Farming Beneath the Changbai Mountains

After the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the flavor of the new year becomes stronger and stronger. Xue and Zhixin often go to town to buy things, and they always have to buy some New Year's goods. Mrs. Chen led Huixin and Jingya to make clothes at home. It was the Chinese New Year, so they had to make new clothes to wear. Besides, Huixin is getting married this year, so her family members can't dress too old and embarrass Huixin.

Huixin's dowry was almost ready. Originally, the Chen family planned to make some furniture, but the Tao family said that their family was carpenters and they made it all together, so the Xu family didn't need to worry about it anymore. Therefore, the furniture was not made. Mrs. Chen left all the money for making the furniture to Huixin and asked her to keep it at the bottom of the box.

"Grandma, the clothes are ready. Check to see if there is anything inappropriate. I will change them." Jingya made a dress and showed it to Mrs. Chen.

"Okay, very good. Jingya, you have mastered your needlework. This stitch is much better than mine back then. I didn't have such good skills at that time. You will be eleven after the Chinese New Year. Grandma needs to talk to your mother and start saving for your dowry. Prepare it in advance so that you won’t have to worry about it. You see, your sister-in-law has been saving for your dowry since November, so you don’t have to be too busy now." Looking at her granddaughter, Jingya looks quiet and delicate, somewhat similar to Huixin. They say a niece is like an aunt, and this is absolutely true. If you are good-looking and have good craftsmanship, your marriage will be successful in the future.

Jingya's face turned red, "Grandma, what are you talking about? I'm still young, and my brother-in-law is not married yet, and my eldest brother is not married either, so it's my turn."

"You are wrong about that. Boys have to study and take the imperial examinations, so naturally they will be later. Girls are different. They have to get married as soon as possible while they are still young, so as not to worry about others. Talking about gossip. Besides, I just want you to save your dowry so that you don’t have to worry too much about it later. We, Jingya, will have to find a good one in the future. , my hands are also constantly sewing clothes with flying needles and threads. "By the way, why didn't you see Jinghan today? Did you go to town with your parents?"

"No, I seem to have gone out to play with Yumei." Jingya picked up another piece of clothing, which was cut out by Mrs. Chen in advance. All she had to do was sew it on.

"Oh, it's time for her to go out and play. This Jinghan can't take any time off all day. Now that the pig has been sold and the bean sprouts have stopped, she should have a good rest. For a child as old as her, who doesn't? All she wants to do is play? But this Jinghan is always carrying things around the house. Speaking of which, Jinghan has done a lot of work. She led Wenxuan and Wenchang to get those things back. "Girl, I don't know who I followed, but I showed my ability as soon as I let her go up the mountain. If I let her at home, I can suppress her." Mrs. Chen shook her head and smiled. This little granddaughter is different from other girls. She has a wild temper. Very, I don’t know if it will get better when I get older.

A few people were sewing clothes while chatting and laughing. Before noon, Xue and Zhixin came back, carrying a lot of things. Zhixin piled all the New Year's goods on the kang and picked them up one by one for Mrs. Chen to see. "Mom, these are the candies, firecrackers, pairs, and these are peanuts and jujubes. In addition, these are Jingya and Jinghan's hair flowers. Look at the color, how bright it is. It should be very beautiful on the girl doll. "Zhixin killed a lot of prey in the past few days and kept the skins, but he sold the meat and other things to restaurants in the town and made some money, so he bought some hair flowers and hair ropes for his daughter. Kind of gadgets.

Mrs. Chen saw it and thought it was good. "Okay, the color is really bright and suitable for them to wear. The two girls are not young anymore, so it's time to dress up. By the way, have you bought any fish? There must be fish for the New Year. Besides, do we have to catch up? Are you going to buy the vegetables and other things for Huixin's wedding day? Otherwise, they won't be sold during the first month." Mrs. Chen remembered that Huixin also had to hold a banquet.

"Mom, I'll go to town with Merrill tomorrow to buy some. While the prices haven't risen too much in the past few days, it's time to go back and buy some. It might be a lot more expensive in the new year. It's cold now. Very good, you can live in it after buying it." Zhixin also thought of this, and happened to inquire about the price in town today. Fortunately, the price did not increase too much.

Mrs. Chen stood up and took out some money and put it in front of Zhixin, "Take this money and go see what you have tomorrow and buy some."

Zhixin didn't refuse and directly pocketed the money. "Mom, I'm going to chop some firewood. I'll be busy by the end of the year and won't have time to chop. Besides, it's not easy to use an ax in the first month. I'll save more now." He went out.

Mrs. Xue sat on the edge of the kang and helped pack everything away. Then Mrs. Chen put it in the suite in the east room, waiting to be taken out when needed.

The New Year is getting closer and closer, and these days are passing by in a busy way. After the Little New Year, every household begins to clean the house, paste the windows, steam buns, cook meat, etc. Jinghan was naturally busy with this and that, and was very happy every day. It’s the Chinese New Year, who can’t be happy?

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Tao family came to bring betrothal gifts, including a pig, a jar of wine, two boxes of clothes, cloth, headgear and other items. The people who came were Tao Qingnian, Tao Qingfeng and his wife, the money matchmaker, and Tao Qingnian's uncle and aunt. Of course, the Xu family had to stay for a meal. Mrs. Xue was busy cooking the meal, and the Tao family left after finishing the meal.

After all the Tao family members were sent away, Mrs. Chen told Zhixin that the pigs would be killed tomorrow, otherwise it would be difficult to use a knife in the first month. Zhixin also knew about it, so he said he would kill the pig early tomorrow morning.

Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Xue were all there looking at the betrothal gifts given to Huixin by the Tao family, including a set of silver jewelry, two pieces of cloth of four colors, two pairs of pillowcases, tea, wedding cakes, etc. It's not the best thing, but it's pretty good. "Okay, this is pretty good in our farm. Huixin, except for tea, wedding cakes and other food, I will bring the rest of these things to you. Marry and live a good life, and you will have it after two years. "My child, didn't Qingnian agree to split up the family? It will be easier then," Mrs. Chen told her daughter again.

"Mom, I know. Don't worry, my daughter won't embarrass my mother." Huixin looked at these things and was very happy.

On the morning of the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhiming's family of four returned from the county. Zhiming and Zhu both carried a lot of things in their hands. When Mrs. Chen saw it, she complained that they were spending money indiscriminately. "You have to spend money to buy everything in the county, so why are you spending that money to buy things at home? Just come back. Come on, Jingwan, Jingxian, let grandma hug you, grandma misses you."

Jingwan and Jingxian quickly came to Chen's side and sweetly called grandma. Chen was so happy that she kissed them both on their faces. "I'm getting older now, and I don't think about anything that's not in front of me. I've been thinking about it these past few days, and you'll be back soon."

Jingwan and Jingxian ran to play with Jinghan. Mrs. Zhu took out a box of snacks from the things she brought, "Take it and eat it with Jinghan and sister Jingya. Be good and don't mess around." Two of them. The little girl nodded, took the snack and ran away.

"Mom, Zhiming earns a lot now, so this little thing doesn't mean anything. We live far away and rarely come back. It's just to buy some things and show respect to you and my father. It doesn't mean anything." Mrs. Zhu sat down Chen's side, and Zhiming's side next to the old man, the two of them chatted.

In the afternoon, Zhixiang actually rushed back from Changbai Prefecture, riding a carriage with his classmates. When we arrived at the door of the house, we unloaded a lot of things from the carriage. Zhixin and Zhiming heard the noise outside and hurried out to see. When they saw that the fifth brother was back, they hurried forward to help.

"Lao Wu, what are you doing? It seems like you have moved all the grocery stores back. You haven't made any money yet, where did you get the money to buy these things?" Zhixin looked at it and asked. asked quickly.

"Brother, who said I don't make money? This is all because I was in Changbai Prefecture, helping Mr. Zhizhou handle some things, and I was rewarded by him. In addition, I also have a salary. This time I bought all the things with my salary. After all, it's better than ours, and a lot of things are of good quality and cheaper, so I bought more. Isn't my younger sister about to get married? , it can be regarded as opening my eyes, and I have become more calm.

The brothers moved all the things down, and then Zhixiang gave the driver some money, and he left. The three brothers brought all the things into the house and put them on the old lady's kang, which shocked Mrs. Chen. Zhixiang hurriedly told his parents what he had just said, and then talked about some things he had done in Changbai Prefecture.

It turns out that the magistrate had just arrived in Changbai Prefecture to take up his post. He used to be a small official in the capital, but this time he was released and became the magistrate of a prefecture. His hometown is in the county town, so his son did not follow him in the capital, but studied in the county town, and he and Zhixiang became classmates. This time, both his son and Zhixiang were admitted to the Juren Examination, so the prefect asked them to go to Changbai Prefecture to practice their studies instead of studying.

When Zhixiang arrived there, he was deeply appreciated by the magistrate Zhizhou and wanted to keep him by his side as a minor official. Because Zhixiang was still thinking about next spring, he wanted to give it a try. Master Zhizhou said, it would be best if you pass the exam. If you fail, go to Changbai Prefecture. It would also be good to stay with Zhizhou as a small official and slowly get promoted, and Zhixiang agreed. Opposite Changbai Prefecture is Korea. A lot of trade between the two countries is carried out here, so it is considered a prosperous place. It is also very good to work there.

Zhizhou heard that Zhixiang's sister was getting married, so he sent a lot of good things to Zhixiang and asked Zhixiang to bring them back to enrich Huixin. Zhixiang took out the things one by one. Some of the cloths and brocades woven by Goryeo had bright colors and vivid patterns, which were not comparable to those in this town.