Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 12019

"It's spicy strips!" Yuanyuan sniffed hard and said loudly.

Tuantuan looked around and then saw a large sieve next to her filled with bright red spicy strips.

"Wow, so many! I'm not eating dinner, I want spicy strips!"

……

That being said, Yang Ruoqing would not really let them treat snacks as their main food. That was absolutely not allowed, especially spicy strips, which are relatively irritating to the stomach and intestines. They should be eaten in moderation and not frequently.

Before going to bed that night, Luo Fengtang suddenly asked Yang Ruoqing, "Are you really not planning to send some of the spicy strips you made tonight to other places?"

Yang Ruoqing, without changing her routine, sat in front of the bronze mirror on her dressing table doing her bedtime skincare routine. Upon hearing this, she didn't even turn her head and said, "I sent it yesterday, I'm too lazy to send it today."

"Aren't you going to send anything to your nephews and nieces?" Luo Fengtang asked again.

Based on his understanding of Yang Ruoqing, she treated her nephews and nieces as her own sons and daughters. As long as her nephews and nieces stayed in the village, Yang Ruoqing would never hesitate to share anything that her own children had with them.

"I won't see you off." Yang Ruoqing's response to Luo Fengtang was once again resolute.

This made Luo Fengtang put down his teacup and turn to look at her seriously again: "Wife~"

"Don't worry, you heard me right. And don't look at me like that. Your wife is still your wife. She hasn't been switched." Yang Ruoqing saw Luo Fengtang's reaction in the light reflected from the bronze mirror. While applying moisturizer to her neck, she continued, "I admit that I love my nephews and nieces very much, but I love my own children even more."

"A slap is a step away from the rest, and there's a limit to liking someone. My own child will always come first."

Although Yang Ruoqing's answer refreshed Luo Fengtang's understanding of her, it won Luo Fengtang's praise!

"Why did you suddenly have this realization? Is it because of the argument between the two kids and Fuwa over spicy snacks today?" he asked.

“Yes, it’s somewhat related to this matter, but not all of it,” Yang Ruoqing said. “I’ve always thought this way. I admit that I love my nephews and nieces. Besides my own children, they are the closest blood relatives I have in this world.”

"However, one thing at a time, I'm not confused, I know what I'm doing."

She treats her younger siblings well not because she is the eldest sister, but because she is capable and has the means. In addition, her younger siblings are sensible and know that she will repay them for her kindness. That's why Yang Ruoqing generously gives her younger siblings all sorts of gifts.

However, if her younger siblings were the kind of people who didn't know how to repay kindness or appreciate favors, then Yang Ruoqing wouldn't give them a single penny, even if she threw money at beggars on the street. That was her principle.

"Ha, no wonder you didn't say a word when the family reunion was accusing Fuwa today." Luo Fengtang chuckled, got up and came behind Yang Ruoqing, gently massaging her shoulders with both hands.

"So, you're still a little dissatisfied with the kids, which is why you made spicy snacks specifically for them, right?"

"Yes, I have selfish motives. I'm not a saint, I don't have emotional fluctuations, and I'm certainly not a true 'brother-supporting demon' in the real sense."
I love Da'an dearly, and I love Fuwa just as much, but she's seven or eight years old now, not the naive little girl she used to be. What's wrong with her two younger cousins ​​asking for some spicy snacks and sharing a couple? This girl's possessive behavior this time really annoyed me.

Luo Fengtang smiled and nodded: "Never mind, it's nothing, don't bother with a seven or eight-year-old girl."

"Of course I won't hold it against her, but from now on I won't give her as many gifts as before. I want her to understand the principle of mutual support."

"Okay, okay, honey, whatever you say goes, as long as you don't get angry anymore."

"I'm not angry. I made so many spicy strips for Tuanyuan and the others tonight. Seeing their smug looks, my anger has long since dissipated." Yang Ruoqing laughed. "Those spicy strips can be stored and will last for ten days without spoiling. We can use them to decorate the New Year's Eve dinner. When that time comes, any kid who wants to eat them will have to get past my two sons. I want them to have the upper hand."

Hearing Yang Ruoqing's somewhat childish words, Luo Fengtang was both amused and exasperated.

As the old saying goes, a doting mother spoils her son. Although his wife wouldn't indulge the children on matters of principle, she wasn't as protective of her own as he imagined.

But that's good, isn't it? Because reunion is the fruit of their love.

"Hey, by the way, Tang Yazi, are there still no carrier pigeons returning from Changhuaizhou today?" Yang Ruoqing suddenly asked.

I've been so busy from morning till night today that I completely forgot about this!

Luo Fengtang was also taken aback for a moment, then took out a note from his pocket and handed it over: "I was so busy that I forgot to give this to you. It arrived an hour ago."

They arrived an hour ago? That's only two hours ago, isn't it?

This guy was really too busy; he spent two whole hours carrying this little note around. If she hadn't asked him about it, he probably wouldn't have remembered it until tomorrow morning.

Faced with her reproachful gaze, Luo Fengtang simply offered an apologetic smile.

Fortunately, Yang Ruoqing didn't delve into the matter further, but instead quickly opened the note to read its contents.

"Da'an has already set off and returned?" Yang Ruoqing blinked. "No wonder there was no news yesterday, I see!"

"Judging by the time, Da'an should be able to return to the village tomorrow," Luo Fengtang added.

Yang Ruoqing nodded, because according to the note, Da'an had already set off from Changhuaizhou towards Changping Village in the latter half of yesterday night, or more accurately, after midnight this morning.

Logically, they should have arrived home by dinnertime after a whole day's journey, but they didn't. Presumably, some parts of the road were icy and slippery, preventing the carriage from traveling at high speed. For safety reasons, they slowed down.

"This note only says that Da'an is on his way back, but it doesn't mention the progress of his affairs in Changhuaizhou these past two days." Yang Ruoqing frowned slightly. Could it be that Da'an's affairs were handled so quickly?
Luo Fengtang thought for a moment, "No need to think too much about it. We'll ask Da'an ourselves when he gets home tomorrow."

Yang Ruoqing thought for a moment and nodded: "For now, this is the only way, but I'm still a little worried. How about this, Tang Yazi, I have an idea..."

Luo Fengtang leaned down and pressed his ear close to Yang Ruoqing's, and Yang Ruoqing whispered a few words in his ear.

Luo Fengtang asked in surprise, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Sure!"

"Okay, I'll go arrange it right away!"

After saying that, Luo Fengtang decisively turned around and left the dormitory.

Yang Ruoqing stroked her chin, lost in thought.

...The next morning, when Yang Ruoqing got up to eat breakfast, she found that the two little ones who usually liked to stick around her like little tails were gone.

Not only that, Luo Wuyou was not at home either.

"What about the three children?" Yang Ruoqing asked Luo Fengtang.

Luo Fengtang gets up earlier than her almost every day. He is a man who is even more self-disciplined than Cristiano Ronaldo. Regardless of wind, rain or snow, he gets up at almost the same time every morning and goes to the small bamboo forest in the backyard to practice swordsmanship.

Yang Ruoqing sometimes wondered, "These ancient people are really amazing. How did they manage to keep up with this every day without an alarm clock?"
Moreover, according to Yang Ruoqing's observation of his wake-up time, even if there is a slight error, the error will not exceed three minutes.

Cow breaking!

However, right now, Yang Ruoqing wasn't focused on how awesome he was; instead, she was asking him, who had gotten up early, about the whereabouts of their three children.

Luo Fengtang took the handkerchief Yang Ruoqing handed him to wipe his sweat. While wiping the sweat from his face and neck, he said, "Da'an is back. The three children went next door early this morning."

"How long have you been back?" Yang Ruoqing asked again.

Luo Fengtang thought for a moment, "It must have happened about half an hour ago. I was practicing my martial arts in the backyard when I heard noises from next door."

Yang Ruoqing nodded, "Okay, wipe your sweat first before you eat. I'll ask Ping An to urge the three of them to come home for breakfast."

Soon, Ping An returned alone. The result was that Luo Wuyou and her two siblings had been left next door for breakfast by Sun Shi and Xiao Hua, and wouldn't be coming back for breakfast.

Yang Ruoqing nodded, "Then let them be."

After breakfast, she was going to go find Da'an to ask about things in Changhuaizhou.

……

After breakfast, before Yang Ruoqing could go to the neighboring courtyard to find Da'an, Da'an came over by himself.

"I thought you'd be taking a nap since you came back so early in the morning, so I was going to wait an hour or two before coming to find you. Why did you come here by yourself?" The moment Yang Ruoqing saw Da'an enter the door, her first thought was that Da'an had obviously lost a lot of weight in the few days he had been gone, and there were even some green stubble on his chin.

It seems that these past few days, persuading Ruan Xiaowei to have an abortion in Changhuaizhou and to end the matter without further conflict between them... has taken a lot of his energy!
"Sister, actually I arrived in Qingshui Town around dinner time last night." After entering the room, Da'an sat down at the octagonal table in the outer room of the bedroom.

"Oh? Then why did you only get back this morning?" Yang Ruoqing asked.

Da'an smiled slightly and said, "Sister, you really have a bad memory. Have you forgotten what day it was last night?"

Yang Ruoqing opened her eyes wide, and then suddenly realized: "I know, last night was the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, the day of 'Xingjing' passed down from our ancestors in the Mianniu Mountain area!"

When it comes to the custom of "walking in stillness" at Mianniu Mountain, Yang Ruoqing was truly speechless with shock when she first arrived.

No one knows when it started, or which ancestor came up with the idea on a whim, but on the night of the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, after everyone in the village had eaten their supper early, they would enter a state of complete silence.

The village would select a few "managers" based on age and seniority, who would carry firecrackers cut into sections and walk through every alley in the village to set them off.

That night, in every household, the crying children would be held in their mothers' arms and gently soothed, telling them not to make any noise.

The guard dogs, whose instinct to bark is triggered by any noise, are fed well by their owners and led to the woodshed in the backyard beforehand to prevent them from chasing people and barking indiscriminately.

Some families would cover their dog's muzzle with an iron gag beforehand to prevent it from barking wildly due to the sound of firecrackers outside.

Even more extreme cases involve slaughtering the dog in advance. This way, the noise in the house can be eliminated at the source, and the skin can yield nearly 20 to 30 kilograms of dog meat.

It's perfect for entertaining relatives during the Chinese New Year; it'll give us an extra main dish!
"I was afraid that if I came back at night, I would disturb everyone, so I simply found a place in town to sleep for the night."

"At this hour, are there still inns in town that are still open?" Yang Ruoqing continued to ask.

Da'an said, "I looked around and found that they were all closed. Fortunately, we can rest at the post station."

Yang Ruoqing understood once again; so that's how it is.

"It's freezing cold outside, you must be tired staying at the inn," she said.

Da'an shook his head, "It's nothing. The post station is fine, and the postmaster takes good care of us."

Yang Ruoqing smiled and said, "How could I not be thorough? You are the governor of Changhuai Prefecture. In the eyes of a mere post station chief, your presence is stronger than that of the emperor thousands of miles away."

"Come, have some tea, and tell me about the outcome of your dealings with Ruan Xiaowei." Because what she was about to say involved privacy, Yang Ruoqing gave Rong Gu, who was about to come in to serve her, a look. Rong Gu immediately understood, left the courtyard, and told the rest of the family not to come here for the time being.

However, Luo Fengtang was not among them, but he had already finished eating and was nowhere to be seen.

Yang Ruoqing was too lazy to think about it anymore; her attention was focused on Da'an in front of her.

The tea was a little too hot, but Da'an still listened to his sister, picked up the teacup, blew on it gently, took a small sip, and put it aside. He then cleared his throat and began to talk about his trip to Changhuaizhou.

"Sister, I persuaded her to abort the child, bought her two maids, two servants, and two maids, gave her some money, and found two reliable constables from the yamen to send her to Shu."

"Why go to Sichuan? If I remember correctly, the Ruan family's ancestral home should be in the Suzhou-Hangzhou area, right?"

“Sister has a good memory. It was indeed in the Suzhou-Hangzhou area. Sichuan is where her father once worked.” Da’an continued, “The people there are simple and honest. Although Suzhou and Hangzhou are her ancestral home, she spent most of her time growing up in Sichuan.”

"Furthermore, after her family's property and land in her ancestral home were confiscated, if she, an orphan, were to return there... she probably wouldn't have a comfortable life and would inevitably be gossiped about by her neighbors."

"But when she went to Sichuan, she was no longer in pain. At that time, she was a young lady who rarely went out, and few people in the neighborhood recognized her."

"The money I gave her is enough for her to buy some houses and land over there, so she can live a stable life without any problems."

Yang Ruoqing listened attentively. "Your considerations are very thorough. Going to Shu is a good idea, but I still have one question."

"Sister, if you have any doubts, please speak freely. My heart is as clear as the sun and moon."