Chapter 112 Ginseng Seeds
Not only did they enter the Li family's small courtyard.
Villagers who had come to watch the excitement also squeezed in, craning their necks to see what was going on.
The bailiffs lifted the red cloth on the carrying pole, revealing a large wild boar weighing two or three hundred pounds.
"Whoa! A wild boar!"
"Where did Xiao Zhang get this? It must have sold for over ten taels of silver. This is practically a betrothal gift!"
Xiao Zhang scratched his head and said to Li Laogua, "Uncle Li, I hunted this in the mountains across the way last night. You can kill it and eat it."
"No, no, no, you sell it. Use the money to make a living."
"We'll make a living!"
As soon as Xiao Zhang tilted his head, the yamen runners immediately carried the boxes behind him into the house.
The third and fourth brothers followed them inside.
Soon, the fourth son ran out, trembling, and whispered in Li Laogua's ear: "Dad, there are tiger skins, leopard skins... worth a lot of silver! And, there are two big ginseng roots! And, a packet of seeds I don't recognize, two bolts of cloth, three pairs of silver bracelets! And a gold hairpin!"
This isn't a marriage proposal, it's a betrothal!
It should be a combination of betrothal gifts and dowry!
Even a wealthy man's family wouldn't be this generous when getting a wife!
Moreover, it was the county magistrate's son who came to propose marriage!
This is probably the first of its kind in Ming'an County!
This is something the entire Liuyun Village can brag about.
Zhang, a poor hunter, can't find a wife?
"Are you sure you want to ask my Mengmeng for help?" Old Crow Li asked cautiously.
This son-in-law is something else!
"I'm sure, Uncle Li. What's wrong with you? Didn't we talk about this yesterday? I've already found people to build the house, so don't go back on your word!"
We also need to build houses!
Who would back out? Only an idiot would!
The village headman came running when he heard the news.
"It's settled, I've already written the engagement letter and marriage certificate. Let's do them together to save us two trips. Xiao Zhang, put your fingerprint on them."
The village headman grabbed Xiao Zhang's hand, dipped it in ink, and pressed it onto the paper, as if afraid he might change his mind.
"Old Li, go in and have your daughter put her fingerprints on the document. That should do it. Stop dawdling."
Xu Rui: His preparations were not used?
Lu Qingqing: Things have developed beyond her expectations.
That's settled then, there's no point in asking Xiao Zhang why he married Li Meng anymore.
The yamen runners prepared several bags of peanuts and scattered them out in handfuls, which the villagers scrambled to grab.
This is even more outrageous than getting married.
Hearing such a commotion outside, Li Meng was terrified, not knowing what had happened, and her heart pounded in her chest.
Suddenly, a woman called out, "Little Zhang, didn't you go and beg my Cui Cui the other day? I agree! I agree!"
"No, Xiao Zhang, I agree too. My daughter is better than all of them!"
"Xiao Zhang, your aunt has always thought highly of you. Marriage is a big deal, so think it over carefully..."
Soon, the yamen runners' shouts rang out, and the courtyard finally fell silent.
Then, the door was pushed open.
Li Laogua stood at the door with a tall young man, his eyes red, but his smile as bright as a chrysanthemum.
Li Meng hurriedly lowered her head and covered her face with the blanket.
“Dream, the marriage is arranged. The matchmaker is the magistrate’s son. It’s perfect. The wedding will be held in a month.”
"Xiao Zhang wants to say a few words to you. Don't be afraid, your father and brother are here."
How could she not be afraid!
How could Father let a man into her room!
Old Crow Li walked over, grabbed Li Meng's finger, dipped it in the ink, pressed his fingerprint on it, and left.
He happily took it to the village head and then to the government office to get it stamped.
Li Meng: "..."
Her father acted as if he couldn't wait to sell her off.
Fortunately, she discovered that the man hadn't come in; he was just standing at the door.
The door wasn't closed either.
"Hey, take good care of your injury. I've found someone to build a house right next to yours, so we won't be living on the mountain anymore."
"Well, once you're better, I'll take you to the city to buy clothes."
"Um, is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Is there anything else you want to tell me?
Li Meng was stunned for a long time.
In the past, Liang Youtian would give her direct orders.
The same applies to most men from other families.
"Is there anything else you need? I don't know anything about girls' things."
Seeing that she didn't speak, Xiao Zhang scratched his head and asked again.
Girl?
Li Meng lowered her head, not daring to look.
He asked softly, "Why did you marry me?"
"Ah, um, didn't we...do that?"
"You don't need to jeopardize your entire life. Call off the engagement."
"No!" Xiao Zhang exclaimed anxiously.
"The marriage certificate has already been signed, how can it be returned? My father said that a real man must take responsibility for what he should take!"
Li Meng hardened her heart, closed her eyes, and said again, "You're not the only one who's seen me naked, so you don't need to take responsibility."
After not hearing a voice for a long time, Li Meng assumed he had left.
Just as she was about to let out a sigh of relief, she heard a man's voice again, and it was much closer!
"I don't care about others, I have to take responsibility for what I see."
"And I also think you're good."
"You may have forgotten what happened five years ago."
"The day my father died, I buried him and cried myself to sleep at his grave."
You woke me up, telling me it was dangerous at night and I should go home quickly. You even gave me a handful of wild jujubes. You told me I couldn't cry anymore, or my loved ones wouldn't want to go to the next life.
"If you don't reincarnate, you'll suffer in hell."
Li Meng was slightly taken aback.
Of course she remembers.
Back then, he was just a little boy with his face covered in mud from crying.
How did he grow into such a tall and strong man in the blink of an eye?
Li Meng pulled down the corner of the blanket and looked at the man not far away.
Looking at his facial features, eyebrows, eyes, and nose, it really is him!
Xiao Zhang said with frustration, "Actually, the first time I went down the mountain two years ago was to deliver a rabbit to your house, but your older brother scolded me for being a toad trying to eat swan meat."
You were standing not far away feeding the chickens then, and I thought…
"Brother Xu told me that my judgment of a girl's character was wrong. Girls are supposed to be chosen by their parents, and people would laugh at them if they chose their own husbands."
If I had moved down the mountain earlier and properly proposed marriage, you wouldn't have married that scoundrel!
But now that we've found this connection, it must be fate bringing us together.
...
They were talking inside, while outside they were sorting through the gifts that Xiao Zhang had brought.
The gift list that Xu Rui handed over was too illiterate for Li Laogua and the others to read, so they gave it to Lu Qingqing.
"Two 50-year-old wild ginseng roots and a packet of ginseng seeds!"
Okay!
No wonder Lu Qingqing couldn't find Ginseng Mother on the mountain; it turns out Xiao Zhang took them all!
Lin Zhuang was truly blessed to have found that one fish that had slipped through the net.
Xiao Zhang just doesn't know how to handle it; the pulp wasn't separated, and it's unclear how long it's been stored or whether it can still sprout.
What a waste!
Lu Qingqing's face showed heartache.
Xu Rui looked at the ginseng seeds, lost in thought.
"Qingqing, can these ginseng seeds be planted?" the third and fourth brothers asked excitedly.
There are so many, hundreds of them! If we could grow them, that would be a fortune!
Lu Qingqing shook her head; she didn't know either.
"As long as it doesn't exceed three years, it can be cultivated; if it exceeds three years, it will die."
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