Chapter 100 First Arrival in Jiangnan [VIP]
In this era, transportation was slow and letters had to travel far. It was not like in later times, where people could contact others at any time by just making a phone call if they had any problems while away from home.
So when Chen Yao saw a woman as strong as her aunt throwing herself into her cousin's arms and crying, she didn't know how to go forward to comfort her.
Huang Dongsheng standing by also felt uncomfortable.
He was being scolded by his own mother, who pulled his ear. Miao kept asking why her husband hadn't sent her a letter yet.
Huang Dongsheng felt very aggrieved!
What could he do when his father, uncle, and cousin stopped writing to his family? He could only act as a punching bag for his mother, letting her vent her anger and not cry like his aunt.
Tian Baolai patted his mother's slightly hunched back and comforted her, "Mom, the sky has cleared up now. Maybe the letter is already on the way. Baozhu is not a child anymore. Since you let her out, you should believe that she will be able to deal with whatever happens."
"What are you dealing with? It's raining so hard that all the houses in the village have been washed away. Can your sister withstand it with such a small body? Are you her real brother? Are you my real son?" Huang Mei angrily scolded her tall and strong son.
"Mom, it's hail and heavy rain here, but it might be sunny outside. I think you're just worrying for nothing." Tian Baolai became more mature and composed, not at all panicked.
Huang Mei was stunned at first, but then she reacted, took out a handkerchief to wipe the snot and tears from her face, and stopped crying immediately.
She suddenly stood up from the bench, put her hands on her hips, pointed at her son and scolded him, "I'm worrying about you for nothing? Well, you've grown up and become independent now, you don't need me to worry about you anymore. Fine, come home and pack up and leave!"
The mother and daughter dragged themselves all the way back to Shanghe Village from the Shen family's gate. No matter who tried to persuade her, Huang Mei refused to stay.
Why keep it? It's so embarrassing to pee in front of so many people.
Why didn't she think that the weather outside might be the same as the weather at home?
After the mother and daughter walked away, everyone in the yard looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.
When the second batch of bricks and tiles were brought home, the stone houses in the village had already been built one after another according to Yang Jizong's plan.
And during this time, children are the happiest.
The little kids couldn't do heavy work, so they just ran around happily all day long.
Even at noon in midsummer, they are not afraid of the scorching sun and catch birds in the wheat fields and roast them for meat.
They went into the woods in groups of three or five. Some used spider webs to catch cicadas, some climbed trees to pick sour apricots, and some caught shrimps and crabs in the ditch.
I couldn't sleep at night.
After the weather cleared up, the people of Xiahe Village no longer felt like crowding into Shanghe Village, for fear of causing trouble to others.
The girls in the village slept in simple straw huts, accompanied by women.
The boys all slept in the open air on a straw mat, heads touching heads, butts touching butts, and they didn't feel the heat at all. They chatted non-stop all night long.
These days, the adults who are chiseling rocks and cutting trees in the mountains see these naughty monkeys jumping around in front of them, and their palms itch to beat the children.
Finally one day, Boss Luo couldn't bear it anymore and knocked on the door of the Shen family at night, bringing two dried salted fish and half a bucket of river shrimps.
I request Yang Jizong to let the children start school as soon as possible, and don’t listen to A Yao anymore and give the children summer vacation.
They will also speed up the construction of the Shen Family School.
Yang Jizong did not take the two salted fish, but accepted the fresh river shrimps and promised the adults that he would force the children to read for an hour every day.
That night, Luo Dunzi, who had been tanned shiny, came home from outside holding two sour apricots. When he saw that his shrimps were gone, he burst into tears.
Boss Luo slapped him twice without saying a word, and regretted it right after that.
Because his son Luo Dunzi was howling and shouting: "We caught those shrimp together. We were going to give them to Brother Dongsheng to sell in the city to pay the tax!"
They were still young and couldn't find jobs to earn money, but Brother Dongsheng said there were no fresh foods to eat in the city now, so they came up with this idea.
Without the shelter of the fence and thatched hut, Luo Dunzi's howl was heard by every household in the village, and Shitou, Chunya, Chunwang and others all had tears in their eyes.
Those were the fruits of their labor, so who ended up with them?
The two craftsmen, Hong and Li, were too embarrassed to put the shrimp and pork noodles into their mouths when they picked them up with their chopsticks: "Well, let's consider these shrimps as bought by us."
As he said this, he took out a handful of copper coins from his pocket and gave them to his apprentice, asking him to deliver them to the Luo family quickly, otherwise he would be embarrassed to continue eating.
Shen Qingshan held down his young disciple who was about to stand up, feeling a bit amused and helpless: "Don't listen to that kid, he's always trying to be clever and trick his father into being soft-hearted. This shrimp will be considered as the tuition fee they paid to Zi'an."
"Dad, let's put one thing first. We have to respect the fruits of our children's labor. These shrimps are not easy to catch." Chen Yao glanced at his father while chewing the chewy shrimp meat.
Shen Qingshan watched his daughter eat with such relish that he immediately changed his tone, "Ayao, don't worry about eating. Dad will send money to the Luo family after he finishes eating. If you like shrimp, Dad will ask Luo Dunzi and the others to catch them for you every day."
"Dad, the more you talk, the more outrageous you become. Let's all eat." Huang Xing put the food in the bowl.
After dinner, Shen Qingshan did not come to give money. Instead, Chen Yao asked her father for a few copper coins and asked Yang Jizong to accompany her to find some children.
"Look, he squatted down and handed a handful of copper coins to the kids.
Luo Dunzi, Shitou, Chunya, and Chunwang all looked over with red eyes, a little bit unbelieving: "Is it really for us?"
"Well, that half bucket of shrimp only weighs two pounds, and the sizes vary. I'll give you ten cents per pound, is that okay?"
Luo Dunzi's eyes rolled around, he glanced at the money in Chen Yao's hand, then glanced at Yang Jizong and muttered: "Since it's for Master and his wife to eat, then we don't want any money."
"Well, Sister Yao, we don't want this money. We have already agreed to catch it tomorrow."
"Take it, tomorrow." Chen Yao divided the copper coins equally among the children.
Chunya, who was also tanned, opened his mouth in disbelief: "The school hasn't even been built yet, how can we study?"
"As long as you are willing, you can study anywhere. I see that you have been slacking off these days, haven't you?" Yang Jizong was originally standing and lecturing, but halfway through his words, he was pulled down by Chen Yao and squatted down together.
Luo Dunzi was still a little afraid of him, but he had been used to reading his parents' faces since he was a child, so he thought that as long as the teacher's wife was there, he would not be afraid of the teacher's reprimand.
"The autumn harvest is about to come, and we also want to share the burden of the family." Luo Dunzi, with a small round bun on her head, twisted her body and acted coquettishly next to Chen Yao.
Yang Jizong raised his hand and poked his head open. "Share the burden? I think you're putting the cart before the horse. How confident are you that you'll pass the exam next year?"
The kids were scolded so much that they dared not speak.
Yang Jizong continued, "Look at Xiaofu. He carries stones to build a house during the day, and lights a lamp to recite his lessons and do his homework at night. He is very organized. How about you?"
For a few copper coins, I work day and night, and I don’t even remember to study.
"Teacher, we were wrong!" Several kids bowed their heads pitifully and admitted their mistakes.
"Starting tomorrow at noon, you will all go to the elm tree and spend an hour studying. Then write five large pieces of calligraphy and hand them in to me every day."
Several kids cried out in unison, then they wouldn’t have time to touch the shrimps.
"Ah, what? You don't want to study, then don't study from now on." Yang Jizong said harshly.
"Sister Yao!" The kids couldn't beg Yang Jizong, so they turned around and grabbed Chen Yao's sleeves.
Chen Yao patted Luo Dunzi's hand and said, "Don't cry. I've asked your brother Dongsheng to go to the city and ask the medicine shops if they accept cicada shells and centipedes. If they do, you can pick up silkworm shells after studying during the day, and we can catch centipedes at the foot of the mountain at night. Do you dare to catch them?"
"What's there to be afraid of? My chickens are not afraid, so why should I be afraid?" Luo Dunzi patted his chest and stood up to express his opinion.
Everyone looked at him, and he immediately squatted down again.
Zhang Chunya didn't want to pay attention to Luo Dunzi and the other boys, and asked quietly: "Sister Yao, when will Sister Baozhu come back? I miss her."
"I miss her too." Chen Yao looked at the moon hanging in the sky.
Yang Jizong took Chen Yao, whose legs were numb from squatting, and took them back home.
"Tell me, where are my cousin and the others now? Have they all reached Jiangnan?"
Yang Jizong stopped and whispered in Shen Yao's ear that if there were no accidents on the road, they would arrive in early August.
Chang Wei often led his team along this route. Besides, they would meet other caravans returning on the way. Apart from sleeping in the wild, there was actually no great danger at all.
This time they were on the road for more than half a month. Although he brought an extra mule cart and three people, he felt that this trip was much more relaxed than any other time.
Thanks to the cooking skills of Tanaka Masaru's son, the brothers had a good meal and slept well along the way.
At the end of July, we arrived in Jiangnan ahead of schedule.
When everyone first arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, it began to drizzle.
The city guards checked everyone's identity one by one, then pinched their noses and let them pass quickly.
Everyone followed the crowd through the doorway. Chang Wei led the team through the bluestone-paved alleys and found the inn where they stayed to stay overnight.
After the guest rooms were opened, Tanaka Zheng and Huang Songbai continued to take turns washing up, and one person had to stay outside to guard the goods in the mule cart.
Tian Baozhu took care of herself in the room, changing buckets of hot water one after another until the sour smell on her body was no longer there and her hair could be combed. Then she opened the window to let in the heat and blow-dried her loose hair.
Outside the window, houses with white walls and black tiles were built along the water, with green willows and red flowers on both sides of the river. Black-sailed boats shuttled among the lotus leaves. The boatman rowed the boat on the river while singing a song she could not understand.
Women were washing clothes in the river behind their houses, children were playing in the alleys, and vendors were walking around the streets selling their wares with their loads on their shoulders.
Everything here was new to Tian Baozhu.
Wait, if vendors can buy and sell freely, can she also set up a stall and sell her goods?
Tian Baozhu thought for a moment and decided to change into the new dress her mother made for her. After waiting for a long time for her hair to dry, she tied it into a double bun, took out two velvet flowers from a wooden box and pinned them on both sides of the bun, then lay behind the door and listened carefully to the movements outside.
After making sure that there was no one in the corridor outside, she opened the door and came out.
But before she went downstairs, she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her: "Tian, Tian brother, is that you?"
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