As December approached, it snowed intermittently. Although it did not cause a snowstorm, the roads were always blocked. The third son and the eldest son no longer had to go to the private school, so the school was completely closed.
Winters in ancient times were really cold. Zhulan rarely went out and stayed on the kang. Most of the time, she learned needlework with Zhao. Sometimes she would read books and learn some words. Yes, she learned some words. Modern people who are used to simplified Chinese characters have to guess at the common traditional Chinese characters. If they can just read and write, they will become completely illiterate. If they are missing some limbs, they will never write correctly.
Zhulan was very upset. She was a top student in modern times, but her ancient Chinese characters were written as slowly as a dog's crawl and she often made spelling mistakes. She was often looked down upon by her eldest grandson, and she even became tired of studying.
Although the cold wind in ancient times was like a knife, it still couldn't stop the enthusiasm for gossip. The Wang Laosi family firmly occupied the first place on the gossip list. Ever since Zhulan pushed Zheng onto the list, she no longer had to listen to sour words and no longer attracted attention. The other members of the Zhou family also knew their own limitations. They ate well, dressed warmly, and became fat. They didn't want to attract hatred, so the Zhou family kept a low profile, like a background board in the village.
On the other hand, Wang Laosi's family first bought a house, then bought cows and ox carts, and then cooperated with Mr. Shi. I don't know how much money they made, but Wang Laosi bought land on a whim.
It’s a pity that land is the foundation of farmers. No one will sell it unless they can’t make a living. As for some farms, forget it. You won’t have the life to keep them even if you buy them. Those who buy farms all have backgrounds, most of them have official backgrounds. If ordinary people buy them and their farms are forcibly occupied, you have nowhere to complain. The officials have two mouths to feed. If you don’t have a background and don’t want to lose your life, you’d better be honest!
Zhulan also wanted to buy the farm so she asked Zhou Shuren. After asking around, the couple gave up the idea completely. If they wanted to buy the farm, they had to at least be a juren to guarantee it.
A family cultivates scholars to protect its own family name. Life in ancient times was really difficult, especially for the lower class people.
So Wang Laosi worked hard for half a month before buying two acres of land, but it was still barren land.
The most lively thing about Wang Laosi's family is that Wang Zhang comes to visit every day, and the documents for dividing the family property are no longer useful. Fortunately, Wang Ru can handle it and has gained a reputation for being a strong-willed person. The two daughters of Wang Ru have also changed their ways, and many people come to propose marriage. In short, there is never a day without drama in the Wang family.
As for Wang Ru's plan, Zhulan didn't give her the chance at first. Later, with Wang Zhang pestering her, Wang Ru had no time to pay attention to the Zhou family.
After watching the show, Zhulan felt that Mrs. Wang Zhang was not so annoying anymore. This old lady was getting better and better!
Having said that, Zhulan used to enjoy reading the best farming stories, but she felt exhausted after watching them in person, as it was an endless cycle. Now she is particularly grateful to have been reborn at the top of the food chain, and her life is extremely comfortable.
It was the heaviest snowfall since the beginning of winter in mid-December. Zhulan was worried when she woke up in the morning. She counted the days and Zhou Shuren was on his way back. She didn't know whether it would be a local heavy snowfall or a large-scale one.
At noon, the heavy snow still did not abate. I stopped cracking Zhulan pine nuts and drinking sugar water. All I could think about was Zhou Shuren's safety.
"Mom, mom, I made sausages that are better than Wang Ru's."
Zhulan patted her chest, her already upset temper even worse, "Why are you yelling? I'm not deaf."
Zhao was really frightened. Not only did she prick her hand, but her stomach was also cramping in pain. "Mom, mom, my stomach hurts."
Zhulan's scalp went numb when she saw Zhao's wet trouser legs. She had never given birth before, but she had memories of the experience. This was a birth, so her voice immediately rose, "Second brother, second brother, go get the midwife, go quickly."
When Zhou Laoer heard the noise, he dropped his broom and ran into the house. Having been a father once, he had experience and stayed calm. "Mom, I'll carry Qiu Niang back to the house first."
Zhulan hurried down to the ground, "Yes, yes, you need to clean it up, you stay at home with Qiuniang."
Then he called out to the eldest brother, "Eldest brother, go get the midwife."