Chapter 57057 Mysterious Gift
The next day, Du Qingju got up before dawn.
First, she prepared the ingredients for today with her three sisters, then wolfed down breakfast and rushed to Huimin Medical Clinic in the morning light.
After Du Qingtang finished feeding the chickens, he went to wash his hands at the water tank and said to Du Qingmei, who was washing clothes nearby, "Eighth sister is going to be an apprentice at the clinic. We're short on staff here, so let's hire two more."
Du Qingmei was thinking the same thing: "I'll go to the market this afternoon to take a look."
The market is not just about vendors, there are also businessmen looking for work and cheap labor waiting to be recruited.
Du Qingtang went to the west room, straightened his appearance in front of the mirror, picked up his school bag and prepared to return to the academy: "I have three classes today, so I won't be back tonight."
"Tang'er, wait a moment!" Du Qingmei trotted to the kitchen and came back with an oil-paper bag in her hand. "Awen is in her growing years, and she can't eat meat during the mourning period, so I made a dozen or so vegetable pancakes without any animal oil. Take them to her."
Du Qingtang didn't tell Fu Ci that he was secretly cooking for himself in the dormitory. He ate two meat buns each and stuffed them into his school bag, making it bulge out. "I'm leaving."
"Okay, be careful on the road."
Du Qingmei watched the youngest walk away until her figure disappeared at the end of the alley. Then she turned back and said to her two younger sisters, "If Sister Ju can successfully become an apprentice, she will definitely become a female doctor in the future. We must work harder."
Du Qingzhu raised her chin and snorted twice, "Of course. Sooner or later, I'm going to open my own restaurant, one that's world-famous! And I'm going to let everyone know that the owner is a talented woman!"
Du Qinglan couldn't help laughing: "Ju Jie'er is the female doctor, Zhu Jie'er is the female boss, and my fifth sister and I will be the female teachers."
"Okay, stop talking nonsense. It's not enough to just talk without doing anything." Du Qingmei said with a smile, "It's getting late. Let's go to the shop first. We still have to go to the market in the afternoon."
"Let's go!"
The girls looked full of energy and walked briskly towards Du Ji Snacks.
......
When Du Qingtang arrived at the academy, Fu Ci was doing morning exercises under the statue of Confucius.
Fu Ci was panting from practicing, his hair wet with sweat. When he saw his friend, he smiled brightly: "Qingtang, you're here."
Du Qingtang patted his school bag and said, "I'll go to the dormitory first. Fifth sister made you some vegetable pancakes and put them directly on your table."
Fu Ci agreed and said softly, "Fifth Sister is so kind to me. I can't go over recently. Qingtang, please thank Fifth Sister for me."
Du Qingtang waved his hand to indicate that he understood.
It was still early, so Du Qingtang sat down to read for a while, and then waited for Fu Ci to come back. Then they went to the classroom together.
Cao Xingcan was doing an arithmetic problem. Seeing Du Qingtang coming, he immediately waved: "This problem is a bit difficult. I spent half an hour last night thinking about it before I came up with the idea. Can you help me check if it is correct?"
Du Qingtang took a quick look and found that this question was beyond the scope of the teaching of the Tongsheng class. "Where did it come from?"
Cao Xingcan said succinctly: "Xia Jing sent it."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly. It seemed that the rumors were not credible. The Cao family had not given up on Cao Xingcan, the second legitimate son. "Lend me a copy later. And Awen, you have to make one too."
Fu Ci was reciting his lessons. The teacher was going to check his work in class today. When he heard this, he turned his head sharply and found that it was an arithmetic problem. A mask of pain immediately appeared on his face. He said in a dark tone, "Qingtang, you know I hate arithmetic problems."
Cao Xingcan spoke leisurely, his tone drawn out: "I am not talented, but I love arithmetic problems the most in my life."
Fu Ci's expression was cold: "Mr. Cao, I hate you."
Cao Xingcan: “…”
Du Qingtang smiled, and when he saw the teacher walk into the classroom, he turned around and prepared to teach.
In the end, Fu Ci copied a set of arithmetic problems.
Even if you don't take the college entrance examination next year, you will have to take it three years later. It's always a good idea to practice more.
This is probably what is meant by "pain and happiness".
-
Du Ji Snacks and Qing Yuan Academy were living in peace and tranquility, but the Hu family far away in Dahe Town was in turmoil.
Yesterday evening, Mrs. Hu Dasao and Mrs. Hu Ersao discovered that the third daughter-in-law had committed adultery with their husband and was pregnant. The mother-in-law, Mrs. Hu, not only did not reprimand her or abort the evil child in Yuan's belly, but she also helped the evil and hid it from the two of them.
The two sisters-in-law were furious and started fighting with Old Lady Hu and Yuan.
Old Mrs. Hu was slapped so hard by Mrs. Hu that three of her teeth were knocked out. Her wrinkled face swelled up like a pig's head and was bright red.
Yuan's end was even more tragic. Her still charming face was disfigured, and her two-month-old baby was gone.
Yuan Shi looked at the blood-stained skirt and shouted in panic: "Son! My son!"
Old Mrs. Hu didn't care about her front teeth being knocked out by Mrs. Hu, and rushed forward screaming, "Grandson! My grandson!"
As a result, her left foot tripped over her right foot, and her plump body fell heavily on Yuanshi.
"ah!"
Yuan screamed, her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
Mrs. Hu smiled with satisfaction.
She did it on purpose.
He deliberately sat on Yuan's belly and pressed down with his whole body weight, deliberately trying to make Yuan have a miscarriage.
A bastard shouldn't be allowed to survive and take away the property that belongs to her children!
Mrs. Hu Dasao and Mrs. Hu Ersao looked at each other and reached a tacit understanding in an instant. They went back to the house, packed two pieces of clothes, and went back to their parents' home with their bags on their backs.
Walking out of the Hu family's house, the alley was full of neighbors who were watching the excitement.
"What are you doing? You're screaming like a pig being slaughtered."
"Why are you two still carrying your bags? Is Old Lady Hu making a fuss again?"
No matter how angry Mrs. Hu and Mrs. Hu were, they knew that family disgrace should not be made public.
The old hag and her two sons are not human beings. They have children of their own and cannot become the laughing stock of Dahe Town because of a Yuan family member.
Mrs. Hu responded vaguely, said nothing, and took Mrs. Hu's second wife away.
When they returned to their mother's home, they told their brothers about the Hu family's dirty deeds.
Mrs. Hu's eldest and second brothers were butchers. They were eight feet tall, with broad waists and round shoulders, and their faces were covered with flesh, and they looked like they were not to be messed with.
Hu Ersao is the eldest sister, the eldest brother is a bodyguard, and the second brother is a blacksmith. The former is skilled in martial arts, and the latter is extremely strong.
Upon learning that their sister had suffered great injustice at her husband's house, the two families immediately became furious and went to attack them with weapons.
Boss Hu and Boss Hu were beaten so hard that they screamed in pain. There was not a single piece of good flesh on their faces or bodies, and several bones were broken.
Old Mrs. Hu was also held down and beaten by the fierce daughters-in-law of the two families. Her hair was pulled out, her scalp was bleeding, and she lay on the ground screaming.
Yuan had just had a miscarriage, and the two families did not dare to do anything to her.
But if they can’t be beaten, can they still be scolded?
As a result, Yuanshi was pointed at and scolded by the sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law of Hu Dasao and Hu Ersao, and spit was sprayed in her face. The pain of losing her son and the shame of being called a whore made her feel miserable and burst into tears.
During this period, the sons and daughters-in-law of the first and second wives watched coldly, as if the people being beaten were not their grandmother and father, but unrelated strangers.
Finally, Hu Dasao's eldest brother said to his sister: "If you want to divorce, I will let your sister-in-law go back and clean up a room for you."
Mrs. Hu refused without hesitation.
She has lived for most of her life and even has grandchildren. Now she is divorced and returning to her parents' home. At first, her elder and second sisters-in-law sympathize with her situation and don't say anything, but as time goes by, conflicts are inevitable and affect the relationship between the two sisters-in-law.
not to mention......
"If I divorce, won't that bitch Yuan Ruyi get away with it?" Mrs. Hu said fiercely, her hands on her hips. "Divide the family! Separate the old hag and that bastard. Don't they like Yuan Ruyi? Let them live together!"
Mrs. Hu Er's idea coincided with Mrs. Hu Da's idea.
What is a man?
Children and money in your hands are the most important!
As a result, the Hu family was forced to split up.
Mrs. Hu Dasao and Mrs. Hu Ersao have the support of their brothers from their natal family. In addition to the courtyard they live in now, they also get eight or nine out of ten of the family property.
Old Mrs. Hu, Yuan, and the two older brothers Hu were kicked out of their home and moved into the Hu family's old house in the countryside.
When the news came out, all kinds of speculations arose among the neighbors.
But even if they racked their brains, they could never figure out the real reason behind it.
But the four Yuans went to the countryside. The old house of the Hu family was dilapidated, with leaks on all sides and no shelter from the roof. Old Mrs. Hu caught a cold the night she moved in.
Old Mrs. Hu hated Zhu and Yuan to death. If Zhu hadn't said that Yuan could leave a descendant for the third son, she would never have agreed to let Yuan marry the third son.
It’s a pity that Zhu is dead, so we can’t cause any trouble for her.
But it doesn’t matter, isn’t there Yuanshi in front of us?
Old Mrs. Hu changed from her pleasant expression after learning that Yuanshi was pregnant to becoming more and more sarcastic and mean. Even before Yuanshi finished her confinement after her miscarriage, she ordered her to do laundry and cooking.
The eldest and second eldest Hu had no feelings for Yuanshi. At most, they coveted her beauty. Now that they were kicked out of the house, they hated Yuanshi and made her do all the heavy work.
Poor Yuanshi had a miscarriage and her body was damaged. Not only did she have no chance to recover, but she also had to touch cold water all day during the confinement period. From then on, she suffered from minor illnesses and her lower body bled continuously. She was in terribly pain.
Seeing that Yuan was seriously ill, Old Lady Hu was afraid that she would die in the Hu family, so she discussed with her son, "Why not send her back?"
Hu Laoda was a little tempted, but Hu Laoer shook his head: "In order to marry into our family, Yuan Shi had already torn her face with the children of the Du family. It was an ugly scene."
"A few days ago, I asked her to go to the county town to ask for a shop, but not only did she return empty-handed, she was also so irritated by a few unfilial sons and daughters that she had a stomachache all night."
"Her youngest son is no pushover. He's a brilliant student. He was already a student at the age of thirteen or fourteen. It's said that even the county magistrate admires him. He has a bright future ahead of him. We can't afford to offend him."
"Mom, you're old. My brother and I have to go out to work every day. There are a lot of things to do inside and outside the house. Let her do it. The Hu family doesn't support people who eat for free."
Old Mrs. Hu had no choice but to give up and turned around to order Yuanshi around even more without any restraint.
Yuanshi was busy from morning to night every day and could only rest late at night. When she closed her eyes, she dreamed of her poor Yaozu, who passed away before he came into this world.
After waking up, I sobbed softly and fell asleep while chanting "Yaozu". When I opened my eyes, it was another day of being treated like a beast of burden.
Half a year passed like this.
One morning, Hu Lao Da and Hu Lao Er, who had not returned home all night, were found lying in a stinky ditch. They were still alive, but their lower bodies had been cut off.
After waking up, Hu Lao Da and Hu Lao Er were almost mad with anger. They went to the government to report the case, claiming that this was a means of revenge by the brothers of Hu Dasao and Hu Ersao's natal family.
County Magistrate Meng sent people to investigate and found that the two families had clear alibis.
The eldest and second Hu brothers wanted to reconcile with their wives and children, but were turned away. Their own sons poured a bucket of manure on their heads, and they were ridiculed by their neighbors. They returned to the countryside in disgrace.
After returning, the two men, who had lost their male dignity, treated Yuan even worse. In addition to ordering her to work, they also beat her every three days and every five days.
In her dreams at midnight, Yuanshi thought of the past, of her "son" who obeyed her in everything and of her filial and capable daughter.
Yuan finally regretted it.
If she had not insisted on marrying in, she would not have become enemies with her daughters and ended up in the isolated and helpless situation she is today.
But the next moment, she shook her head and denied it: "No! I'm not wrong!"
She just wanted a son.
She almost had a son of her own.
It was all Mrs. Hu’s fault. Mrs. Hu and Mrs. Hu’s second sister-in-law insisted on making a big deal out of it, causing her to lose her son.
"Yaozu, damn Yaozu..."
Yuan read it over and over again, mourning her unborn son.
The crying woke up Hu Lao Da and Hu Lao Er, who were picked up and beaten again.
-
Du Qingmei went to the market for two consecutive days and finally decided on two women over 30 years old.
The two women lived in the countryside and were from poor families. Their clothes were patched up with patches and the cuffs were washed white and frayed.
The reason why these two people were chosen was that although they were dressed in rags, their clothes and shoes were very clean, and their hair was neatly tied with cloth strips, leaving not a single strand of hair on their temples, making them look very refreshing.
People working in the catering industry are most afraid of being sloppy. Du Qingmei was quite satisfied with their appearance. After trying them out that day, she saw that they worked efficiently, without dragging their feet or being lazy, so she kept them.
At Du Qingtang's request, Du Qingtang made the two women sign a confidentiality agreement, which stipulated that if they were found to have revealed the secret recipe, they would have to pay Du's Snacks 500 taels of silver as compensation.
For a farmer who could only earn a few taels of silver a year, five hundred taels was an astronomical figure.
The two women's faces turned pale with fear. They said they dared not disclose the information and left bright red fingerprints on the confidentiality agreement with trembling hands.
......
On the twenty-first day of the twelfth lunar month, it was Du Qingzhu’s fifteenth birthday.
When a girl reaches the age of fifteen, she is called jigui.
That day, Du Ji Snacks closed early, and Du Qingju also told the old doctor to come back early to celebrate her seventh sister's birthday.
The girls prepared a large table of extremely sumptuous food. The five sisters sat around the table and happily had a hearty meal.
After the meal, it was time to give gifts.
Du Qingmei made a pair of shoes and embroidered bamboo on the uppers in a unique way.
Du Qinglan made a short shirt and long skirt, and the fresh laurel green showed her girlish charm.
Du Qingju used what she had learned to make a medicine bag, put it in a sachet and gave it to Du Qingzhu. It had a refreshing fragrance and could also refresh the mind.
Du Qingzhu was wearing new shoes and a new skirt, holding a delicate sachet in her hand, and smiling from ear to ear: "With this medicine bag, I don't have to worry about falling asleep while studying at night anymore."
The girls laughed out loud, and Du Qingmei reminded them, "Reading is a good thing, but you have to know the limit. If the oil lamp is not bright enough, it will damage your eyes and the gain will outweigh the loss."
Du Qinglan pretended to be dissatisfied and asked, "Don't tell me you only like Ju Jie'er's medicine bag and don't like my skirt?"
Du Qingzhu leaned her head on Sixth Sister's shoulder and said softly, "Of course I like it. This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen."
Du Qinglan raised the corners of her mouth.
Du Qingzhu rolled her eyes, tilted her head, and leaned on Fifth Sister's shoulder: "Of course, I like Fifth Sister's shoes too. Sister Zhu looks great in shoes embroidered with bamboo!"
A few words coaxed the two sisters to a state of confusion: "If you like it, I will make it for you next time."
Du Qingtang, who was watching the whole process: "......"
I really didn't realize that her seventh sister is also a master of keeping things balanced.
Du Qingzhu looked at Du Qingtang with curiosity in his eyes: "Tang'er, what did you prepare for me?"
Du Qingtang pushed a book in front of Du Qingzhu: "Here, take a look."
"What is this?" Du Qingzhu picked it up and flipped through it. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he exclaimed in surprise, "Wow—it's a cookbook! And it's a cookbook written by the royal chef!"
Du Qingzhu hugged him in his arms, his face flushed and his eyes brightened: "Tang'er, the royal chef's recipe should only be passed down to his descendants and disciples. How did you get this recipe?"
Seeing her happy, Du Qingtang raised the corners of his lips slightly and said, "I asked Cao Xingcan to help find it."
When Cao Xingcan was invited to try a new dish that day, Du Qingtang waited until he had taken a bite before asking, "How does it taste?"
Cao Xingcan savored the dish for a moment and gave a pertinent comment: "Although it's not as good as the chef in my house, it has its own unique flavor."
Du Qingtang coughed lightly and said, "This is a new product that my seventh sister came up with. She has loved cooking since she was a child. It will be her birthday in a few days, and I want to give her a cookbook. I wonder if Brother Cao can..."
The sound of "Brother Cao" almost made Cao Xingcan drop the snack in his hand. He endured the pain in his teeth, his face as gloomy as water: "I knew it, like a weasel paying New Year's greetings to a chicken, you really have no good intentions!"
However, despite being angry, Cao Xingcan still sent someone to find the recipe.
Du Qingzhu thought for a moment and asked, "But is it Mr. Cao who tried the new product last time?"
Du Qingtang nodded.
Du Qingzhu felt bad and said seriously, "This is a priceless treasure, worth a fortune. We don't have much good stuff at home. Tomorrow, Tang Ge'er, bring him some snacks as a thank you."
Du Qingtang agreed. She was looking forward to Cao Xingcan's expression when he received the snacks. It must be very exciting.
Du Qingzhu caressed the recipe lovingly, looking around with a smile in her eyes.
With her family by her side and four favorite gifts, this was the happiest and most memorable birthday she had ever had.
Although she only celebrated her birthday seriously this once.
Amidst the laughter and joy, Du Qingzhu vaguely recalled last year.
At that time, her mind was full of so-called glory and wealth, so she secretly ran away to become someone's concubine.
Now, Du Ji Snacks business is booming. Although she is a little tired, she has saved a lot of pocket money and can buy whatever she wants.
She also learned to read and write, and defeated a group of men to win a lantern at the Qixi Lantern Festival, and won praise from many people.
They said, "This girl can actually read, how amazing!"
Instead of "What's the point of reading books if you're just losing money?"
This all seems so unreal, as beautiful as a dream.
Du Qingzhu thought, if this was really a dream, she would never wake up.
-
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the bimonthly exam arrived as scheduled.
After answering the policy essays and test poems, Du Qingtang took the tests on arithmetic, etiquette, calligraphy, music, and riding and archery.
Except for arithmetic, the results of other subjects were announced on the spot, and Du Qingtang got A in all of them.
After the exam, Du Qingtang and Fu Ci returned to the dormitory to pack their luggage.
Du Qingtang put the clothes into the bookcase and suggested, "You are the only one left in the Fu family now. It's so lonely. Why don't you come back with me?"
Fu Ci's heart was moved for a moment, but after a moment's hesitation, he finally refused: "The villagers are all relatives of the same clan. I have to go back."
Du Qingtang stopped insisting, and the two of them carried their book boxes to the entrance of the academy and went their separate ways.
On the 29th day of the 12th lunar month, Du Ji Snacks announced that it will suspend business from tomorrow and resume business on the 5th day of the 1st lunar month after the New Year.
The next day, the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, New Year's Eve, Du Qingtang and the girls drove a donkey cart back to Taoyuan Village.
As soon as the five people got off the donkey cart, the villagers rushed over.
"Hey, Du Tongsheng is back!"
"I haven't seen you for a year. Tang Ge'er has grown a lot taller, and Wu Ya and the others have become more handsome."
"I heard your shop is doing pretty well. You should have made a lot of money this year, right? Can four people handle it? Your aunt works well, so let her come over and help you."
They were used to hearing the names Wu Ya and Liu Ya and didn’t think they were unpleasant. But now that they have changed their names and read some books, the girls realized that their parents had no intention at all when they named them and were just doing it perfunctorily.
Ultimately, it's because they favor boys over girls and don't care about their daughters.
This name is as hateful as Zhaodi and Pandi!
Du Qingzhu was unhappy and put her hands on her hips and shouted, "My name is not Du Qiya, and my fifth sister and the others don't call me Du Wuya or Du Liuya either. Please don't call me that!"
Everyone was stunned.
"Changed your name?"
"So what are your names now?"
The four girls held their heads high and gave their names one by one.
I thought the villagers would be surprised and praise their names, but what happened was——
"Why is it the 'Qing' generation?"
"In this generation of the Du family, the character 'Qing' can only be used by boys. Change your name quickly!"
The girls' joyful hearts sank to the bottom, and the smiles on their faces froze.
Du Qingtang frowned and said coldly, "I changed the name. If you are dissatisfied, go find your uncle and ask him to talk to me."
After saying that, he pulled the droopy-headed girl into the house.
The gate slammed shut, leaving the villagers standing at the door looking at each other in bewilderment.
"As expected, he passed the examination and became a Tongsheng. He even speaks with confidence."
"Are we really going to look for Uncle?"
"What are you looking for? Go back!"
When the Du family split up, the eldest uncle supported the second and third wives. Now that the eldest wife has risen, he dare not go to Du Qingtang, for fear that Du Qingtang will bring up old scores.
......
Du Qingtang put down the bookcase and said calmly, "A name is just a code name. When writing was first created, there was no distinction between men and women. If men can use it, women can use it too."
"Don't take those people's words to heart. They are ignorant and conservative. You just need to know that you are no worse than men. Just do what you want to do."
The girls were so impressed by his words that they shook off their lethargy, looked at each other, reached a tacit understanding, and took action immediately.
The courtyard door was wide open, and the girls moved out tables and chairs, took out pens, ink, paper and inkstone, and began to write couplets.
At this time, the villagers outside the door had not yet dispersed.
"What are they doing?"
"It's obvious that he is writing couplets."
"They can actually read?"
"How can a girl know how to read? Tang Ge'er is so shameless that he actually let them do whatever they want!"
The girls didn't care about the unpleasant words, and performed at their best, writing several couplets in one go.
"Who will post the couplets?"
"That's easy. There are two doors, and two people are responsible for each door."
“Good idea!”
Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan are responsible for the door on the right, while Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju are responsible for the one on the left.
First, apply paste to the door panel, then find the right angle, stick the couplet on it, and you’re done!
The black words on red paper, elegant yet powerful, left the villagers dumbfounded, leaving them speechless and gasping.
"Is this really what they wrote?"
"I saw them write it word by word with my own eyes."
After pasting the couplets, the gate of the courtyard was closed with a bang.
Everyone looked at the extremely beautiful handwriting on the red paper with complicated feelings.
"These girls from the Du family are really amazing."
"Do you think my girl can write such beautiful characters even though she knows how to read?"
Inside the door, the girls laughed with their hands on their hips.
"See? Their mouths are so open you can fit an egg in them!"
"Humph, we should let them have a taste of our power!"
Du Qingtang stood under the eaves with a bright smile in his eyes.
......
After giving some guys a good smack in the face, the girls start cleaning up.
Clean up the house inside and out, and then get busy preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner.
After the New Year’s Eve dinner, Du Qingtang cooked a pot of sour plum soup, and the five of them sat cross-legged in a circle on the heated kang in the west room.
It’s time for the annual money distribution again.
"After deducting costs, Du Ji Snacks made a total profit of 75 taels last year. Dividing it among the five of us, each of us got 15 taels."
"Last year I asked for your opinion. We invested 1,200 taels and made a total profit—"
Du Qingtang stopped here and deliberately kept the topic in suspense.
The girls stared at her intently, holding their breath and clasping their hands nervously.
"Eight hundred and thirty-two taels!"
Du Qingzhu pinched it hard and said, "It doesn't hurt. It seems I'm hallucinating."
Du Qinglan, who was standing next to him, bared her teeth and said, "Of course it doesn't hurt, because you're pinching me!"
"So it's true?"
"Of course it's true."
“Ahhhhhhhhh!!!”
Du Qingzhu jumped three feet high with joy, and the other three girls also laughed uncontrollably.
At midnight, the sound of firecrackers rang out outside the window.
The girls fell asleep with fifteen taels of silver in their arms, accompanied by crackling sounds.
They sleep peacefully with the corners of their mouths raised, as if they are immersed in a beautiful dream.
Du Qingtang sipped sour plum soup and turned the pages of a book under the lamp.
The twelfth year of Qingyuan arrived.
-
On the first day of the first lunar month, people worship their ancestors and wish them a happy new year.
On the second day of the first lunar month, married women return to their parents' home.
That morning, the four sisters came back with their husbands and children.
The girls prepared a sumptuous meal and also prepared delicious fried skewers for their nephews and nieces.
The children were at the age when they were greedy. They ate until their faces turned red and they couldn't stop at all.
In the afternoon, before leaving, Du Qingtang took out three deeds and gave them to Du Qingqi, Du Qingshu and Du Qinghua respectively.
"When you got married before, I, as your younger brother, was unable to prepare a dowry for you. I will make up for it this time."
"I've already given it to my eldest sister. She's using it for her fur business. Your names are on the deed. You can do whatever you want with it."
Du Qingshu and Du Qinghua's eyes instantly turned red.
Du Qingqi was even more emotional and burst into tears while hugging Du Qingtang.
"Tang Ge'er, you are so kind! Those people in the village really lied to me. You are the best brother ever!"
"What did they say?"
"You said you passed the exam and became a student, so you only care about your family's well-being and don't care about my life or death."
Du Qingtang: “…”
The second brother-in-law met his brother-in-law's indifferent gaze, and nervously broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly explained, "It was a few gossipy women in the village. I complained to their husbands that day and also warned your sister afterwards."
Du Qingtang knew that her second sister was simple-minded and her second brother-in-law was reliable: "I understand. Next time someone talks nonsense, tell her to come to me."
Several sisters burst into laughter, while my brother-in-law continued to sweat.
This brother-in-law is not easy to deal with. He gave them a candy after giving them a stick. First, he gave them the shop, and then warned them openly and secretly that they had to be better to their wives in the future and not say a single harsh word, otherwise the brother-in-law would take revenge on them later.
Noticing the flash of fear in his brother-in-law's eyes, Du Qingtang curled his lips in satisfaction and personally escorted them to the door.
......
On the third day of the first lunar month, Du Qingtang went to the Liu family with two pounds of meat and a can of tea.
In the main hall, Du Qingtang bowed respectfully: "Sir."
Liu Tongsheng twirled his beard, feeling very pleased: "Very good, you really didn't let me down!"
Du Qingtang replied: "You taught me well."
Liu Tongsheng laughed, thinking of his own naughty boy, and shook his head: "I didn't teach you anything, you still have to work hard on your own."
Afterwards, he tested Du Qingtang as usual.
Du Qingtang answered fluently without a pause.
"Will you take the college entrance examination next year?"
"yes."
“Just do your best and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
"yes."
Liu Tongsheng took a sip of tea and asked in an unfathomable tone, "Are you teaching your sister to read and write?"
Du Qingtang admitted frankly: "It's always good for a girl to know a few more words."
Liu Tongsheng laughed out loud: "You are absolutely right. Both men and women should learn to read and read the words of the sages, so that they can clearly distinguish right from wrong!"
Before leaving, Liu Tongsheng gave Du Qingtang another title book.
You don't need to look to know that these are test questions specifically for the college entrance examination.
Du Qingtang bowed deeply and turned to leave.
-
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Du Ji Snacks resumed business.
The girls run the shop to earn money during the day and study and learn to read at night. Their lives are busy but fulfilling.
Inside the academy, the atmosphere in the Tongsheng class became increasingly tense as the academy examination approached.
The students studied hard all day long, their pens almost leaving afterimages. They got up at dawn and went to bed at midnight. They held a book in their hands while eating, walking, and going to the toilet, reviewing and preparing for the exams every minute.
In April, Du Qingqi's carpentry shop opened.
In the same month, Du Qingshu's calligraphy and painting shop opened.
At the end of May, Du Qinghua's wine shop opened.
In June, the sun rises early. The students who live in the dormitory get up at yinshi to recite their lessons and do not rest until zishi.
Du Qingtang was a light sleeper to begin with, and after being woken up, he couldn't fall asleep again, so he could only get up and roll up with them.
When walking in the academy, if you see a student with a pale face, unsteady steps, holding a book while walking and muttering to himself, there is no doubt that he must be a student or a scholar.
Du Qingtang was fine. He did not forget to exercise while preparing for the exam, and he could handle any high-intensity study.
But that may not be the case for others.
Many students only focus on studying and neglect exercise. They only sleep two hours a day, and even the strongest body cannot stand it.
After entering July, many students and scholars fell ill one after another, and their conditions were serious, so they had to stay in bed to rest.
Upon hearing the news, Fu Ci sighed, "It's not worth it to take advantage of this."
Du Qingtang looked up at her from his essay and warned her, "I'll be going to the capital in a few days. Remember to lock the door when you go to bed at night. If you encounter any problems that you can't solve, go to my sister."
Listening to his friend's unprecedented chatter, Fu Ci smiled and agreed, then asked, "I heard that the sisters are planning to attend the poetry gathering hosted by the county magistrate's daughter next month. How are the preparations going?"
Du Qingtang hummed softly: "It's okay, not embarrassing."
Fu Ci knew that his friend was used to keeping things to himself when speaking, so he felt relieved and continued to work hard on the arithmetic problems.
......
On the seventh day of August, Du Qingtang set off for the provincial capital.
Accompanying him were Cao Xingcan and three classmates: Zhao, Fang, and Qian.
This time they still lived in the house that Cao Xingcan had bought as a trial for the mansion.
Fu Ci originally wanted to see him off, but he had classes that morning, so he had to give up.
We set out in the morning and arrived in the city at midnight.
Du Qingtang still lived in the same room as last time. Just as he put down his luggage, Cao Xingcan's servant came and knocked on the door.
"Mr. Du, someone sent you this brocade box."
Du Qingtang took the brocade box, which seemed so light and weightless: "Where is the person?"
The servant replied, "The man put down the brocade box and left."
After saying that, he bowed and left, not forgetting to close the door.
Du Qingtang placed the brocade box on the table, hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand to open it.
Inside the brocade box was a pair of red embroidered shoes and a letter.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Sending embroidered shoes in the middle of the night, what kind of Chinese horror is this?
Du Qingtang unfolded the letter paper, and familiar yet unfamiliar handwriting came into view.
"Atang, you know I won't die that easily."
"Qi Heming is dead, and all past grudges are wiped out. Be good and stop making trouble."
"Since you are determined to take the imperial examination, I will wait for you in Xiajing."
"Wait until you come to Xiajing and come back to me."
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