Dressed as a widow, raising cubs, farming and building infrastructure in Ming Dynasty

Chapter 6 Recognition of Characters
Qin Liu asked strangely: "Don't we need to take care of the wheat after planting it? Weeding, fertilizing, watering, etc. don't need to be done?"

Ma Ang raised his eyebrows and looked her up and down, then said, "Sister-in-law knows a lot more.

Our place is outside the customs, but the terrain is not high and there is a lot of rain.Watering is not needed.As for weeding and fertilizing, you don’t have anyone at home, so you don’t have to do it so intensively. "

Qin Liu nodded. She still had to take care of her family. Erlang was too young to care about the fields.Hiring people to do work is an expense, and it’s hard to say whether it’s worth it or not.

When he got home, Qin Liu was almost paralyzed from exhaustion. Fortunately, Old Man Li had already prepared a meal and both children were asleep.

Before going out in the morning, she squeezed some milk and left it for Old Man Li to warm up and feed Erlang.

Qin Liu gritted his teeth and ate half a bowl of rice, then took Erlang, who was sleeping on the kang in the east room, back to the west room, and fell asleep without even washing up.

I actually had a dream at night.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, my grandfather and his family sat in the yard eating moon cakes and admiring the moon.

She was sitting next to her mother. The mooncakes had lotus paste flavor, salted egg yolk, pork floss filling, and five-nut filling. They were delicious.She was deeply impressed by the exquisite patterns on the mooncakes.

The eldest uncle said timidly: "My brother from my mother's side has gone to Beijing and wants to visit your old man."

Grandfather's face was solemn and he snorted coldly: "As an official, as a prefect, he didn't know how to prepare for a rainy day. He submitted a petition in advance to ask for food relief funds to stabilize food prices and provide disaster relief. As a result, a cannibal murder case occurred in the area under his jurisdiction, and he still had the shame to do so. Come to visit me?!”

The eldest mother-in-law was silent, she glanced at the eldest uncle with tears in her eyes, and did not dare to speak any more.

After admiring the moon, she took her mother's hand back to her room and couldn't help but ask her mother: "Why is my grandfather so strict? My uncle is so kind..."

The aunt has a gentle temperament and often gives her many delicious snacks. She also gets along well with her mother. She is really a good person.

The mother just said: "Your grandfather is famous for his upright temper. Everyone in the government and the public knows this? My eldest brother's mother-in-law did not do well in the exam this time and I am afraid he will be demoted."

She didn't understand what he was saying at the time and didn't ask further questions.

I just remember that the moon was beautiful that night, the mooncakes were delicious, my grandfather was cruel, my aunt felt wronged, and there was a place where people cannibalized people.

……

At dawn the next day, there were voices outside the Li family yard.

Qin Liu immediately got dressed and got up. In the main room, Old Man Li was already cooking in front of the stove.

Outside the yard, several people from the Ma family were carrying plows, hoes, etc., waiting for Qin Liu to go to work together.

Qin Liu quickly invited them to sit in the house, but the Ma family refused and only stood in the cold courtyard.

Qin Liu had no choice but to quickly take the porridge scooped by Old Man Li, drink it while blowing, and hurried out.

This time, she and Brother Ma Ang went to buy wheat seeds first, then returned to Li's house to feed Erlang, and then went to the fields with Aunt Ma and Sister Ma Feng.

But Ma Yue pestered Qin Liu and kept asking questions: "Sister-in-law, is the amount of money that the grain shop owner asked for correct? How come I'm missing five cents after all the calculations?"

Qin Liu patiently explained to him along the way, but when they arrived at the ground, Ma Yue was still confused.

She then found a stick and wrote a few words on the ground. She wrote clearly how many pieces of silver she could exchange for, how much money the wheat seeds cost, and how much change she should make.

Ma Yue touched his head, and after being convinced, he shouted happily as if he had discovered a new world: "Sister-in-law Li, can you read? Can you teach us?!"

Ma Ang, Aunt Ma and Sister Ma Feng on the side also cast their eyes with envy and respect.

Qin Liu was a little embarrassed: "Easy to say, easy to say."

Aunt Ma came over and slapped Ma Yue on the back: "Work first! Think about what you have and what you don't have!"

Ma Yue jumped to the side and defended: "Mother! You don't know that only those shops in town will accept you as a waiter if you can read. Even our brother was rejected by the superior because he couldn't even write his name. !”

Qin Liu was stunned for a moment and said, "When the planting is finished, come to my house when you have time, and I will teach you."

Aunt Ma and Ma Yue were both overjoyed. Aunt Ma slapped Ma Yue on the head again: "Thank you soon, sister-in-law of the Li family!"

The four Ma family members were even more energetic next time.

Qin Liu went back around noon, letting Erlang eat and drink before bringing food back to the fields. Except for sitting on the ridge of the field to have lunch, the Ma family were busy all the time.

Qin Liu secretly sighed: Madam Ma has a good upbringing and her whole family is honest!

It took three days to farm.

Qin Liu paid Ma Ang 270 cash according to the salary of thirty cash per person.

Ma Ang wiped his hands on his clothes for a long time, but still refused to take it. He explained sheepishly: "This... is too much. My mother and my sister can only be counted as half. On the first day, it can only be counted. For a long time..." Qin Liu saw that his family was in ragged clothes and knew that his family was very poor, so he spoke sincerely:
"Brother Ma, you're welcome. Winter is coming soon, take the money and buy some clothes for Sister Feng and the others. Our Li family is having a hard time, and we will rely on Brother Ma for more help in the future."

Ma Ang finally took the money.

Now their family is short of money and food, and winter is approaching. An extra penny means an extra chance of survival, so he can't help but be polite.

Qin Liu calculated the total investment in farming this time.

Five acres of land cost 450 Wen in seed money and 270 Wen in labor, a total of 720 Wen.

When the time comes, you will probably have to hire someone to help with harvesting and threshing, which will also cost 270 Wen.

In the future, one acre of land will be counted as two hundred kilograms of grain, and the total will be one thousand kilograms. Calculated as three cents per catty, the total will be three thousand cents.

After deducting the expenses, there were still two thousand and ten cents left, which was 670 kilograms of grain. Old Han Li and his grandson could spread one kilogram of grain a day, which was enough for them to feed themselves.

Qin Liu took stock of the remaining pieces of silver in his hand and sighed.Money is really wasteful!

Ma Yue's interest in reading reminded Qin Liu that she might not be able to stay here long.

In order to repay Li Dalang's mother for taking her in, she can teach Li Dalang how to read and count. Even if he joins the army in the future, he will be looked at by his superiors for being educated.

Early the next morning, Ma Yue came to Li's house and brought four eggs. He also helped carry water, chop firewood, wash and dry clothes.

Qin Liu was not polite to him. After finishing his housework, he used tree branches on the dirt floor in the yard to teach him how to read and write.

Ma Yue studied seriously, and even Li Dalang, who was only five years old, watched carefully and made signs on the ground with branches.

Ma Yue was very well-behaved and sneaked home as soon as lunch time came. He figured that the Li family would come back after lunch, so as not to burden the Li family as much as possible.

Ma Yue also revealed that when he returned home, he gave the newly learned characters to his brother and sister.Both siblings learned quickly.

Qin Liu was very fond of the studious and measured nature of the three Ma brothers and sisters.The Ma family brothers and sisters were probably afraid that all three of them would come and disturb the Li family, right?
In the evening, Qin Liu made egg drop soup with two eggs, sprinkled it with salt, and added a few drops of clear oil. The aroma made Li Dalang swallow his saliva.

Divide the egg drop soup into four bowls and try to have the same amount of egg drop in each bowl.

After finishing the fragrant egg drop soup, Old Man Li smacked his lips and said, "Damn it, give me the remaining two eggs."

It was just two eggs, so Qin Liu gave them to Old Man Li.

More than 20 days later, Li Dalang came to Qin Liu with two newly hatched chicks in his hands: "Mom, look, these are newly hatched chicks!"

The chick's feathers are light yellow, and its pointed beak is as smooth as a layer of wax, which is very beautiful.

Qin Liu gently stroked the chick, feeling soft and soft in his heart.Even if life is hard, the birth of a new life is always a joyful thing.

Dalang and Erlang cherished these two chicks and often teased them.

The days went on like this, and the weather became colder and colder.

Qin Liu occasionally went to the town to buy rice and vegetables, and found that this town, which was almost in ruins, was actually in a good location. Even though the weather was getting colder, there were still some pedestrians passing by.

I heard that several teams of officers and soldiers from the capital came to patrol and took away all the unregistered people staying in the town.

From the small talk among the people in the town, she gradually learned the general location of the town.

The town is called Shabaozi, and it is under the jurisdiction of Huailaiwei. It is the only way from the capital to Xuanfu, one of the important towns on the nine sides.

More than 50 years ago, the imperial court built three castles in the east, middle and west with Sanhe soil nearby.

Dongbao is today's Shabaozi.Not long ago, the East Fort suffered a devastating blow from the Tatar soldiers, and the roads were also damaged. Many passers-by detoured to the Central and West Castles.

However, Dongbao is still the closest option. Some passers-by who are in a hurry and travel lightly still choose Sandbaozi.

With an excellent location, the sand castle will be revitalized just around the corner.

Qin Liu's mind became excited.

Nowadays, Shabaozi is full of waste and is in a strategic location. If we can make some money, maybe we can avoid the situation of having nothing to do?

When it snowed for the second time, Ma Yue brought a large piece of meat to the Li family.

"My brother and I went hunting in the mountains and happened to encounter a silly roe deer. My mother said that it was really hard for my sister-in-law to teach us brothers and sisters by herself, so she asked me to send it over."

Qin Liu was not polite and greeted immediately: "Let's go and call your mother, your brother and Sister Feng over, and we will make dumplings tonight!"

(End of this chapter)