When Yang Haiyan woke up, the bedside was empty and cold. She knew that Qin Fang was used to getting up early and rarely stayed in bed. The occasional time he stayed in bed was to accompany her: "Mother Lian..."
After getting up every day, Aunt Lian would stand guard at her door, and do something by herself when she had nothing to do, while Aunt Yu would guard the gate to the yard, so Yang Haiyan was used to the two of them being outside.
Aunt Lian heard Yang Haiyan's cry and came in: "Madam is awake."
Yang Haiyan said in a hoarse voice as if she had just woken up: "I'm awake. The more I sleep, the more tired I feel. Where's your master?"
Nanny Lian said, "The master took his private guards to go hunting, and said that we should wait for meat to eat in the evening."
When Yang Haiyan heard this, she laughed and said, "He can't sit still. So we'll just wait to eat meat tonight. If he doesn't get the meat, it would be a shame for him." Then she sat down in front of the bronze mirror and asked Nanny Lian to comb her hair.
After combing her hair, Aunt Yu had already prepared hot water and was waiting on the side. After Yang Haiyan washed up, she sat in front of the bronze mirror and began to take care of her skin, while she asked Aunt Lian: "Have Si Ya and Shou Cheng woken up?"
Nanny Lian: "Miss Ya and Brother Cheng got up early and have already had breakfast. They are playing outside. A few wives of the private guards came over just now. I told them that you haven't gotten up yet, so I asked them to come over this afternoon."
Yang Haiyan nodded: "You decide."
After Yang Haiyan's hair was combed, Aunt Yu came in with some rice dumplings made with fermented glutinous rice. The aroma of the fermented glutinous rice made Yang Haiyan's stomach growl.
Nanny Lian sat beside her and said, "Madam, during the time you were back home, Madam Lu and Madam Han came to see you. Madam Lu said that there would be a market in the county town in early April. After the end of the month, the market in our town will also start, but it won't be as lively as the county town."
Yang Haiyan was curious: "Market?"
Nanny Lian said, "I've heard about this before. The so-called market is when merchants from all tribes and countries come to Yongzhou to do business. It only happens once a year, in early April. But because some merchants come earlier, the market will start in our town at the end of March."
Yang Haiyan understood immediately after hearing this. After understanding, she remembered some things. April is the time when everything wakes up. Spring ploughing is not done at this time. If many peddlers come at the end of the month, she can take out many fruit tree seeds and vegetable seeds that are not available here. Then she can say that she bought them from peddlers at the market. Thinking of this, Yang Haiyan felt that her taste buds were awakening. You know, there are very few kinds of vegetables in this world.
Aunt Lian was a person who could read people's expressions. Seeing that Yang Haiyan was in a good mood, she jokingly asked, "Madam, are you thinking of something happy?"
Yang Haiyan smiled and said, "I have never seen a market before. Even when there was a market in the capital, we couldn't go out because we were afraid that the young lady would be bumped into by others. I didn't expect that I could go and see it after marrying to the border. I also know what fun and delicious food the merchants will have. I can't wait to hear about it."
Nanny Lian said, "Today is the 25th. The market will start in two days. You can wait a few more days and then you can see it."
Yang Haiyan said, "That's right. By the way, I brought some food back from my hometown this time, including dried bamboo shoots, dried fungus, dried mushrooms, and dried vegetables. Ask Aunt Fan to prepare two portions and send them to Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Han. Also, ask Uncle Hong to come over in the afternoon."
Nanny Lian stood up and said, "Well, I'll go and tell her right away."
After Yang Haiyan finished her rice dumplings, she also got up and went outside for a walk. When she walked into the yard, she saw Qin Siya and Qin Shoucheng sitting and eating snacks. Seeing her come out, Qin Siya ran over and said, "Sister-in-law."
Qin Shoucheng also stood up: "Sister-in-law."
Yang Haiyan watched them put on new clothes, and saw that Qin Si Ya's hair was also combed. These clothes were bought in other counties or towns on the way here. As for the hair: "Si Ya's hair is combed so beautifully today, who combed it for you?"
Qin Si Ya touched her hair and said happily, "It was Nanny Lian who combed it. Nanny Lian is really amazing. I want to learn how to comb my hair and make it look good in the future."
Yang Haiyan said, "Madame Lian is really good. My sister-in-law's hair was combed by Madame Lian. If you want to learn, you can ask Madame Lian to teach you." Then she looked at Qin Shoucheng and said, "Shoucheng, you just got here today. You should have a good rest. I will ask your elder brother to take you to the private school tomorrow."
Qin Shoucheng: "Thank you, sister-in-law. It's just... I wonder if I'm too old?" Although he has already started to learn, he only studied for one year. If he goes to a private school, he should start all over again, right? He felt a little embarrassed.
Yang Haiyan knew that children also have self-esteem. It would be awkward for a twelve-year-old boy to sit with a six- or seven-year-old child. She said, "Shoucheng, do you know that learning never ends?"
Learning never ends. This is a very simple truth. Even people who have studied for a few days can understand its meaning. Qin Shoucheng said: "I understand. Learning never ends means that there is no end to academic studies. We should strive to make progress without rest."
Yang Haiyan said, "Yes, since there is no end to learning, doesn't that mean that no matter what age you are, you still have to keep studying? Do you think learning will ever reach its saturation point? You have to study when you are six or seven, you have to study when you are twelve, and like your elder brother, you still have to study when you are twenty."
Qin Shoucheng said: "Sister-in-law, I understand. You can learn as long as you live. Learning has nothing to do with age."
Yang Haiyan gave him an admiring look and said, "Shoucheng is really smart. When your elder brother and I got married last year, he didn't know as many characters as you do now, but he said he wanted to study with me and asked me to teach him. So, he, a grown man, didn't feel embarrassed, but you, Shoucheng, a little man, would be even more embarrassed. You know, it's good to be ambitious."
Qin Shoucheng was praised and blushed. He had never been praised since he was a child. After all, parents in ordinary families rarely praise their children. "Well, I understand, sister-in-law."
Yang Haiyan sat down with them and saw the small cookies and cakes on the table. She guessed that they must have been prepared by Aunt Fan.
Aunt Fan sorted out the dried bamboo shoots that Yang Haiyan mentioned and came over: "Madam, according to your instructions, I prepared one for Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Han respectively, please take a look."
Yang Haiyan took a look and found the portion to be just right, about enough for two meals: "You can deliver it. Then go buy some spare ribs. The roasted spare ribs and bamboo shoots are very delicious."
Aunt Fan: “Yes.”
After Aunt Fan left, Yang Haiyan told Qin Siya about her name. Because Siya and Siya have the same pinyin, only the tone is different, so Qin Siya always thought that when Yang Haiyan introduced her as Siya, it was actually Siya. Now when she heard Yang Haiyan give her a name and explained the meaning, she finally understood.
Having a proper name makes a huge difference. Qin Siya, at a young age, also knows the importance of a name, so now that she has a proper name, she pesters Qin Shoucheng to teach her.
Qin Shoucheng had no choice but to use a branch to write Qin Siya's name on the ground.
For lunch, there was naturally pork ribs and grilled bamboo shoots. Qin Fang and his private guards were there, and Yang Haiyan took Qin Siya and Qin Shoucheng to eat together.
House of Commoners
There are two rows of servants' courtyards, each row has five small courtyards, including the five private guards, Uncle Hong, Aunt Fan's home, and one small courtyard is empty.
At noon, seeing that the servants had not come to deliver the meal, Meng Ping's wife kept looking at the door, muttering to herself, "Why hasn't it come yet? It was delivered at this time a few days ago."
Meng Ping's sister is called Meng An, she is a very quiet and introverted girl. Seeing her sister-in-law muttering non-stop, she thought for a moment and said, "Sister-in-law, Aunt Fan who manages the kitchen said that the food given to us in the mansion is the amount for big brother. Big brother is not here today, he went hunting with the adults, so will the kitchen not send us food at noon?"
Meng Ping's wife was stunned. She had never thought of this: "This... This is possible, right?" But after thinking about it carefully, she felt that it was entirely possible. "Then I'll go ask?"
Meng An said, "Sister-in-law, you'd better not go. Let's make some food to fill our stomachs first. If we don't have it here, there must be some nearby. It would be better if we go and ask."
Meng Ping's wife heard this and said: "Then let's make some porridge. Meng An, you make the porridge, I'll go to the next door to check."
Meng An: "Hey." In fact, Meng An was also very embarrassed, thinking that she had caused trouble to her elder brother and sister-in-law. When something like this happened to her, she would always be gossiped about in her hometown. Her elder brother and sister-in-law were kind enough to bring her here, but there was no land here, and she had to eat her own food. By doing this, she was actually adding burden to her elder brother and sister-in-law. For this, she was very embarrassed.
During this period, Meng An also went out to listen, wanting to find some work to do here. She did think of some jobs, but she had not made up her mind yet. She thought that waiting for the lady to come back might also be a good idea for them.
Meng Ping's wife went out and went to Huang Huzi's house next door. They came early, and then went to Huang Huzi's house, so the two families became familiar with each other in the past few days. "Is the Huang family's sister here?" Meng Ping's wife smelled some food as soon as she walked into the yard.
Huang Huzi's wife wanted to get up and go out, but Meng Ping's wife had already come in and saw her eating: "Sister Huang, are you eating?" She saw a plate of pickles and a bowl of porridge on the dining table.
Huang Huzi's wife said, "I'm eating now. What's the matter with you, sister-in-law?" She didn't ask Meng Ping's wife if she had eaten yet. What if she asked and she said she hadn't? She didn't mean to invite anyone to eat, so she naturally didn't ask.
Meng Ping's wife looked outside and saw no one, so she asked softly, "Sister Huang, has the kitchen delivered the meal today?"