Farming Beneath the Changbai Mountains

This night was destined to be a sleepless night for the Xu family. After packing up, Mrs. Xue led her sister-in-law to start making dumplings again. Fortunately, the minced meat had been chopped long ago, and all that was needed was to chop some vegetables. Naturally, the two daughters-in-law of the Chen family were too embarrassed to sit there, so they all came over to help.

Huixin couldn't do anything tonight, she just needed to be energetic, so she was sent back to the West Room to sleep early. As for the people who were welcoming the bride from the Tao family, they were going to stay at the Tao family tonight, so naturally they were arranged to go to the east wing where Zhixin and the others lived. The rest of my family members spent the night huddled together in other houses.

In the main house upstairs, the lights were bright, and all the women were making dumplings there, laughing and chatting. Mrs. Chen and her second sister-in-law were also busy making dumplings and chatting. "Second sister-in-law, do you believe me?"

"No, I don't know where he went. Alas, as soon as our mother left, my eldest brother sold the land in the family and left with all their shares." Chen's second sister-in-law shook her head and said. "Second sister, it was your second brother who couldn't forgive you back then. Now he has figured it out. Don't blame him."

Mrs. Chen smiled and said, "Second sister-in-law, it's been so many years, why do you still think about that? Now I'm living a good life, so I don't think about it anymore. We are both so old, and we were just a little bumpy in the past. , just forget it all." Mrs. Chen glanced at the two nieces and nephews and said, "Second sister-in-law, these two daughters-in-law of yours are quite good, and they seem to be able to get along well with their wives, but they are not like my mother. It seems like it’s hard for others all day long.”

Chen's second sister-in-law nodded, "Yes, I'm nice to them, but it's not like my mother used to beat or scold us all day long. Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Today is Huixin's day of great joy. Don't say these spoiling things. Let's make the dumplings quickly and take a rest. We have to get up early to get married tomorrow."

Everyone was busy until the middle of the day, and they finally finished making dumplings. The whole eight-covered dumplings are all frozen outside, and they can be cooked directly in the pot tomorrow morning. After finishing this work, everyone went to rest. They will still be busy tomorrow morning.

On the morning of the eighth day of the lunar month, Jinghan woke up early. I was busy at home today and I was afraid I didn't have time to take care of them, so after Jinghan got up, she went out to get a basin of water and came back. Then Jingya and Jingya helped Jingwan, Jingxian, Lihua, and Lizhu wash up together. Fortunately, Jinghe was with Han, so Jinghan didn't have to worry. Finally, all the little girls were dressed up, and they were all looking pretty, which made people feel good just looking at them. "Okay, let's go to my aunt's house and have a look. I guess she's already dressed up."

Several little girls ran to Huixin's room. Sure enough, Huixin had already finished dressing up. She was wearing a bright red wedding dress, which made her beautiful and charming. Jinghan secretly sighed in her heart, her little aunt is really beautiful, no wonder Dr. Tao wants to marry her no matter what.

At this time, the dumplings had been cooked in the kitchen, and everyone went to eat the dumplings. The Tao family's wedding guests were still arranged to eat in the east wing. Mrs. Xue asked everyone to eat hard. This wedding cannot be given on an empty stomach.

By the middle of the hour, the trumpeter outside began to play. Tao Qingnian came to the east room, where Xue and Zhu helped Huixin to the east room. Then they kowtowed to Mr. Xu and the old lady and said goodbye to their parents. Afterwards, Zhixin carried Huixin on his back and carried her to the wedding carriage. Tao Qingnian also came out of the house, got on his horse, and rode around the yard. Then he dismounted again and said goodbye to the Xu family before going out.

The dowry bearers are all young men from the village invited by the Xu family. They don't carry it all the way to the Tao family, they just carry it to the car. The dowry car is in the front, the trumpeter is in the middle, and then there are the cars of the groom and the bride. Finally, it is the person from the mother's family who gives the wedding.

Today, the three brothers Zhixin and their wives, as well as Chen Tianshun and Chen Tianfu, sat on a carriage and followed behind.

When Mrs. Chen saw the procession of sending off her bride starting to leave, she quickly asked the old man to pick up the water basin that Hui Xin used to dress up and pour the water in it to the place where the sedan stopped just now. This was the water that the married girl had poured out. Watching the procession of seeing off the bride go away, Mrs. Chen felt as if there was an empty space in her heart.

The people seeing off the bride have all left, and the family members are starting to pack up their things. They want to pack up all the tables, chairs, dishes, and dishes they borrowed yesterday and send them back. There are also rules, that is, you can't send back empty bowls and plates. You have to put some melon seeds, candies, or some good leftovers in them. That's all. Mrs. Chen quickly divided the things that should be given to others, and then Wenhan and the others began to deliver things back from house to house.

Everyone was busy all afternoon before sending them all back. At the end of noon, when all the people seeing off the bride came back, Mrs. Chen couldn't help but ask what it was like over there.

"Mom, it's true that the Tao family's food can't keep up with ours. The portions are also small, each plate has a little bit of it, and in the end the plates are all empty. Huixin's new house doesn't have much food either. Furniture and bedding were only made for two bunks and two covers." As soon as Mrs. Zhu came back, she couldn't help but talk. The Han family and the Zhide family didn't come back at all, they went home directly.

When Mrs. Chen heard this, she was a little worried, "Oh, that's what I'm worried about. But Huixin is optimistic about it, so we can't force it." Mrs. Chen's daughter's marriage has always been what worries her the most.

Seeing her mother-in-law like this, Mrs. Looking at our Huixin's dowry, everyone was full of praise, and everyone said that our family is willing to spend money, and the bride will have face. "Xue is generous to her mother-in-law. But it is true that Huixin’s dowry, not to mention anything else, just the things that Zhixiang brought back and the furs that Zhixin specially bought, must be worth a lot of money, and ordinary people cannot afford it at all. . "Mom, don't worry. With the support of these dowries, Liang and the others don't dare to underestimate Huixin. What's more, we have given Huixin a lot of money."

When Huixin got married, there were still ten taels left of the thirty taels sent by Tao Qingnian, and Mrs. Chen took them all away to Huixin. In addition, Mrs. Chen brought another ten taels, and Ms. Sad.

"Sigh, this Hui Xin has a soft temper. I don't know if she can handle it." Mrs. Chen shook his head and sighed. "Okay, let's not talk about this. We have been tired for several days and it's time to take a rest. Meilin, you and Yingzi should go and have a rest. There is nothing going on at home. There are still a lot of leftovers and dumplings. , I’ll heat up the rice in a moment.”

Xue and Zhu were really tired, so they went back to their houses to rest without saying anything else. Ms. Chen was chatting there with her natal brother-in-law, nephew and niece-in-law.

Chen's second brother said, "Second sister, this Huixin is also married. We will go back tomorrow and won't stay here any longer. We will keep in touch more in the future. Those things that happened back then were my fault, so don't blame him. "

Chen laughed, "Second brother, we are brothers and sisters, what are we talking about? We are so old, what are we still thinking about? Just live a good life and enjoy more blessings. Second brother, after you go back, be good When it comes to my sister-in-law, my second sister-in-law is a good person. At first, you had to listen to my mother and bully your second sister-in-law all the time. Now, the only one who can accompany you is my wife," Chen advised earnestly.

"Hey, I get it. My temper has changed a lot over the years. If you don't believe me, ask your second sister-in-law. We haven't quarreled in many years." Chen's second brother smiled a little sheepishly.

The next day, Chen's brother and sister-in-law took the children away, and Chen brought them a lot of things. Although the Xu family is not too wealthy now, it seems to be better than the Chen family. Besides, these are real relatives, so how can we let them go back empty-handed? Regarding these, the old man said nothing. He listened to Mrs. Chen on all matters at home.

After sending her uncle away, Jinghan couldn't help her curiosity and ran to her grandma, "Grandma, why don't my uncle and the others come here more often?"

Mrs. Chen looked at the children in front of her and smiled. "It's nothing. My father passed away early, leaving my mother and four of us brothers and sisters. I was the youngest. At that time, the family was in a difficult situation, so I relied on my two brothers to work to make money. Then they talked about me every day My eldest sister and I were eating for nothing, being lazy, losing money, and often beat us. At that time, my mother was worried about how to survive, so she didn't care about the two brothers, and sometimes she helped them. In order to marry my two brothers, I sold my eldest sister to someone else to be a concubine, and I was also married to your grandfather. "Ms. Chen never talked about the past, but when she said it, she even became a concubine. Zhixin and the others were surprised.

"Mom, why have you never said that?" Zhixin and his two younger brothers looked at their mother.

"What's there to say? At that time, your father once married a daughter-in-law, but she was in poor health and died. My mother gave a large betrothal gift just for the Xu family. The betrothal gift for filling a house is two dollars more than a normal bride-price. Well, you just married me into the Xu family. Fortunately, your father is still very good, and I haven't suffered much in these years." The old lady talked about what happened back then. "Otherwise people would say, this woman, enjoying happiness as a girl is not happiness, but enjoying happiness after getting married is real happiness. In recent years, although our family's life has been worse, your father treats me, That's what you're told. Mom will be content for the rest of her life." The old lady looked at Mr. Xu with a smile.