Aunt Fan is in the kitchen and Aunt Hong is adding firewood.
There were four dishes in total for lunch: braised chicken, fried egg with loofah, fried pork liver with radish soup, and kimchi. There were not many dishes, but each portion was very large.
Yang Haiyan asked Aunt Fan to pack out a portion of braised chicken, pork liver and radish soup, and loofah scrambled eggs and put them in a thermos tea bucket. The staple food was white rice, which she would ask Uncle Hong to take later.
She ate a small bowl of white rice, a few pieces of chicken, a few bites of pork liver, radish and eggs, and gave the rest of the food to Aunt Fan and Uncle Hong's family.
Aunt Fan and Uncle Hong ate all the remaining dishes. The staple food was a bowl of rice and sweet potatoes for each person. Although they were not completely full, they were 70% full. For them, this meal was already very good.
After dinner, Uncle Hong went to deliver food to Qin Fang.
Uncle Hong: "Madam, I'll deliver the meal to the master. We can pick up some firewood at the foot of the mountain we pass by, but it's not safe to park the donkey cart at the foot of the mountain, so I want to take my wife with me. She can guard the donkey cart while I pick up firewood. Do you think it's okay?"
Yang Haiyan said, "Sure." Of course, that would save her 30 wen a month for firewood. So, it was good to have servants.
Baili Village
Qin Fang's hometown
Qin Tieniu is 38 years old this year, in the prime of his life. His eldest son Qin Fang went to serve in the army at the age of 16. Originally, he should have gone, and it was a simple matter.
Grandpa Qin has three sons and two daughters. The Qin family is a big family in Baili Village and has not yet split up. Qin Tieniu is the eldest son. Logically, since the Qin family has not split up, the one who is eligible for military service will not be the eldest son Qin Tieniu, nor the eldest grandson Qin Fang. Families with a little bit of discipline know the difference between the eldest son and the eldest grandson.
But, there is an exception.
Uncle Qin Erniu's son was only five years old at the time. As the saying goes, a young child cannot be without a father, so Uncle Qin Erniu naturally could not go to serve in the army.
Then only Uncle Qin Sanniu was left, but Uncle Qin Sanniu was the youngest and married the latest. He didn't have a son at that time. Military service could lead to accidents at any time. If there was an accident, Uncle Qin Sanniu would have no descendants.
So when Qin Erniu and Qin Sanniu were unable to serve in the military, only the eldest son Qin Tieniu could go. Qin Fang was worried about his father going to serve, so he secretly signed up without telling his family. Once the military service quota is signed up, it cannot be changed, so Grandpa Qin could only bear the reluctance to let his eldest grandson go.
They had originally prayed that their eldest grandson would return safely after five years of military service, but they had no idea that three years later, their eldest grandson would become a centurion and could bring back three taels of silver every year.
Grandpa Qin made the decision. One tael of the three taels of silver brought back by the eldest grandson was given to the public office, and the other two taels were kept by the eldest house. No matter what the second and third houses thought about this, they had to keep it to themselves. After all, this was the silver Qin Fang had earned with his life.
On this day, Grandpa Qin was busy in the fields with his son and daughters-in-law when the little granddaughter came to call them. The little granddaughter was Qin Fang’s eight-year-old sister, named Qin Siya.
Qin Si Ya ran towards the field happily, and before she got there, she shouted towards the field: "Grandpa, Dad, Mom, come home quickly, my eldest brother has sent a letter, and he also asked the official to bring back a big package."
Although the Qin family has not split up, the money earned privately by the several branches does not have to be handed over, so what Qin Fang said about his mother being the head of the first branch is also true.
After hearing this, Mother Qin dropped her work and ran to the ground. Mother Qin was not a soft-hearted person. Grandpa Qin and Grandma Qin valued the eldest son, so they would not marry a soft-hearted person to the eldest son. In addition, Mother Qin gave birth to three sons and was a great contributor to the Qin family, so she was very confident and her back was straight. Grandpa Qin and Grandma Qin were very respectful to this eldest daughter-in-law.
In addition, now that Qin Fang has become successful, they value their eldest daughter-in-law even more.
Hearing that his eldest grandson had sent a letter, Grandpa Qin was also anxious, but he did not abandon his work and run away like his eldest daughter-in-law. He said, "That's all for today, come back with me." At first, every time his eldest grandson sent a letter, they would ask the village student to read the letter. Last year, his eldest grandson sent three taels of silver, saying that he was sending his younger brother to school. He did not say that he was going to take the imperial examination, but just wanted him to learn to read and have more jobs in the future.
So, Qin Tieniu decided to send his two sons to study in the village. Of course, the money was paid by the eldest wife herself, using two taels of the three taels of silver sent by Qin Fang.
The third wife didn't have a son, so she didn't care. The second wife had a son, so she was unhappy, but the first wife used her private money to send her son to school, so the second wife couldn't do anything about it.
The two children were sent away this year. The older one, Qin Shouye, is fourteen years old this year, and the younger one, Qin Shoucheng, is eleven years old this year. In fact, these two names were chosen by Qin Fang after he learned to read.
The Qin family was a farming family and they were not particular about naming. So when their eldest grandson Qin Fang was born, Grandpa Qin spent six copper coins and asked a village student to help him choose a name.
However, Qin Shouye and Qin Shoucheng now know a lot of words and can read letters.
When Grandpa Qin brought his people back home, Qin Shouye and Qin Shoucheng had already returned from Tongsheng's house.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Grandma Qin said happily, "This is what Ah Fang brought. It was just a letter before, but this time it's a big package."
Qin Shoucheng: "I don't know what my elder brother brought. Grandma, please open the package and take a look."
Qin Shouye is a calmer person. After his elder brother went to serve in the army, he became the second son of the eldest wife. If his elder brother had an accident, the family would have to rely on him, so he was taught to be very calm, while Qin Shoucheng is more lively. It is like this in every family. The eldest son has a heavy burden, while the youngest son has no worries.
The package was packed in a wooden box. After removing the seal and opening the box, we saw what was inside. It must be said that everyone was shocked when they saw what was inside. Because this was the first time Qin Fang brought something. In the past, it was always letters. Even silver was only brought once at the end of last year. But why is there so much stuff this time? There is also cloth inside. This is really...
Aunt Qin: "Oh, this Ah Fang must have made a fortune, right? From this point of view, military service is really good."
Qin's mother said, "Military service is once every five years. If my second brother and his wife think it's good, I'll let him go next time." Her son is fighting hard. Even though there is no war now, what if there is a war? This sister-in-law can only make sarcastic remarks.
Aunt Qin: "Aren't you forcing the head of the family, sister-in-law? My Niu Dan is only nine years old. What if something unexpected happens to the head of the family?"
"Shut up." Grandma Qin warned. Listen to this, is it okay for her eldest grandson to have an accident? But on one side is her son and on the other side is her grandson, so of course she doesn't want anything to happen to either of them.
Grandpa Qin: "Shouye, you come and read the letter."
Qin Shouye: "Yes, Grandpa." He opened the letter, poured out three taels of silver from the letter to Grandpa Qin, and then read the letter.
When he finished reading the letter, the Qin family was stunned.
Qin Shouye added: "… There is another letter here, it is for our eldest wife, my sister-in-law said that we should read it in private."
Mother Qin's eyes were red. "Is Afang getting married? Or is the imperial court finding a wife for him? It's great that he's educated and can read." She was originally worried that her eldest son would be 20 years old and would only complete five years of military service in March next year. When he returns, he will be 21 years old. How can she find a wife? But she didn't expect that the imperial court would find one for her son. She was relieved.
When she heard in the letter that her daughter-in-law was educated and could read, and was now teaching her son to read, she was extremely happy. You know, a girl who is educated and can read is amazing, and is so virtuous at that.
Qin Shouye: "This letter was written by my sister-in-law. She writes really well."
Grandma Qin's idea was the same as Mother Qin's. Now that she didn't have to worry about her eldest grandson's marriage, and she had such a good grandson's wife, she was extremely happy. "Old man, according to what Afang's wife wrote in the letter, these things should be divided equally."
Aunt Qin: "Mother, Niu Dan is old and still doesn't have any decent clothes. Please tear off a piece of this blue fine cloth and make a piece of clothes for Niu Dan."
Mother Qin: "This is a gift from Afang's wife to her younger brother and sister. Afang's wife comes from a wealthy family. If you want to snatch this thing, won't Afang's wife be embarrassed?"
Aunt Qin: "But she's not here right now, so she doesn't know." Not only is this sister-in-law able to give birth, but she also found such a good daughter-in-law. It's really infuriating.
Mother Qin would not pay any attention to her. No one should snatch the things sent by her daughter-in-law. She said directly to Qin Shouye: "Erwa, distribute these things according to what your sister-in-law said in the letter."
Aunt Qin looked at Grandma Qin and said, "Mother, can't you be more loving to Niu Dan? He is also your grandson."
Mother Qin: "If you want Niu Dan to be well, you have to rely on the efforts of your mother and his father, not on stealing other people's things."
Aunt Qin: "Mother..."
Grandma Qin: "Okay, eldest daughter-in-law, you divide the things."
Mother Qin: "Yes. Father, mother, these two pieces of cloth are for you, the same as the ones for me and the head of the family. These two pieces are for those who maintain the business and the success, and these two pieces are for Daya and Siya." Erya is the daughter of the second wife, and Sanya and Wuya are the daughters of the third wife.
Qin Daya is sixteen years old this year and has just been engaged. She is going to get married at the end of the year. Although the cloth is not pure red, it can still be made into a new dress for her. And for Qin Siya, this cloth is also suitable. Yang Haiyan's choice is good.
Mother Qin: "This handkerchief is for my second and third brother's wives, Er Ya, San Ya and Wu Ya." No matter whose daughter-in-law comes into the family, she will always be nicer to her husband's brothers and sisters. "This purse is for Niu Dan."
As for Uncle Qin Er and Uncle Qin San, there were no gifts. Nephews' wives and uncles still had to be avoided, and Yang Haiyan didn't know what to give them. Besides, she gave gifts to Aunt Qin Er, Aunt Qin San, and her cousins, and the favor was over.
After distributing the things, Qin's mother took the things from the big room back into the house, and called everyone in the big room back: "The head of the household, Shouye, Shoucheng, Daya and Siya, go back to the house." They wanted to continue reading the letter.