A few days later, Aunt Qin suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Qin Si Ya and Qin Shou Cheng for a few days. After dinner, the family sat under the eaves to rest. Although they had separated, the yard was still shared. Aunt Qin asked, "Sister-in-law, I haven't seen Si Ya and Shou Cheng for a few days. Where did they go?"
Mother Qin had no place to show off, but when Aunt Qin said this, she had something to say: "Si Ya and Shou Cheng followed A Fang and his wife to the border."
"What?" This was the answer that Second Aunt Qin couldn't think of.
Even the other people in the yard were looking at Qin's mother.
As an insider of the matter, Grandma Qin sighed. Afang and his wife took Si Ya and Shou Cheng with them for their own good. Si Ya followed Afang's wife, and could learn to read and write, and could also teach her needlework, and then learn the rules and etiquette of Afang's wife's wealthy family, which was always good. As for Shou Cheng, according to her daughter-in-law, Afang's wife planned to let him go to school. It had to be said that this eldest sister-in-law who took care of her younger sister-in-law and brother-in-law was really good.
Grandma Qin knew why they didn't reveal it in advance. It was a favor for Afang's wife to take care of Si Ya and Shou Cheng. If the second wife knew about it, she would have to let Niu Dan go to school with them, or let Er Ya and San Ya go with them, along with the third wife. But the money of the eldest grandson and his wife didn't come from the wind, so they couldn't support their younger brothers and sisters, especially since Second Uncle Qin and Third Uncle Qin were still alive.
Even so, Grandma Qin knew that the gap between the first wife and the second and third wives was getting bigger and bigger.
Mother Qin said, "It's because of those two stubborn kids, Si Ya and Shou Cheng, who refused to get off the carriage after taking it for a ride. They insisted on staying in the carriage. As a result, Fang and his wife had no choice but to take them to the border."
Aunt Qin was not a fool, she knew what Mother Qin said, Qin Si Ya and Qin Shou Cheng followed Qin Fang and his wife to the border to enjoy life. Although the border was dangerous, Fang's wife was a golden child who could buy three acres of wasteland, a big horse, and a big carriage, so how could she not enjoy life with them
Aunt Qin pursed her lips. What could she say? Even if Afang and his wife were still here, she couldn't force her niece-in-law to raise Erya and Niudan, not to mention that they were gone.
Father Qin called Uncle Qin and Uncle Qin to one side and said, "We have finished all the work in the fields today. I am going to build a house in Fang's wife's wasteland. Would you like to come and help? Meals are not included, and the daily wage is ten cents."
Uncle Qin Er and Uncle Qin San were stunned, then Uncle Qin Er said: "No wages." The nephew is building a house, and they are helping the uncle, why should they be paid
Aunt Qin was angry and felt that her husband was a fool. The first wife was willing to pay him wages, but he still didn't know how to do it. But her husband was already dead, what could she do
Father Qin said, "Well, this house is not small. It will take some time. Otherwise, you can go to the town to work and get paid. How can I let you work for nothing? It's okay for one or two days, but for a long time, it's better to pay you."
Aunt Qin took the opportunity to say, "That's right, big brother."
Father Qin: "I'll take out the blueprints and show them to you. Before building a house, the wood, bricks, etc. must be prepared first."
After Qin's father took out the blueprints and showed the scale to Second Uncle Qin and Third Uncle Qin, Second Uncle Qin and Third Uncle Qin knew that this would indeed take time, so they did not refuse the wages.
Aunt Qin was standing by and said, "Brother, is this still a good thing? The brothers in my family are all capable of working."
Qin's mother said: "No need, there are only two brothers in the clan, and my brothers from my mother's side are enough." If there is money to be made, then of course her brothers will be the first to follow.
According to her husband's estimate, the cost of building the house this time would be about fifty taels of silver, but her daughter-in-law generously gave one hundred taels of silver. However, even if the money was enough, they could not spend it recklessly, and they had to return the money to their son and daughter-in-law when they came back.
The Qin family was talking about building a house. Qin Fang and his group had been traveling for a long time and now arrived at a village. They had stayed here when they passed by this road when they returned to their hometown at the beginning of the month. It was not that they did not want to find an inn, but they did not have enough time to find an inn in the next town, so they had to travel at night. If they stayed in an inn in the previous town, they would have to waste half a day, but the two towns on this road were far apart.
The carriage stopped in front of the house where they had stayed. Since Qin was in the front, he got off the horse and knocked on the door: "Excuse me, is anyone there?"
After knocking on the door, it opened. A young girl, the daughter of this family, named Ren, came in. Miss Ren remembered Qin Fang because they had stayed at her house about 20 days ago and paid a considerable amount of money for accommodation. Seeing them now, she asked enthusiastically, "Officer, are you here to stay?" The last time they came to stay, Qin Fang had said that they were from the Yongzhou military camp, and they were returning home after completing their military service and stayed here when they passed by. They also called him Master Qin Fang, so the Ren family called Qin Fang Master Officer.
Qin Fang said: "Yes."
Miss Ren: "Please come in. You have just returned from your hometown. Have you returned to the military camp?"
Qin Fang: "Yeah." It wasn't a military secret, so it didn't matter if they told him. And they were here to bother others, so it wouldn't be appropriate to hide their identities. Besides, they weren't people of high status.
Yang Haiyan, Kun Zhang and others got off the carriage. Miss Ren found that there were more people this time than last time, but the extra people seemed to be family members.
"My dear, who is here?" Ren's father and mother came out of the room and saw Yang Haiyan and others. "Oh, it's the officer and his wife."
Yang Haiyan: "Old man, I am here to bother you again."
Ren's mother: "No, no, please come in, you haven't had dinner yet, have you?"
Yang Haiyan: "We haven't eaten yet. We brought some flour. Please prepare some for us. Old man, do you have any vegetables and eggs at home?"
Ren's mother: "Yes, yes, I'll give you noodles right away." She took the flour. It was the same as last time. They gave the noodles, and the vegetables and eggs were from their family, but they paid for it, so this time Ren's mother didn't say much. "Girl, take it to the guest's house."
Miss Ren: "Hey, sir, madam, please, can we use the two rooms we stayed in last time?"
Last time, Yang Haiyan and Qin Fang shared a room, and Kun Shi shared a room. But this time, it was no longer possible, the women had to share a room, and the men had to share a room.
Yang Haiyan: "Sure... Si Ya and Sister-in-law Kun will share a room with me, and my husband will take Shou Cheng and Captain Kun and his son to share a room."
Qin Fang: “Yeah.” This is the only way.
After Miss Ren made the bed for them, Ren's mother had already prepared the vegetable and egg noodles. Knowing that these people were generous, Ren's mother fried the eggs before cooking. This way, the noodle soup with oil and water tasted even better.
While Yang Haiyan and the others were eating noodles, Ren's mother took Miss Ren to boil water for the guests to wash up. And Ren's father did not show up again after he appeared at the beginning, because there were female guests and he avoided them.
Kun Zhang gave the poached egg in her bowl to Kun Daying. She had been following him all the way here. She was a little reserved at first, but now she was somewhat used to it. Especially when they had a meal at the inn for the first time, they had a lot of dishes. The dishes were better than what they had eaten when they were young, so Kun Zhang didn't know how to pick up her chopsticks. Even if the wife asked her to eat, she was embarrassed to pick up her chopsticks.
Seeing her like this, Yang Haiyan stopped eating. Either everyone had a bowl of noodles, or the food was divided into two tables.
After eating noodles and washing up, everyone went to rest.
The next day, everyone had breakfast, gave Ren's family 50 coins, and set off on their journey. In the evening of the next day, they finally returned to the family quarters.
Looking at the family quarters that caught his eye, Kun Shi said, "It's finally over."
Yang Haiyan opened the carriage curtains and it was indeed dark. Perhaps it was because she was here when she first entered the book, so she was more accustomed to this place than to Old Qin's house, and felt that this was home.
Qin Siya squeezed her little head out to look outside: "Sister-in-law, this place is just like the town."
Yang Haiyan said: "This is the town. Look at the neat rows of courtyards over there. Those are the military camp family housing. Many soldiers and their families live there."
Qin Si Ya: "Wow, it's different from our town."
Yang Haiyan: "We will be home soon."
It was indeed about to arrive. Because no one was at home, the door of Qianfu's house was closed. Uncle Hong heard someone knocking on the door. When he opened the door and saw Qin Fang and others, he was a little excited: "Sir, you are finally back." Then, he shouted into the house, "Sir, you are back."
The house was so small that when Uncle Hong called out, Nanny Lian and the others in the inner courtyard noticed it and hurried out.
As soon as Aunt Lian saw her, she bowed and said, "Madam, you are finally back."
Yang Haiyan went over to help her: "Thank you for your hard work this month. How is your family? Did anything happen?"
Nanny Lian said, "Everything is fine in the shop and at home, except..." Then she glanced towards the servants' yard.
Yang Haiyan looked over and saw a female relative looking over there. Yang Haiyan said, "Si Ya, Shou Cheng, come here. Nanny, this is Qin Ya, pronounced as Ya, which means sprouting. This is Qin Shou Cheng, which means punctual and successful. From now on, call them Miss Ya and Brother Cheng. Arrange a room in the east wing for them. Tomorrow, go to the pawnshop and buy a maid to look after Si Ya and Shou Cheng."
Aunt Lian: “Yes.”
Yang Haiyan said to Qin Si Ya and Qin Shou Cheng, "Si Ya, Shou Cheng, this is Nanny Lian. Nanny Lian will teach you the rules and etiquette in the future. If you can't find a sister-in-law and encounter some problems, please find Nanny Lian."
Qin Si Ya and Qin Shou Cheng: "I understand, sister-in-law."
"Madam... Madam, you are finally back." Aunt Fan said as she ran, "Madam, you haven't eaten yet, right?"
Yang Haiyan saw that Aunt Fan was very friendly. She was used to the food Aunt Fan cooked. She missed it a lot when she was at Qin's house. "Not yet. You can make some. By the way, Captain Kun is back with his wife and ten-year-old son. Make some food for them."
Aunt Fan: “Yes.”
Yang Haiyan: "Madame Lian, go and prepare the rooms for Si Ya and Shou Cheng first. I will take them back to the main courtyard first."
Aunt Lian: “Yes.”
When Nanny Lian prepared the east wing, Aunt Fan's dinner was ready. Because they didn't know when they would be back, there was no good food in the kitchen, so Aunt Fan prepared noodles. Different from the green vegetable and poached egg noodles they had on the road, Aunt Fan prepared sauerkraut, kimchi and bacon noodles.
It tastes a bit sour and refreshing.
After dinner, Aunt Fan took Qin Si Ya and Qin Shou Cheng to the east wing to wash up and sleep, while Yang Hai Yan and Nanny Lian returned to the study.
Yang Haiyan: "Madam Lian, please sit down and tell me about what happened at home today."
Nanny Lian: "Yes." After sitting down, she explained the situation at home, "Everything is normal at home. Aunt Fan, Uncle Hong, Aunt Hong, Aunt Yu, their daily work is the same as before you left. However, two female families came to the servants' yard, one is from Meng Ping's family, and the other is from Huang Huzi's family."
Qin Fang has five private guards, and only three of them are married: Kun Shi, Huang Huzi and Meng Ping.
Yang Haiyan nodded: "You continue."
Nanny Lian continued, "Meng Ping's family was the first to arrive. They came back on the third day after you and the master left. Before you left, you said that in addition to the monthly allowance, the private guards all ate food from the mansion. Every day, they had one vegetable, one meat dish, and one soup, a total of three dishes, and the portions were based on the number of people. The mansion did not provide meals for the private guards' families, and they were only allowed to live in the servants' yard with the private guards."
Yang Haiyan said, "Not bad." She was not running a charity, so she had to support their families without paying for the monthly allowance of private guards. She knew that the cost of supporting one more person for three meals a day would be about ten wen, which would be three hundred wen a month, catching up with the monthly allowance of a private guard. Of course, this calculation was based on their current meals. If they ate sweet potatoes for three meals a day, it would be cheap.
Aunt Lian: "Meng Ping has three family members, one is his wife, one is his daughter, and one is his sister."
Yang Haiyan: "Is his sister here?" Although the servants' yard is small, Yang Haiyan built it based on modern suites, so people can live there, because it has two bedrooms and a living room, that is, two sleeping rooms and a dining room, and there is also a public small kitchen in the servants' yard, which anyone can use. But why did Meng Ping's sister come
Aunt Lian: "That's right. According to Meng Ping, his sister was originally married in the countryside, but the man later became a live-in son-in-law and broke off the engagement with his sister. Although it was the man's fault, his sister's reputation was ruined and she was always pointed at by the villagers. He couldn't bear to see his sister get hurt, so he brought his sister here."
Yang Haiyan frowned. Theoretically, since a small courtyard for private guards was prepared, she would not object to the private guards bringing their families with them, even if they brought their parents. After all, she could not let them ignore their families just because they became Qin Fang's private guards. But why did they bring their sister instead of their parents? Even though the servants' courtyard was separated from this side, it still made people think about it.
In fact, she didn't dislike people with interest, but it depends on the situation. Just like Uncle Hong, he went back home before and brought his wife and children back directly, but at least he didn't live directly in the courtyard in the downtown area, but asked for her consent first. But Meng Ping... In short, she was a little unhappy.
Yang Haiyan: "Madam, what you want to say is not just this, right?" Just now, Madam Lian seemed to be hesitant to speak, and it seemed that she had difficulty in putting it into words. It should not be just this.
Nanny Lian said, "That's right. On the first day they came, Meng Ping's wife came to ask me how much her monthly allowance was and what kind of work I did. I was confused at the time. You didn't mention giving monthly allowances to the family members of the private guards before you left."
Yang Haiyan: "I really didn't, but you only hired a private guard, not a couple. How can the private guard's wife get a monthly salary? Isn't this common sense?"
Nanny Lian said, "That's right. That's why I felt very strange when Meng Ping's wife came. But I'm sorry. I don't know about this matter. I'll talk to you when Madam comes back."
Yang Haiyan understood what Nanny Lian meant. After all, she was a servant and would not dare to take action on things she did not know. Yang Haiyan nodded: "And then, I guess there is something else. Otherwise, she would not have embarrassed us, Nanny Lian, about this matter."
Nanny Lian took the opportunity to say something nice: "Madam, you are wise. Later, Meng Ping's wife did not care about the monthly allowance and went back. But after Aunt Yu sent Meng Ping meals twice, she came again. She said that it would be fine if only Meng Ping ate the meals we sent, but there are four people in their family now, and the meals are not enough. Did our kitchen deduct their food? Oh, I have never seen such a person in my life, it is really..."
Yang Haiyan poured her a cup of tea and said, "Madame Lian, calm down."
Aunt Lian: "Thank you, Madam. Meng Ping's wife went to the canteen to eat. The canteen is managed by Aunt Fan. She has been here since she was young. Madam has instructed that if a private guard eats, we should prepare food for him/her. We don't prepare food for the private guard's family."
Yang Haiyan: "Yes, I am the same as you."
Nanny Lian: "But that wife Meng Ping didn't believe Aunt Fan's words, so she asked Aunt Fan to deduct their food. Then Aunt Fan angrily brought wife Meng Ping to find me. I testify that this is what the Madam stipulated. After wife Meng Ping asked me to do this, I don't want to say anything. I think she will come to see you tomorrow."
Yang Haiyan chuckled: "What about Huang Huzi's wife? How is she?"
Aunt Lian: "Huang Huzi's family came five days ago. Only Huang Huzi's wife came, and they don't have any children yet. According to Huang Huzi's wife, they got married two days before Huang Huzi came to serve in the army. After their wedding night, Huang Huzi came to join the army, and she was not pregnant at the time."
Yang Haiyan: “Really?”
Lian Ma: "That's right. According to Huang Huzi's wife, there are many people who get married before the man goes to the army, and then they have a wedding night in the hope of leaving a child for the man. Some succeed, some don't. Like her, although she didn't succeed in getting pregnant, but the man can go back alive after five days, she is lucky. Like her man, she can find a job before going back, which is considered promising." Food, clothing and housing are all provided by the family. The monthly salary of 300 coins is enough to save more than 3 taels of silver. Going to the outside to find a job, there may be higher monthly salaries, such as restaurant shopkeepers and accountants, but this is different from working for the government.
For example, the seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister is the same reason. Being a shopkeeper in a restaurant or an accountant in a merchant's house is not as prestigious as being a private guard in an official's house. Why? Qin Fang is a seventh-rank official and a clerk in the court. Just like in modern times, some men who work in sales can earn more than 100,000 yuan a day, which is higher than civil servants. But why do some women still look for civil servants with slightly lower incomes when looking for a partner? It's because of their different status.
Yang Haiyan looked at Nanny Lian carefully and understood a little: "You seem to have a good impression of Huang Huzi's wife."
Nanny Lian was shocked, worried that the lady would think she was forming a clique, so she immediately explained: "Compared with Meng Ping's wife, I think Huang Huzi's wife is more honest. I'm already this old, and I still know how to judge people." She did not deny it because it would be too guilty to deny it, so she simply admitted that she had a good impression of Huang Huzi's wife.
Yang Haiyan thought for a moment and asked, "How old is Huang Huzi's wife?"
Aunt Lian: "Twenty-four years old, three years older than Huang Huzi, who is twenty-one now. When they got married, Huang Huzi was fifteen and his wife was eighteen. The reason why Huang Huzi's wife married Huang Huzi was because an eighteen-year-old girl was unloved at home, otherwise who would be willing to let their daughter marry a widow?" If you marry a young man who is about to serve in the army, doesn't that mean you should be prepared to be a widow
Yang Haiyan: "Mammy, let's not do this. Let's see the character of Huang Huzi's wife for now. If possible, let her work in the house, and we will arrange what to do later." Anyway, there are not enough people. "By the way, there is no need to buy maids outside for now. If the private guards' wives are available, then use them. After all, the private guards may follow the master in the future, so it is more appropriate to use their wives."
Aunt Lian: “Yes.”
Yang Haiyan: "There is another thing, unmarried girls are not allowed to walk around in the house, especially they are not allowed to walk around the outer courtyard and the main courtyard." Although Qin Fang didn't like to go to the outer courtyard and his study was in the main courtyard, it was inevitable that he would run into him.
A ruthless light flashed in Nanny Lian's eyes: "Yes, I understand." She was more savvy than Yang Haiyan in these matters. Some girls were just thinking that way. They were so cheap at heart. They didn't want to be a legitimate wife outside, but insisted on being a concubine. If this wasn't cheapness, what was that
Yang Haiyan stood up and said, "I'm going to take a shower. I'm exhausted from traveling all day. I'll be home later tomorrow, so don't call me. And the children, don't call them."
Aunt Lian: "Yes. Then I'll make rice dumplings with fermented glutinous rice wine tomorrow? We'll have them when you come."
Yang Haiyan was very surprised: "Do you have fermented rice wine at home?"
Nanny Lian: "Since you and the master will be back in the next two days, the fermented rice wine we made the day before can be eaten tomorrow."
Yang Haiyan: "That's great. I've been craving for fermented glutinous rice lately."