Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 12090

Faced with the barrage of questions from the women in the village, Sixi remained silent and kept his head down as he continued on his way.

Xiu Hong wore a perfunctory smile and gave a vague reply, which was essentially meaningless. In any case, she just kept walking faster.

As the young couple hurried across the dam, the expressions on the faces of the women by the pond below changed.

"Why are you walking so fast? Are you afraid we'll eat or drink from her wooden tub?"

"Haha, even if we're not as rich as the Yang family, we don't need to go and freeload off them, do we?"

Changping Village is now the wealthiest village in the surrounding area. The main reason is that many men and women in Changping Village have joined the Luo family's big boat, working in transportation teams, herb-gathering teams, and so on. As a result, almost five or six out of ten families can eat their fill and even have a little surplus.

Many families in nearby villages want their daughters to marry into Changping Village, and many families want to marry daughters from Changping Village, largely because of the Luo family.

So every year in late spring and early summer, and around the Lunar New Year and the following summer, people from Changping Village and the surrounding villages would send the Luo family freshly picked fruits and vegetables from their gardens so they could enjoy them. They would also send gifts during the Lunar New Year and the following summer to express their gratitude.

I am grateful for the Luo family's care during this year that is about to end, and I hope that next year I can continue to follow in their footsteps, have smooth sailing, and have no worries about food and drink.

"Sigh, in the end, she's just lucky to be born into the Yang family. Her family provides the capital and connections for her business. For people like us, even if we wanted to sell, it wouldn't be easy!" After a while, someone finally voiced their envy and jealousy.

"Why is it hard to sell? It's just that you're lazy!" someone else directly called out.

"Who said I'm lazy? I could get up in the middle of the night to steam glutinous rice, but I'm worried about getting into trouble if I go to town to hawk my wares!"

"That's true. These days, what seems like a peaceful and prosperous world is only in small places like ours. I've heard that things are still a bit chaotic outside."

"The Luo family generals, father and son, have been fighting battles outside for years to protect the people of our Great Qi!"

"Sigh, let's not talk about that. Just last time, my brother and sister-in-law went to town to do some small business. They didn't make much money. Several groups of thugs and local bullies came to collect protection money. It was so annoying. They might have lost everything. We ordinary folks without any backing are better off staying at home and farming honestly..."

……

Si Xi's father's house.

Today, Sixi and Xiuhong went to set up their stall for the first time, and the whole family knew about it.

During lunch, Sanxi couldn't help but say to Daxi, "Big brother, Fourth Brother and the others are setting up their stall today. Shall we go over and check it out when they get back? Let's ask them what's going on?"

Before Da Xi could even speak, Er Xi, who was standing to the side, laughed and said, "You didn't go over before they set up their stall, but now that they've finished and come back, you're all rushing over."

"If you knew, you'd say you were just concerned about your brother and sister-in-law. If you didn't know, you'd think you had ulterior motives!"

"Second brother, you're overthinking it. Eldest brother and I have a clear conscience. Besides, fourth brother and the others aren't that kind of people," Sanxi retorted, a little displeased.

Erxi sneered, "They got up in the middle of the night to work and travel, why didn't you lend a hand? Now that they've made their money back, what are you going to do there? Help them count the money? If you were in their shoes, how would you feel if they were practically begging to come to you like this?"

Sanxi frowned, about to speak up again, when Daxi raised his hand to stop him, saying, "Third brother, your intentions are good, but second brother's concerns are also reasonable."

"Let's go at a different time later, when we have the chance."

Seeing this, Sanxi's wife tried to smooth things over, saying, "Yes, let's go at a different time. They get up to work in the middle of the night, so they must be tired and sleepy. The first thing they'll do when they get home is catch up on their sleep."

Sanxi looked at his wife and nodded, "Alright, we'll talk about it later!"

During the rest of the meal, Sanxi felt a little annoyed. He was clearly upright and honest and would never scheme against his fourth brother and sister-in-law for their hard-earned money, but his two older brothers said such things. And he couldn't fully defend himself, which made him feel really frustrated!

Si Xi's father had been silently shoveling rice into his mouth, not participating in his sons' conversation, but he had been listening attentively.

At that moment, he quickly shoveled the last mouthful of rice into his bowl and slammed his chopsticks heavily on the table.

"Eat quickly, the New Year is over. From today onwards, pick up your hoes and come with me to the fields!"

"Dad, it's still January! Shouldn't we start spring plowing at the beginning of February?" Erxi immediately shouted.

Si Xi's father glared at him fiercely: "Whose son are you? Why didn't you say you'd wait until after the Dragon Boat Festival to go to work in the fields?"

"You good-for-nothing! You always pick and choose the best food and the easiest jobs. You're so lazy and always procrastinate. If you had the same good fortune as your fourth brother, I wouldn't bother with you at all!"

Erxi was scolded until his face turned red. Just then, his wife accidentally burped while eating at the corner of the table.

Erxi immediately kicked it under the table: "You have no manners! What kind of woman sits at the table like that!"

Erxi's wife was almost knocked over by the kick, but fortunately, Daxi's wife caught her in time.

"Second brother, what are you doing? Just eat your food!" Da Xi's wife coldly reprimanded Er Xi.

She was a cousin of Da Xi and Er Xi, having grown up together since childhood, so when she scolded Er Xi, Er Xi didn't dare to do anything to her.

However, Erxi wouldn't really take her scolding seriously.

Da Xi's wife didn't expect anything from Er Xi. She scolded him, which saved face for Er Xi's wife. She then turned her head and gently comforted Er happy's wife.

Sanxi's wife's expression also changed following Erxi's earlier words.

"Second Brother, when you said earlier that women shouldn't eat at the table, were you saying it only to Second Sister-in-law, or to all the women in our family?" Sanxi's wife asked.

Sanxi also put down his chopsticks and stared coldly at Erxi. Clearly, Sanxi was standing with his wife through his actions.

Erxi was furious. He had just been scolded by his father and then by his sister-in-law, and now even his sister-in-law dared to call him by name.

"What? Who I told you has nothing to do with you, an outsider?"

"Snapped!"

Sanxi slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and glared at the other person: "Second brother, watch your mouth!"

Erxi forcefully pushed the bowl and chopsticks in front of him forward, stood up with his neck stiff and his mouth crooked, and glared back at Sanxi: "What? Little brother wants to teach his big brother a lesson? Let's have a go?"

"Who's afraid of who!" Sanxi rolled up his sleeves.

The people at the table quickly got up and stopped the two brothers. Da Xi pressed Er Xi's shoulder and made him sit back down.

Sanxi's wife was also so frightened that she clung tightly to Sanxi's arm and pulled him to the side.

Sixi's father slammed his hand on the table in anger, "You two brats, are you bored out of your minds? Are you never going to stop?" He pointed at Erxi: "Stop being sarcastic. If you're so capable, show it to yourselves by making money and doing chores. Don't take your anger out on women!"

Erxi slumped his shoulders, his face full of resentment. "Dad, you're only busy criticizing me, but what about you? Didn't you take all your anger out on my mother?"

"You bastard!" Sixi's father slapped Erxi across the face.

Erxi stumbled and fell under the table.

Si Xi's father raised his hand to slap him again, but Da Xi stopped him, saying, "Dad, calm down. It's not worth getting sick from getting angry!"

Da Xi's wife couldn't bother comforting Er happy's wife anymore, and quickly got up to go to Si Xi's father's side to help persuade him.

Erxi's wife's tear stains hadn't even dried yet. Seeing this, she was so frightened that she dared not shed any more tears. She quietly got up and backed away to the door of the main room. Then, she turned around and slipped out of the main room, hiding back in her own room.

The couple, Da Xi and his wife, finally managed to persuade Sixi's father to calm down. Er Xi was also frightened and sat on the stool next to them, looking dejected and not daring to utter a sound.

Although Sixi's father didn't hit Erxi again, his chest heaved with anger, and he turned his head to look at Sanxi and his wife.

“You’re no pushovers either. From now on, if I see any discord among you brothers in this house again, you’re all getting out of here! Don’t even think about taking a single brick or tile. You’ll be left penniless and have to fend for yourselves! I want to see just how capable you really are!”

The words "separate the family" and "leave with nothing" stunned the three sons and two daughters-in-law.

They were all so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they hung their heads, not daring to utter a sound.

Da Xi, his voice trembling with tears, pleaded with Sixi's father again, "Father, please don't! Without you, we brothers will starve."

This is exactly the effect Si Xi's father wanted.

His disdainful gaze swept over Erxi and Sanxi: "I have a piece of advice for you: don't have the fate of Sixi but suffer from Sixi's illness!"

"They're lucky; they can live off their wife's family's wealth without any savings. What about you?"

"Before you cause trouble, take a good look in the mirror and see what kind of person you are. Don't do anything stupid!"

"Get back inside and reflect on your actions. Tomorrow, after breakfast, you'll be working in the fields with me!"

……

Xiu Hong and Sixi were unaware that their small business had stirred up quite a storm at the old house.

After the young couple returned home, they put their things away and soaked the glutinous rice they would need for the next day. Sixi boiled a pot of water and let Xiuhong take a bath and go to bed first. Then he would just wash himself with the water she had used.

The young couple quickly closed the courtyard gate in the afternoon and took a nap in the main room.

They slept soundly until the sun was almost setting, when the two of them were gently awakened by Xiao Sanzi's calls from the courtyard gate.

"I slept so well... I forgot whether it was day or night," Xiu Hong said, stretching.

Si Xi yawned, picked up his coat and put it on. "My brother-in-law is calling me. I'll go open the door first."

"Okay, I'll get dressed too, let's get ready and go down to my parents' house for dinner."

……

"Qing'er, have you heard? Today, Xiu Hong and Sixi went out to do business for the first time and made a great start!"

Tonight, Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang are having dinner with their two children in the third room next door.

Zuo Jinling returned to Huguang County, and Luo Wuyou also returned to the camp. The family will travel in a few days, but Luo Wuyou has already said that she will not participate. After the New Year, Zuo Jinling will also go to the capital, and Luo Wuyou will have to focus her attention back on her camp.

Just as Yang Ruoqing and her group arrived at the third house, Liu, who was 'idle', happened to be visiting and had not yet left.

"Oh? Sticky rice is so popular?" Yang Ruoqing smiled slightly and casually made a suggestion.

"I doubt many people in town sell that stuff, so let's all try something new." Liu pouted, seemingly a little indignant that Xiu Hong and her team had sold out on their first day of business.

"Their rice balls are probably only about the size of a fist, costing four or six coins. People might eat them occasionally, but if they eat them every day, they'll get tired of them!"

"Besides, even if people don't get tired of it, what if the other stall owners see it and immediately follow suit? Then it won't be as easy to sell!"

This time, Yang Ruoqing didn't laugh. Instead, she turned her head and looked Liu up and down very seriously. "I say, Fourth Aunt, your sour words are lingering for miles. Take it easy. If they make money, they won't share with you. If they lose money, they won't lose to you either. You should just stay a neutral party."

There's no need to make envious and sarcastic remarks just because someone else's product sold out. That's too petty.

Yang Huazhong was talking to Luo Fengtang when he heard this, so he stopped their conversation and gave Liu a displeased look.

"Fourth sister-in-law, we are all part of the Yang family, and we should look out for and help each other."

I don't expect you to genuinely wish others well, but at least maintain appearances.

If we can maintain the status quo, it will be good for everyone; if we can't, every member of the Yang family will suffer.

Liu realized that she had been too blunt and gone too far, so she quickly used her ability to be flexible and repent to smooth things over.

"Father, Mother says it's time to eat," He Lian'er said as she came from the backyard, clutching a bucket of chopsticks that had just been scalded with hot water.

"Okay, I'll go to the backyard to get the dishes right away." Yang Huazhong immediately got up and went to the backyard.

Luo Fengtang took Tuantuan and Yuanyuan to the washstand in the corner to wash their hands. Yang Ruoqing came over to help tidy up the table. Only after tidying up the table could they set out the chopsticks.

"Then you all have dinner, I'll head back now," Liu suddenly said, taking her leave.

This surprised Yang Ruoqing and He Lian'er once again. They exchanged glances, both thinking they had misheard.

However, upon seeing the look in the other person's eyes, the two realized that they hadn't misheard; Liu was indeed leaving.

"Fourth Aunt, why don't we grab a bite here?" Yang Ruoqing asked.

In the past, Liu's specialty was visiting these people's homes and lingering there, not leaving until mealtime.

The host would feel awkward about directly asking someone to leave, so he would ask a polite question. Liu would wait for the other party to speak, then immediately sit down and pick up her chopsticks.