Farmhouse Pastoral Notes

Chapter 175 Another Year

Winter goes to spring, seasons change.

In the new year, Chunqiu is already seven years old. Compared with the ignorant and ignorant time traveler when she was five years old, now she is more like an ancient person. No matter in life or habits, although there are occasional abnormalities in eating, the Yang family The grown-ups will only tacitly keep silent.

A few years ago because of the busy chestnut business, several members of the family lost weight to varying degrees. After they finished their work, Yuan made up for it. Chunqiu stayed in the house for a whole winter, not only the baby fat on his face was also She came back, and gained a few catties, which made Chunqiu very unhappy, because she didn't put on the new clothes her mother made for her during the Chinese New Year. Chunqiu looked at her fat little arms, and burst into tears Wake up, now Chunqiu occasionally has an adult thought, completely like a seven-year-old child, crying, laughing and playing, as if she was a dream in her previous life, and now she wakes up from the dream, she is just a child.

A few days before the Chinese New Year, her grandma, Yang Li, finally came back. Her grandma left at the beginning of last year and didn't come back until the end of the year. She has been away for a year.

When her grandma came back, she brought a lot of New Year's goods and snacks and gadgets specially bought for the children. Among them, the Spring and Autumn Equinox got the most, and the spring flowers, which were equally rare, had been saying for a long time that Grandma was eccentric.

Two days after the Chinese New Year, my aunt Yang Meijuan deliberately took the child who was two months away and returned to her natal home. Taking advantage of the gap between the mother and daughter talking, Chunqiu lay on the edge of the kang, carefully observing the children who were wrapped in quilts. The little baby's skin is smooth and tender, like that soft white tofu. Oh, with such smooth skin and small arms like white lotus root, I really want to take a bite.

My aunt's little son has grown up a lot, and his skin is not as flushed as it was when he was just born. Seeing the little baby looking at her with big ignorant eyes, Chunqiu's heart was about to melt, and he stretched out his chubby hands to play with the child.

Her aunt only stayed for one day before leaving, saying that she was going to Yushan Town to visit the grandparents of the child. A few days ago, the old couple wrote to say that they missed the child. Look.

Reluctantly, Yang Li sent her daughter away, and told her to come back to see her when she was free.Another day later, Chunqiu's aunt, Xiao Li, ran over again, this time for the marriage of her two sons.

Mrs. Yang still hasn't forgotten what happened last year. Although Mrs. Mrs. Yang was not satisfied with Mrs. Mrs. Yang's introduction, she agreed in the end. As a result, Mrs. Mrs. Yang thought about it, and after Mrs. Mrs. Yang said hello to Mrs. Mrs. Li, Mrs. Mrs. I agreed, saying that the other party was too poor, and this matter made Yang Li a little difficult to handle. As a last resort, I explained to him with a shy old face. Fortunately, the adults are sensible and easy to talk, otherwise this matter will cause trouble. Uncle's marriage is also affected.

Everyone in their family knew about this, so when Xiao Li came over again this year, Yang Li didn't even let her in, and directly blocked the door.

Xiao Li knew she was wrong, so she stood at the gate and begged Yang Li for a long time, but Yang Li didn't let go, and Xiao Li left again.

Two days later, it was reported from Beizhuang that Mrs. Li had asked the matchmaker Wu of the village to help her with the marriage, saying that she had met a family named Zhang in the village. When the news came, Chunqiu was lying on the bed of Yang Li Her grandma sneered when she heard it, and said that Xiao Li is a toad who wants to eat swan meat, wishful thinking!
After the ridicule was over, Mrs. Yang and Li specifically said to Chunqiu, "Good granddaughter, just look at it, your aunt is big enough, but you just don't have this life, huh, all the good children are being delayed by her ..." Li Shi Yang seemed to have opened up a chatterbox, chatting non-stop with Chunqiu, so frightened that Chunqiu locked his head and just listened, not daring to say anything, these are all her elders, she can't talk about it.

Xu held it back for a long time, after Yang Lishi and Chunqiu finished talking, Chunqiu found that her grandma's expression was much better, as if she had vented all her negative emotions.

Yang and Li just complained twice, and she has kept this matter in her heart for a long time, and she has no one to talk about.

Of course, this is not an important matter. Two days later, her father Yang Weibai brought back news from Heishan Town that made the family very nervous, that is, the official announcement of the imperial examination in March this year.

This year, Yang Chunjun and Yang Chunming will participate in the Tongsheng Examination prepared by the county, also called "Tongsheng Examination". (Xiucai) qualifications can enter the prefectural, prefecture, and county schools to study, so the Tongsheng Examination is also called the Entrance Examination, regardless of age, as long as candidates pass the exam, they will be called Tongsheng.

That is to say, only if they pass the Tongsheng Examination, can they continue to participate in the following provincial examinations, general examinations, and palace examinations, and then enter the court and be named king and minister.

To take part in the exam for children, you need a janitor to be a guarantor. It just so happens that Yang Chunming's wife can help, and the two of them knew that they were going to take the exam two years ago. Not only them, but most of the students in the school will also take it. The two of them were prepared, and they were not as nervous as the adults at home.

Their Yang family has also been digging food from the ground for generations, and the fact that there are two future elders in the family is simply the blessing of the ancestors and the Bodhisattva.

Because of this incident, her mother, Yuan Shi, went to worship Buddha every day, asking for the blessing of Buddha, and she was very devout in her tone and actions.

Yang Chunming was still studying books nervously in the study room, except for necessary things, he usually didn't leave the room. Although Yuan Shi was worried about her son, but the time was getting closer and she couldn't let him relax.

She had no choice but to cook delicious food for Yang Chunming in different ways every day, and do whatever was nutritious, like the chickens raised in the spring at home, which had been stewed by Yuan Shi for several times, and Yuan Shi cooked all of Yang Chunming's food. Everything is arranged by one hand, so that her second brother can study with peace of mind without being affected by external factors.

When Yang Chunming came back in December, she grew a lot taller. The padded clothes her mother gave her before were a bit short. Her brother is only half a head behind her father. Her second brother is twelve years old, and his height can be regarded as top-notch among the same age. Chunqiu reckons that her second brother can be more than 1.6 meters tall now, because her second brother is already taller than her mother. It's even higher.

Because of the nervousness of the adults in the family, the two who are about to take the imperial examination are also very nervous. They are as calm as her second brother, and now they are reviewing books in the study every day until late. Chunqiu watched her second brother become more and more sharp-edged I feel distressed in my heart, alas, the imperial examinations in ancient times are really no easier than the college entrance examinations now!

Two days after the Yang family knew the news, Grandpa Yang came over specially, and took the two brothers Yang Chunjun and Yang Chunming who were in the study to their house, saying that he wanted to give them both some knowledge for the exam.

After all, Grandpa Yang is a scholar, he has passed the children's examination, and he has handed in the books for so many years. Naturally, the knowledge used in this area is beyond the reach of two people, if it is not because of the same branch and the same clan It doesn't matter, Grandpa Yang really doesn't know how to go through this door.

With the guarantee of Grandpa Yang, Yuan Shi was really surprised.

Youxi, after Yang Chunming left, Yuan was crying and laughing at Yang Weibo, and it took a while to calm down, and said happily to Yang Weibo, "Our brother Ming will definitely be a promising man in the future."

"Yes, yes," Yang Weibohan agreed with a smile.

Seeing her husband's smirk, Yuan looked at him with a reproachful look, then ran directly to the incense burner, burned incense and kowtowed.

The news of taking part in the imperial examination cannot be concealed. When the news spreads to the village, most people in the village will talk about it before tea and after dinner. Of course, there must be good and bad things here. Those who do not deal with the Yang family have a bad relationship. Yes, they will talk sarcasticly, what is hard to hear, and those who have a good relationship with the Yang family and have frequent contacts with each other will also pick up a few eggs or some rice noodles and run over in twos and threes to sit and chat , plus congratulations.

The Yuan family has been disturbed by the imperial examinations for a while, so she can't calm down, so she simply doesn't work, and goes out to chat with other women's women every day if she has nothing to do, and a few people talk about the things in the village, and then When it's time to eat, I cook at home.

Mrs. Zhang Li next door was upset when she saw that the old Yang family was so upset. Every time she went out, she would tell others bad things about their old Yang family. It didn’t mean that their family was not good, but that the two would probably fail the exam. The stupid words, which came and went, were overheard by someone with a heart, and secretly told her grandmother Yang Lishi. Coincidentally, when Yang Lishi heard it, Zhang Lishi was sitting not far away and chatting with the aunt on the side. When she stared, her temper was irritable, her eyes sparkled, and she went straight to Zhang Li, and the two started to tear up in the street. Yang Lishi grabbed two handfuls of Xue Linzi and came out, crying out in pain.

After the fight between the two, Mrs. Zhang and Li didn't dare to quarrel with him, so she ran home and didn't go out in fright. When Mrs. Yang saw that the other party was guilty, how could she let her go? The gate of the Zhang family began to curse, because of the blocking of the gate, Wang Cuifeng's face was not good-looking, and she hated Zhang Li's family even more in her heart. A few days ago, her family finally told Cao'er a marriage in vain. Before it was settled, the neighbors blocked the door and scolded her. If this matter got out, would she still be famous? In the end, she had no choice but to admit it. Wang Cuifeng pinched her nose and came to the door to apologize in person at night with an egg. !

After Wang Cuifeng returned home, she even told Zhang Dafei what she had said. Zhang Dafei was blushed, not only angry but also ashamed. After notifying his wife, he bowed his head and went to the main house.

I don't know what I said to her mother, but from the next day, when Zhang Lishi saw Yang Lishi, he walked around and stopped arguing.

...

...

"Huzi, hurry up and recite the book well" Today is a rare fine weather, Yuan Shi got up early, pulled Huzi and Chunqiu to sit in the yard, holding the previous books in his hands, and scolded his daughter and son in front of him.

Hu Zi looked at her mother's serious face, and felt a little scared, "Mother, the teacher hasn't taught this book yet."

When Yuan Shi heard it, she was a little angry, and her voice was a little louder than before, "Why didn't you teach me? Then you can't learn? Mom will teach you how to learn." Yuan Shi didn't go out to chat these days, but Yuan Shi didn't go out I couldn't calm down in my heart, and as a result, Huzi Chunqiu was in trouble. Yuan Shi had read books earlier, and seeing her daughter and son playing around all day, she directly became interested in reading. No, it started again!

After her mother finished speaking, Chunqiu lowered her head helplessly, cleared her voice, and directly recited the poems her mother had just taught. Huzi listened and followed suit, with a soft and melodious childlike voice...

(End of this chapter)