Yuan Fu Nushu

Chapter 311, Winter Night Gossip Asking the Grange
It's the twelfth lunar month, and the whole country is busy. Every government office collects and settles for the holiday at the end of the year, every store collects and settles and prepares to close, and every house and every house prepares for the New Year. He is also "official", and he seems to be needed everywhere, but he is actually an errand officer who takes away other old business and replaces him.

Hou Ye's family background is not low, but he has no part in the slightly powerful official positions in the official department, and he works around in the yamen all day long, how wide can his vision be?In order to keep his official position, he only did things and didn't dare to take too much responsibility. How could he be there when he was promoted?
I also blame Nanyang Hou himself. When he became an official, his vision was not broad. He only wanted to maintain a stable family. He pinned his hopes on the next generation to study. Like his father, he just needs to keep his family alive and pin his hopes on the next generation.

In doing this, Nanyanghou also imitated his father, the previous Nanyanghou.

It is a pity that he bears the title of Marquis, so the Marquis of Jiyang Mansion no longer communicates with the Marquis of Nanyang Mansion. The Marquis of Jiyang Mansion was once in-law with the Marquis of Qinghe, Nanyang, and Linjiang. He held important positions in the Yamen.

Different perspectives will lead to different thinking, and different thinking will lead to different actions. In the end, it is the difference in the three outlooks that later generations call.

For Ma Dechang's case, Nanyang Hou visited Jiyang Hou's mansion many times, and Jiyang Hou and his son avoided it as much as possible. With a few words of birth, this family relationship will be broken.

Of course, the Marquis of Nanyang will try his best not to give the Marquis of Jiyang's mansion a chance to tear up his face publicly. He has worked hard to get to the position of an errand-runner, and some of them are low-spirited.

It doesn't matter whether you are an official or an official, you can't express your ambition, and your heart is suppressed. If Nanyanghou is not a prince, he is just an ordinary person with an official position. He runs errands in the yamen, sometimes like No. 1 in the yamen, I naturally expressed my heart, and felt that it was a good day.

He happened to be a marquis, and he was an official in order to keep his family alive. This thought alone weighed him down and tired him out.

Official affairs are also tiring, and the things handed over are not big but cumbersome, and it takes a lot of energy to do them well.

Tired from the day, he was going home late, facing Nanyanghou's wife's endless chatter, Nanyanghou was defeated.

"Ma'am, let's talk about the tiger skin. There is something very important right now," Nanyanghou tried to change the subject.

Even if the husband and wife are not in harmony, they will share honor and disgrace in many places. Mrs. Nanyang Hou hurriedly said, "What do you think?"

"This tiger skin can be sold at a good price, madam, don't change your face. I'm talking about things that can be sold at a good price in the child's shop. You take it, and don't let that child of the Qi family suffer."

Mrs. Hou of Nanyang turned angry in an instant, and then turned to joy in an instant: "What Hou Ye said is that I want to pack a lot of things for the New Year and send them in a few cars, so that the Qi family can't suffer."

Let the girl put away the tiger skin, fetch hot water for Nanyang Hou to wash, and the husband and wife will not mention it when they sleep.

The north wind whirled and roared fiercely over the roof, and Yanyan laughed and talked in the main room. No one was surprised by the north wind in the warm spring.

On the table under the candlelight, there are basins, panels, and a large pot of prepared minced meat. Yanyan, Luzhu, Zhang Mama, Nanny Yanyan, Chaizhi Biyun are surrounded by the minced meat. They are making dumplings. .

Jujube flowers and hops surround the basins and panels, and they are rolling out dumpling wrappers.

Ice hangs on the eaves in the cold weather. No matter what is put in the winter night, the frost will not rot. The rich people think far, like jujube flowers and hops. All kinds of fried food, braised fish, clear sauce and meat are cooked bowl after bowl, and the raw materials are bought back for the guys to weave bamboo baskets. , so that during the Chinese New Year, you can really do not need to cut with a knife, just put it in the basket and steam it.

The shop had night talks every night, He Ning took his clerk to study, Qi Xunfu and Qi Jun either settled the accounts, had a rest, or participated in the night talks, Zhang's mother said that since everyone was idle, it would be better to help with the New Year.

She can help to light the fire, but kneading the dough is too hard to survive, and it is not a problem for the buns and dumplings to help.

It was lively and lively, they were making dumplings while continuing to talk at night. Tonight, what they were talking about was not the scenery passing by outside the shop during the day. Some people went home during the Chinese New Year, and some people took advantage of the New Year to make money. , led the dog and followed the sheep, and the monkey sat on the back of the sheep, looking for a place in the capital in a mess.

Not to mention a few monkeys passing by outside today, they will find business in the home of some dignitary and nobleman. On the other table is tea in a warm cover, as well as peanuts, melon seeds, sesame candies and snacks.

The first two items were brought by Aunt Yuancai, and she is the one who is talking about tonight.

Yanyan made an exquisite dumpling, and looked at it herself: "Jujube hops, the dough should be rolled smaller, sister Xiu likes delicate ones, wrap some small ones for her to eat in chicken soup."

Zaohua and Jiuhua agreed, and Yanyan continued what Luzhu said just now: "You are right, I really didn't expect Cai Gu to support the house by herself."

When I was in school, Yuancaigu was far less stupid in reading than Luzhu. According to the saying that "everything is inferior, only reading is high", Yanyan has the idea of ​​​​belittle Yuancaigu. What Yuancaigu said in the afternoon, Yanyan was deeply moved.

Talking about Aunt Yuancai's recent situation, it was Luzhu who first mentioned it. At this time, Yanyan followed her words, but Luzhu pouted again: "Aunt Cai is so capable, who is not good to marry, but marry That villain Shu Ze!"

Aunt Yuancai revealed the inside story of her marriage to Shu Ze. From now on, the number one in Xinji School is a villain in Luzhu's heart. He has no integrity, no shame, no virtue, no behavior, no quality, no reputation. Chun Wei has no ranking, isn't he a villain? ?
Yanyan didn't see it that way, her state of mind this year was different from that of Lu Zhu's. She got married and left the house. She wanted things to be a little more cool.

Only when she is calm can she not be conceited. She thinks that her life is all up to herself. Only when she is calm can she not forget everyone who treats her well.

Calmly, Yan Yan smiled and said: "Without a flower that is popular for a hundred days, people cannot have a hundred thoughts. Shu Ze's thinking is wrong, but Cai Gu's is right? They two, one is willing to fight and the other is willing to suffer. Now Living in Beijing with Hemeimei, that's fine."

Aunt Yuancai used Yuanxiu's name to force Shu Ze to get married. From the perspective of her daughter's reputation, this matter was too big. Jujube and hops were deeply loved by the master, and she only heard a few words. Yanyan didn't think of saying it for a while. Immediately regretted it, and the careless Lvzhu gave her a wink. In this matter, Lvzhu has always been vigilant. Yanyan nodded to express her understanding, and continued to talk about Caigu's recent situation.

"The two girls, Zaohua and Jiuhua, should be happy. Aunt Cai also raised laying hens."

Zaohua Jiuhua burst out laughing, making the warm atmosphere in the room even more joyful. They looked at Yanyan and smiled: "Girl, you have nothing to say now, Aunt Cai not only raises laying hens, but also captures the warmth of autumn At that time, I raised [-] chickens, no, I sent six chickens to the girls, and next spring, we will also buy some chickens back."

Yanyan was taken aback: "My good girls, aren't 24 chickens in the backyard enough? You can calm down, this is my house."

Zhang's mother laughed when she heard the master and servant calling "girl" to each other.

In the long strip of land from the lotus pond in the backyard to the wall, there were originally only six guys who bought one chicken each, a total of six chickens. When Qi Jun's family didn't come to Beijing, there were 21 people in the shop, including Yuan Xiu, his wife and sister Hui, there were 24 people.

Qi Xunfu and Qi Jun received far more rewards than the fellows. They bought 24 more laying hens based on a total of [-] chickens.

I regret it when I buy it back, the weather will be cold, this dynasty doesn't know much about the skill of hens to keep warm in winter, and hens don't lay eggs in winter, but raise them for nothing in winter.

Jujube hops are still happy, imagining that after the spring of next year, picking up more than [-] eggs a day will be a beautiful day.

Yanyan's "throttling" matter is over, she complains to Lu Zhu that this is a [-] house, and Lu Zhu laughs and stays with her, that's it.

The 24 chickens Yanyan endured and tried to accept them, and now she wants to buy chickens again, Yanyan was shocked and almost couldn't wrap the dumplings in her hand: "The store opened late this year, but it also made money in half a year. Can we make money?" Clean up the house next year and get some good flowers and plants? Chick? How can it match the flowers and plants?"

Hearing this, Zaohua Jiuhua's two pairs of dark eyes looked different, Yanyan asked: "What's wrong with you?"

Zaohua cautiously said, "Girl, although I dare not ask more about the accounts in my spare time, I heard a few words, after the New Year's day when the general accounts are calculated, can you get a hundred silver?" Hop Hua nodded accordingly.

Yanyan smiled: "Of course, I can get it out now, huh? Why do you ask like this, don't you know I can get it out?"

Zaohua Le Diandianer: "Then girl, why don't you buy a farm house? I've talked to Jiuhua several times. If you don't like raising chickens in the yard, you can raise them in the farm house. The production will be sent in by day, month and season. Come to the city, this shop is earning money again, earning more and more in the future, but spending less and less, isn’t that good?”

Yanyan laughed happily: "Where can I buy a farm for 100 taels? I'm afraid I can't buy an acre of fertile land, and there are not many acres of ordinary fields to buy. That's not called a farm. It's scattered land. Buy a few pieces of useless fields Cheng, you need to raise the land first, this is a big expense, what is the use of it?"

The hops are serious: "If you can buy an acre, it is an acre, and if you can buy more than three points, it is three points. This farm does not expect to make money when you buy it. You can live in it with a thatched house. You can guard the land and sprinkle vegetable seeds. It is good for planting. Send it to the shop to eat, save the daily vegetable money, feed the chickens and pigs if the crops are not good, if there are vegetables in the field, there will be worms, the chickens will eat the worms themselves, and wait until the chickens grow into pigs, girl you Doing the math, the 100 taels of silver would be useless if you buy cauliflower sporadically every day, but if you buy a piece of land and plant it, the 100 taels of silver is still there, which saves a lot of money for vegetables every day.”

(End of this chapter)