After traveling to ancient times, I became a superb shrew

Chapter 43
Seeing that Gu Qing was about to leave, Mo Li also followed. From the town to Gujia Village, it would take an hour or two even with an ox cart. They were really worried about letting Gu Qing take the two children back alone. Carrying water, chopping firewood and teaching at night requires people. Mo Li is a scholar, and he is also good at doing farm work. Naturally, it is more suitable for him to go back with him.

The four of them bought some pork belly, got into Gu Jiang's ox cart, and went back to Gu's Village.

As soon as they got home, Gu Yu and Gu Nuo hurriedly carried the baskets on their backs to dig wild vegetables to feed the chickens and ducks.

Mo Li went to the vegetable garden to water the vegetables in the garden first, while Gu Qing was cooking in the kitchen.

There are few people in the family today, but there is a lot of work. They have to collect mushrooms later, and Gu Yu and the others have to go to class in the evening.

Gu Qing cooked a pot of white rice, fried a vegetable, and was about to make another fried pork, when he looked up and saw Mo Li who was tossing around in the yard.

Several children were learning abacus and needed an abacus. Seeing that money was being spent everywhere at home, Mo Li thought of making it himself.

It is not easy to make an abacus. It requires wood and various tools. It is a meticulous job.

Gu Qing finished frying the dishes and walked over to him, "A Li, your hands are not suitable for this, why don't I buy some abacus tomorrow."

Mo Li pursed his lips and said, "The cheapest abacus is three or four hundred cash."

This price is indeed a bit expensive.

Gu Yu said with a smile: "Brother Ah Li, let's take turns using your abacus, we will definitely learn."

Gu Qing held her chin and said slowly: "Nuo Nuo, grandpa knows a little bit of carpentry, should, maybe, maybe also do abacus?"

Abacus is also carpentry, the reason should be the same.

Gu Nuo's eyes lit up: "Then I'll go find Grandpa."

Mo Li washed his hands: "I'll take the abacus and go together."

"Wait." Gu Qing stopped the two of them, "Abacus is a fine guy, you ask Grandpa to help you with the abacus, you have to pay, Ah Li, how much money do you think is appropriate for an abacus?"

Mo Li thought about the prices on Yunshan Street. The cheapest abacus is 350 renminbi, and the most expensive one is more than a dozen taels of silver. It depends on the workmanship and materials.

He opened the mouth and said: "You will only know when you make it, but even if it is the worst, there will be at least fifty coins a piece."

Gu Qing nodded: "Okay, let's make it out."

Gu Nuo took Mo Li to the Gu family's old house in a hurry.

Gu Nuo called people one by one.

Mo Li greeted him modestly and politely: "Grandfather and Grandma, hello to Second Aunt and Third Aunt."

Although Gu Qing's husbands and sons-in-law do farm work on weekdays, their posture and aura are completely different from the mud-legged people in the entire Gujia Village. When Mo Li entered the yard at this time, the others felt a little uncomfortable.

Even Mrs. Sun, who always liked to find fault, didn't dare to stare at Mo Li for too long. She always felt that she was insulting a scholar. She went into the room and brought out a stool, but felt that the stool seemed too broken, so she went in and changed it. A decent and cleaner stool came out, wiped it again and again, and put it in the yard for Mo Li to sit on.

Mo Li waved his hands again and again: "I'm here this time because I want to ask Grandpa for help."

Mr. Gu was smoking dry cigarettes under the eaves. When Mo Li called him, he nodded casually, but in fact he had been secretly looking at Mo Li... He had only heard that the Dong family was a Tongsheng before, but he didn't know about the Mo family. The boy is a scholar, and he just found out that Mo Li, who is a good workman, is a scholar a few days ago. He has always wanted to have a good chat, but there is no reason to go to the eldest granddaughter's house.

The last time he was having a meal, he couldn't drag a junior to talk all the time. This time, he saw it at a close distance. At this moment, he finally understood why the eldest granddaughter spent five taels of silver to buy her back. up.

It doesn't matter if they look good, they can still study, they seem sensible and well-behaved, and they are also humble and polite to them farmers. Such a good young man, why isn't their Gu family's seedling... If their Gu family can cultivate a scholar, he will be closed in the future. It should be more face-saving when I go to see my ancestors.

After thinking about it, Mo Li is already the husband-in-law of the eldest granddaughter, so rounding things up, isn't it the same as being a member of their old Gu family!

When old man Gu was rejoicing, Mo Li suddenly asked him for help.

The old man got up immediately: "Boy Mo, if there is anything you need to say, tell me quickly, as long as it is something I can do, it will never be ambiguous."

Mo Li picked up the abacus: "I wonder if grandpa can do abacus?"

Mr. Gu has traveled all over the world for so many years, so he naturally knows abacus. Most scholars know it, and some shopkeepers in some shops will also learn it. He used to beg a shopkeeper to teach him, but the shopkeeper looked down on him as a farmer, so he insisted on not teaching the essence. He fooled around every day, he learned nothing for half a month, and finally broke up with the shopkeeper in a rage.

Old man Gu walked over and took the abacus over, and the round beads rolled into his heart.

He nodded: "If you can't do it, you have to try."

He looked at Gu Youyin who had just walked in, "Third brother, go to the mountain to cut trees, either camphor wood or cypress."

In the yard after dinner, Mr. Gu was sawing wood, and Mo Li was on the side to help.

Although Mr. Gu did not learn all the crafts back then, he has all the necessary tools. Over the years, the tables, chairs, stools, and bed frames at home are all made by his old man with these tools. Although they are not as beautiful as the ones he bought, they are better It is cheap, and the wood used is the best wood on the mountain, so it is not afraid of being damaged by insects.

"For abacus, the best ones are sandalwood and huanghuali, but these good woods are too hard to find, and cypress wood can also be used." Mr. Gu said while sawing the wood, "Is the abacus so useful?"

Mo Li nodded respectfully and obediently: "It's smaller, so it's easier to carry on your body."

Mr. Gu sawed the wood a little shorter.

The two worked together, and quickly made a boxy frame, and then made beads, which is the most meticulous process.

Saw the wood into small squares, and then polished it with a foot lathe. This was bought at a high price when Mr. Gu was an apprentice many years ago, and he put it away in less than half a year. Carpentry does not need to polish the bead-like decorations. This thing has been stored for [-] to [-] years, and when it is taken out, it is full of dust.

There is a small iron blade on the top of the foot lathe, and there is a pedal under it. Use the blade to hold the wooden block, step on the pedal, and under the action of high-speed rotation, the wooden block will gradually be ground into a round shape.

It is not enough to grind out the shape of the bead, it also needs to be polished.

Mr. Gu said: "My master said to use fine cloth to polish. This thing is too expensive to afford, so use burlap. After playing with it for a few days, it will gradually become smooth and round."

Without saying a word, Mo Li lifted up his robe, and tore off a piece of cloth from his inner garment: "Grandfather, this is fine cloth!"

Mr. Gu stared at him: "Why are you so stupid, your good clothes have a tear, how can you wear them again?"

Mo Li's face was full of indifference: "I found out that everyone is not wearing underwear, and I will not wear it in the future."

"Can this be the same?" Mr. Gu was impatient, "You are a scholar, and you will become a master in the future. How can you compare with us who plan food in the fields? You don't pay attention at all! Put this piece of cloth away. Go back and sew it yourself, with white thread, and it won't be seen by others."

Mo Li's expression was a bit different, the owner bought this fine cloth for them specially, and he didn't know what he thought when he heard that the beads were going to be polished, so he tore off the inner coat.

(End of this chapter)