Chapter 259 Killing the New Year Pig
After Laba Festival, it is the New Year. In the southwest, it is already the twelfth lunar month, and people start slaughtering the New Year pigs.
Taohua Village was poor before, and it was impossible for every family to slaughter a pig for the New Year.
But the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year is essential, so usually every family contributes a little money, and the whole village buys two pigs with the butcher, kills them together and divides the profits.
Although you can't get much, it's cheaper than buying it outside, and it also allows the children at home to have some meat during the New Year.
But this year is different. A lot of things happened in Taohua Village this year.
Not only did they have high-yield seedlings, but because workshops were opened in the village, almost every family made money.
Although this money cannot make them rich overnight, it is still possible for them to buy a piglet and raise it before the Chinese New Year, and then kill it and eat it during the Chinese New Year.
Half a year ago, grandma took the initiative to go to the next village and catch three piglets to feed.
The family situation has improved this year, and grandma is willing to give the piglets some cornmeal or something occasionally. The Li family will also take good care of them, so even though it has only been half a year, the three piglets have grown to about 300 pounds.
He looks fat and has big ears, and you can tell at a glance that he has a lot of flesh.
As soon as the sky was slightly light, my grandfather and my eldest and second uncles got up to boil water. The two iron pots they usually used for cooking were filled to the brim, and pieces of firewood were thrown into the fire pit, making a crackling sound.
After a while, the neighbors came with knives.
"Zhigeng, quickly pour some water for your third uncle." Li was so busy that when she saw her neighbor, she hurriedly greeted Gu Zhigeng.
In the past, the Gu family was poor and could not afford to kill a pig for the New Year on their own. For several years, they could not even pool money to buy a pig for the New Year.
This year, not only could they slaughter the New Year pig, but they could do it all by themselves, so the children were very happy. While helping, they asked, "Uncle, when are we going to slaughter the pig?"
This was the thirteenth time Gu Yuhe had asked, but his uncle didn't seem impatient. "We have to wait for your uncle Zhang to come over."
Uncle Zhang is the butcher in the village. He has been slaughtering pigs all his life, and his skills in slaughtering pigs are impeccable.
"Then why hasn't he come yet?" Gu Yuhe was a little impatient, he wanted to eat some fried dough sticks.
"Today, many families in the village are slaughtering pigs. Maybe some of them know how to do it. Don't worry."
"Yes, you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry."
"By the way, your family is still the best. You can kill one yourself if you can. When my family's conditions improve in a few years, I will kill one myself too!"
"Hey, no, no, it's all thanks to Jiayue."
The men sat around, twisting ropes with palm leaves and chatting about all sorts of things.
As the Gu family grew in prominence, the uncle gradually learned to speak politely. But an honest man is still an honest man, and he didn't say anything in a roundabout way. He just laid it all out in a few words. "Jiayue also said that after the New Year, we'll improve the peach trees in our village so that they'll produce big, sweet peaches, and everyone can make some money."
"That's impossible, isn't it? Although our village has many peach trees, the peaches they produce are sour, astringent, and small, the kind that no one would eat during famine. How can they be turned into delicious peaches?"
The uncle slapped his thigh. "Yes, of course. I trust Jiayue anyway."
While the men are talking about it outside, the women can't help but gossip as well.
Several women gathered together, peeling radishes and ripping cabbage leaves, whispering mysteriously, "Have you heard? A foreigner has come to the village chief's house."
"Huh? What foreigner?"
"Hey, it's someone other than Da Gan. I saw him the other day, wow, he actually had blue eyes and yellow hair, like a monster."
Gu Jiayue stopped peeling garlic.
"Wow, is this still a human? Does it really look this weird?"
The questioned woman raised her eyebrows. "How could I possibly lie to you? If not, why not ask the village head's wife yourself?"
Following the aunt's hand, everyone discovered that the village chief's wife and the butcher walked from the gate to the yard.
Butcher Zhang was holding a butcher knife in his hand. The knife was sharpened by him and shone with a different light in the cold wind. The children would unconsciously avoid it when they saw it, for fear of hurting themselves.
"Is the water boiling?"
Uncle stood up quickly. "It's been open for a long time. We've been waiting for you."
"Then don't dawdle. I'll help your family kill him and then go to Chen Hai's house."
Everyone quickly picked up the ropes and tree forks that had been prepared long ago and headed towards the pigpen behind the house.
After a while, the screams of pigs could be heard from the backyard.
Gu Zhigeng and Gu Yuhe covered their ears in fear, while stretching their necks to see.
"Yuhe, come here quickly." Uncle shouted in the backyard.
Gu Yuhe ran over quickly, and Gu Zhigeng quickly followed.
Gu Jiayue also wanted to go, but was blocked by Gu Yuchuan.
"Second brother?" Ever since Gu Yuchuan woke up, she was actually a little afraid of this second brother who was only a few years older than him.
It's very confusing.
"Well, I have something to tell you." He stood firmly in front of Gu Jiayue, as if he didn't see the eager look in her eyes that wanted to watch the fun.
Gu Jiayue gave up. Never mind. She was already an adult and really shouldn't join in the fun with a child. "Okay, second brother, just tell me what you want to say."
A faint smile appeared on Gu Yuchuan's originally cold face. "I want to take part in the county exam in February."
Gu Jiayue, who had been somewhat nonchalant at first, suddenly looked up after hearing this. "Second brother, even though the New Year is almost here, please don't make such jokes."
Although she had heard enough about her second brother being a genius since arriving in Taohua Village, this did not prove that he could recite the Four Books in a few months after being a fool for more than ten years, right?
While not difficult, the county examination was typically held in one sitting, with questions limited to the Four Books. The magistrate would typically set two Four Books questions, or perhaps one Four Books question and one test poem. The county examination was not rigorous, with no formalities such as covering up honor rolls. After completing the exam, candidates presented it directly to the magistrate.
But the county examination was no simple matter. The Four Books were not simply four soulless tomes; rather, they epitomized Confucian ethics, political ideals, and educational philosophy. Through the imperial examination system, they permeated all social classes and became the core vehicle of mainstream ideology in ancient China. Candidates were required to memorize the original texts of the Four Books and develop their arguments based on Zhu Xi's annotations to the Four Books. This demanding task wasn't simply achieved by poring over the books for a while; it required considerable talent. During the exam, if the time was early, the county magistrate would even conduct an on-the-spot interview with a couplet.
Gu Jiayue believed that Gu Yuchuan was smart, but she didn't believe that he could fully understand the Four Books in just a few months.
"Second brother, you are not that old, and our family situation has improved a lot now, so you don't have to be so anxious. It's better to lay a good foundation."
"Well, what you said makes sense, but I am very confident about this county exam. Now I just need you to write a letter of recommendation for me." If students from Dagan want to take the exam, the first step is to have a letter of recommendation from the principal of the academy.
And not just anyone can give a letter of recommendation. After all, it has to be signed by the headmaster, and that means taking responsibility.
For example, if the student you recommend has a bad family record within three generations, or is caught cheating in an exam, then as his recommender, you will be held responsible.
So, it is very difficult for a peasant to make a name for himself.
Gu Jiayue was speechless.
Where did her second brother, who used to catch ants and send them to her, go? After waking up, her second brother is not cute at all.
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