this leg for you. Eat up."
When Li Erlang heard that it was specially given to him, he ate it with relish.
"Although the army has already set out, the calculation of supplies is not yet complete; it can be said that it has only just begun."
Therefore, he did not return to the Ministry of Revenue and continued to work under Assistant Manager Xu (Xu Jingzhen).
If I can keep working for a few more days, I shouldn't have to stay up this late anymore.
"Thank you for picking me up, Uncle."
Brother Li waved his hand, "I know you are skilled in martial arts, and the yamen is not far from home, so you can come back by yourself."
But I couldn't let it go in my heart. I didn't have anything else to do, so I just wanted to go pick you up.
Besides, with the heavy rain the past few days, our own carriage was cheaper.”
After chatting for a while, the group dispersed and returned to their respective courtyards.
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