Chapter 4 You will always be number one in my and the child's hearts...
Pingwang Town is the confluence of the Jiangnan Canal and the Taipu River. Dujiawan, more than 50 miles away from Pingwang Town, has abundant water resources. A river branching from the Taipu River flows through Dujiawan. Dujiawan is rich in water and soil, and there are no poor fields.
Meng Chun walked along the ridge of the field. On both sides of the ridge, the muddy fields were filled with water. Oxen pulled plows through the muddy fields, and water birds stretched their long legs to eat insects and loaches in the murky water. The mud and river water mixed together to create a unique smell. He unconsciously relaxed, and the anger in his heart dissipated.
Born a merchant, he now genuinely envied farmers. According to the equal-field system, male farmers, upon reaching twenty-one, were entitled to twenty mu of permanent land and eighty mu of allotted land. The allotted land wouldn't revert to the government until age sixty, meaning they could cultivate it for thirty-nine years for free. No wonder Du's mother was so arrogant; farmers were inherently superior to merchants.
"Whose guests are these?" asked the man raking mud in the field.
"Does she look like Du Li's wife?"
"They must be guests of Old Du's family. His second daughter-in-law gave birth to a grandson a few days ago, and today is probably the third day after his birth."
A busybody shouted, "Young man, are you Du Li's brother-in-law? His family is working on the east side of the canal today. Just follow this road and you'll see him when you cross the river."
Meng Chun thanked them and followed the directions. When he reached the river, he met Du Li and his family. Du Li and Du Ming were washing their iron plows in the river, Du's father was cutting grass for the cattle, and Li Hongguo was washing her feet by the river.
"Brother Chun? You're already here? How did you find your way here?" Du Li asked in surprise.
"I wanted to see if there was anything I could help with. You're finishing work so early? When I arrived, Auntie was still plucking chicken feathers. She probably hasn't even started cooking yet, and it's still a long time before dinner is ready." Meng Chun squatted down by the river. The water in the canal was crystal clear, and he wanted to go down into the river and stand in it.
"We have guests at home today, so we finished work early. Did your father come?" Mr. Du asked.
“No, he has something to do at home today and can’t get away,” Meng Chun replied. “My dad will come over when the baby turns one month old.”
After hearing this, Du's father thought for a moment and said, "Second son, you go back first. Your brother and sister-in-law and I will plow the remaining five-tenths of an acre of land before we go back."
“Okay.” Du Li helped his older brother pull the iron plow out of the water. He wrung out the water from his pants and waved, saying, “Brother Chun, let’s go back first.”
Meng Chun followed him, and on the way, he recounted Du's mother's actions without reservation. He sowed discord, saying, "Brother-in-law, I really don't understand. Your parents used your marriage to raise money for your brother's education. They made that decision themselves, so why do they look down on this marriage and your in-laws at the last minute? Don't your parents feel any guilt towards you?"
Du Li felt ashamed. As the one who was exploited, oppressed, and looked down upon, he still had to apologize on behalf of his mother: "That's just the kind of person she is. There's nothing I can do about it. Please don't be angry."
Seeing his dejected appearance, Meng Chun didn't want to rub salt in the wound. He could only say, "I'm not angry. I can't afford to come less often if your mother looks down on me. I'm mainly worried about my sister being mistreated. You two are husband and wife, so you have to protect her."
"Don't worry, I'll protect her," Du Li promised.
The marriage between Du Li and Meng Qing was clearly a transaction to everyone. Du's parents had three sons, and by the time they were all grown, the family would own four hundred acres of land—a considerable fortune. As long as they didn't gamble or frequent brothels, their descendants would have no worries about food and drink. Most valuable of all, they had a young son who was academically gifted and had a promising future. Marriages of children from such families were highly sought after; countless families would be eager to marry into their in-laws. Yet, Du's parents chose to have their second son marry a merchant's daughter, even openly stating that the bride's dowry would be handed over to Du Min for his future travel expenses to the capital for the imperial examinations.
As the family that was marrying off their daughter, the Meng family was well aware of Du Li's status within the household. Meng Chun glanced at Du Li, who was treated like provisions for his younger brother's journey to the imperial examinations, and was so disrespected by his parents. He couldn't believe that Du Li didn't have any resentment.
The two chatted about trivial things along the way. After entering the village, Meng Chun made an excuse to fall behind and let Du Li go back first.
When Du Li got home, he went to greet his mother-in-law first. Without even changing his wet pants, he rushed into the kitchen and asked breathlessly, "Mom, what dishes have you prepared today?"
"Can't you see for yourself?" Du's mother said angrily.
There was grass carp stewing in an earthenware pot, old mustard greens in a vegetable basket, tofu in a basin, and a bowl of mung bean sprouts. That was all.
"Where's the hen we caught last night? Did you let it escape?" Du Li asked.
Du's mother blocked the food cupboard and said, "It escaped when I was killing the chicken this morning."
She deliberately refused to give food to the Meng family, just to anger them.
"I'll go chase one away." Du Li walked out without saying another word.
"Stop right there!" Mrs. Du glared. "Isn't having fish enough? Why kill a chicken?"
Du Li ignored him. He went out to the granary, grabbed two handfuls of coarse rice, and called to the chickens with a clucking sound.
"There's a chicken! I'm going to kill it!" Du's mother ran out to stop her. "The chicken is in the cupboard. I saw it was getting late and the chicken wouldn't be tender enough to stew, so I didn't stew it."
Du Li seemed not to hear. He went out into the yard and scattered rice to feed the chickens. The chickens gathered around, and he spotted the fattest old hen and lunged at it, grabbing its neck. Du's mother tried to stop him, but he dodged her grabbing hand, held the fluttering chicken up, and snapped its neck in one swift motion.
"Are you trying to kill yourself?! What's wrong with you?!" Du's mother punched him angrily, her eyes bulging as she yelled, "Can't you live a normal life? Is someone stirring you up?"
“I just don’t understand. Am I some kind of bastard? My wife gave birth, and when her family came to visit, they couldn’t even get a chicken.” Du Li’s eyes flashed with malice. He threw the chicken into his mother’s arms and stared at her, saying, “If you keep doing this, I’ll kill all the chickens and ducks in the house, and smash the stove. If you make me lose face, you can’t stay together anymore.”
Mrs. Du was frightened. She stopped making a fuss and left without a word, carrying the dead chicken.
Du Li was so angry his internal organs ached. He clutched his waist, breathing heavily, yet he felt an immense sense of satisfaction. He had been neglected by his parents since childhood, forced to work like a slave as an adult, and his marriage was merely a bargaining chip for money. He wanted to rebel, to fight back, but he was their child, they had never let him go hungry. If he had any complaints, he was considered ungrateful; if he dared to cause trouble, he was seen as unfilial. Now, he had married a woman his parents disliked, and finally, he had a chance, a reason to fight back.
After the initial euphoria, Du Li felt lost and confused. He had lived in this family for twenty-one years without ever having the right to complain about his parents' favoritism, but after getting married, he now had the right to demand fair treatment from his parents.
That's absurd.
Mencius' mother peeked through the crack in the door. When things quieted down outside, she tiptoed away and stood by the bed, whispering, "My son-in-law is alright. He's not that spineless coward who doesn't dare to utter a word in front of his parents."
"Mom, tell me honestly, is his mother causing trouble again?" Meng Qing sensed something was wrong when Du Li entered the room. He looked down at his mother, which wasn't a normal reaction.
After thinking for a moment, Meng's mother removed the words Jiang Pozi had said to her and told her daughter about Jiang Pozi's criticism of her clothing. As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately advised, "Your son-in-law has already argued with her, and I've calmed down. You don't need to be angry. Don't let your milk supply dry up, or your son will suffer in the end."
Meng Qing didn't agree; she stared thoughtfully at the ground.
Meng Chun returned from his stroll around the village and knocked on the door: "Sister, may I come in?"
"Come in," Meng Qing said.
Meng Chun pushed open the door and came in, smiling broadly. "I've come to see my nephew. Is he awake or asleep?"
"She's asleep. Keep your voice down and come to the bedside to check on her." Mother Meng made way for her.
Meng Chun sat down next to her, looked at the child, and then at Meng Qing. He said with concern, "Sister, you don't look well. Did you not eat well at the Du family's? Mother and I caught fifteen hens for you this time. Tell my brother-in-law to keep an eye on them and stew one every two days. You should have some to eat to nourish yourself."
Meng Qing nodded.
"After you finish your postpartum confinement, will you move back to live there?" Meng Chun asked, addressing his biggest concern. "The house feels much quieter without you at home."
Mencius' mother slapped him, "Stop talking nonsense, go out and see what your brother-in-law is busy with, go and help him."
Meng Chun made a face at Meng Qing, then got up and left.
Mencius' mother followed him out, and asked in a low voice from outside the door, "Did you tell your brother-in-law?"
Meng Chun chuckled.
Mencius' mother lightly slapped him with an ambiguous expression, and said with a smile, "Go help your brother-in-law with his work."
When Du's mother saw the two thieves, mother and son, chatting and laughing in the kitchen, she was so angry that she swung her knife hard, chopping the chicken with a loud thud.
Meng's mother glanced at the kitchen; since they didn't approve of her, she wouldn't go over to help. She turned and went back into the house, taking out the small clothes, hats, and blankets she had made for the child from her bundle.
It wasn't until Du's father and Du Ming's wife returned from herding the cattle that Meng's mother went out to speak.
Once everyone was there, Du Li brought out the mugwort water he had boiled and took the child out to wash him in the basin.
Meng's mother and Meng Chun each took out one hundred coins and threw them into the bathtub. Worried that the child would get cold, Meng's mother recited a few words of blessing, spread out the swaddling clothes, wrapped the child up, and quickly sent him back into the house.
The baby's third-day celebration is considered a financial loss for the maternal family. The Du family members are there only to observe the ceremony; once the water is splashed, everyone disperses.
"Is the food still not ready?" Mr. Du was starving and his heart was pounding. He ordered his eldest daughter-in-law, "Go help your mother. What's wrong with her? She's been cooking for ages and still hasn't finished preparing food for just a few people."
Li Hongguo was also exhausted. She had been walking around in the paddy fields all morning, and her legs were so tired that they felt like they were about to fall off. When she came back and smelled the aroma of food, her stomach started rumbling with hunger, and she felt even weaker. She went into the kitchen and saw that the tofu stew with fish and the steamed rice were ready. She went out and said, "Dad, we only need to make stewed chicken and purslane soup. Why don't you eat first?"
“Alright, then let’s serve the dishes.” Mr. Du said, then looked at Mrs. Meng and said politely, “Mother-in-law, I’m sorry for the poor hospitality. Please have a simple meal today. When the baby is a month old, I will hire a chef to cook more dishes.”
"You're too kind, brother." Mother Meng was satisfied with Old Man Du's attitude.
A large pot of grass carp stewed with tofu was served. Du Li first scooped half a bowl and handed it to Meng Qing, saying, "Eat a little less first. There's also a hen stewing in the pot. I'll bring it to you when it's done."
Meng Qing nodded, and as she took the bowl, she took the man's hand in her hand, looking at him with pity in her eyes. "Du Li, you still have me and Wang Zhou. No matter how your parents think of you, you will always be number one in my and the child's hearts."
Du Li felt a pang of sadness. He instinctively tried to force a nonchalant smile, but this time he couldn't. His facade crumbled, and his first instinct was to run away.
His lips twitched twice, and he said dryly, "Let's eat. I'm going to eat too."
Meng Qing let go of Du Li's hand and watched her walk away quickly as if fleeing. She sighed softly.
In the main hall, Meng's mother waited until Du Li was seated before picking up her chopsticks. Just as she was about to take a bite, she seemed to suddenly remember that someone was missing. "Brother, let my nephew's wife come and eat too. She gets hungry quickly from working in the fields. We can't let her go hungry while we eat."
Mr. Du had already started eating when he asked his grandson to call for help.
Jinshu was quick-witted. He ran to the kitchen and said, "Mother, my grandfather wants you to entertain the guests. There's only Grandma Pan at the table, and he wants you to go and greet them."
Li Hongguo quickly put down the fire tongs, stood up and said, "Mother, shall I go?"
Du's mother remained silent with a dark expression, while Li Hongguo washed her hands and left.
Du's mother was so angry that she kicked the stove. They all treated her like a cook!
With more people than food, the fish in the bowl was quickly emptied, and those present felt it inappropriate to continue eating, so they put down their chopsticks and started chatting.
“Brother, you have a lot of land this year, are you sure you can manage to plant it all? If not, let my son stay and help,” said Meng’s mother.
"I plan to hire two helpers; they can manage the planting." Father Du dared not use Meng Chun. The boy had never done farm work before; he couldn't transplant rice seedlings or carry loads. Keeping him around would just be another mouth to feed. If they really made him work, out of courtesy, they would have to send two bushels of rice to the Meng family after the rice harvest, which would be a huge loss.
“Brother-in-law, I’ll stay and help you,” Meng Chun said to Du Li.
“Working in the fields is tiring.” Du Li didn’t think his brother-in-law was capable of doing farm work.
"It's okay, I'll come back to rest when I'm tired, and I can also help my sister take care of the children." Meng Chun already had a plan.
Father Du: ...
“Okay, then you don’t have to leave today,” Du Li agreed.
Mr. Du forced a smile and said, “Alright, come and help. After the rice is harvested, I’ll have your brother-in-law send you two bushels of new rice.”
"No, please. Farming is hard work for you, and you have someone to support in school. It's a heavy burden. If you have extra grain, just sell it. Don't send us rice. My house is near the canal ferry crossing, not far from the rice shop. It's convenient for you to buy rice. Don't bother with this." Meng's mother refused repeatedly. Rice wasn't expensive; one hundred coins could buy one shi (a unit of dry measure). She could buy as much as she needed and avoid the trouble of storing rice and it getting infested with worms.
"Two bushels of rice aren't worth much. Giving them to you won't be a big loss, it's just troublesome to transport them to the city." Du's father went along with her words, "It's more convenient for you to live in the city, it's easier to buy anything. It's also easier for you to make money in business. It's better not to farm. You work yourself to death on two acres of land and only get two bushels of rice."
Hearing this, Meng's mother felt uncomfortable. Jiang Pozi had just cursed merchants for being lowly, and Du Laotou had just complained that merchants made money easily. She said angrily, "Brother, you're wrong. Farming is definitely better. If a farmer has a son who grows up to be twenty-one years old, the court will give him a hundred acres of land. You have three sons and two grandsons. If you have a few more grandsons in the future, you, Du Laoding, will have several hundred acres of land."
Old Du couldn't help but smile, revealing a mouthful of black teeth, but he said with a troubled expression, "Where would we get so much land? It wasn't until the year before last that my eldest son's 100 mu of land was finally allocated; before that, he only had 70 mu. This year it's my second son's turn, and he only got 50 mu. I don't know when the remaining 50 mu will be allocated. When Jinshu and Wangzhou grow up, I don't know if there will be any land left to allocate."
“Even if there’s no land to be distributed, your family’s 250 mu of land can support several generations.” Meng’s mother was extremely jealous. Merchants cannot own land, and her family didn’t even have a vegetable garden.
“There will be no shortage of land to distribute. When a person dies, the eighty mu of land under his name will be confiscated by the government and then distributed again,” Du Li interjected. “Every year people die and every year children are born. The land is like the water in Taihu Lake. Some flows out and some flows in. The land can never be completely distributed.”
"It's better to be a farmer," Meng Chun said enviously.
“You won’t have that kind of luck in your life, but your nephew will be a farmer in the future. He’ll get a share of land, and that’s all thanks to our Du family.” Du’s father was so happy that he inadvertently revealed his true colors.
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