Ma Erniang's Splendid Pastoral

Chapter 40 Repaying Gratitude (in PK)
"Father, you are such a good father." Ma Min'er immediately flattered her. In a feudal society, as a man, his father did not let his daughter learn to cook, but said that he would learn to cook by himself. It really hurts the child to the bone. .

"You, I don't see you progressing. This flattering skill is not small." Ma Qifeng was embarrassed by his daughter's praise.

"Hee hee, Dad, you didn't let your daughter learn to cook. My daughter is grateful. When she gets excited, of course she has to praise Dad."

Ma Qifeng was both happy and sad, and entered the house with a sack.

Ma Min'er stood at the door without moving, "Father, there are only two rooms in the house, and there is no place to cook, why don't we build an earthen stove outside?"

Putting the sack away, Ma Qifeng turned around and came out again, nodding: "I want to build a base, but my father can't, and it costs money to hire someone..."

"Father, why don't we try to base first, if it doesn't work, then hire someone, what do you think?"

"Okay, if I do a good job, I'll save a lot of money, if not, please do it once, and my father will do it in the future."

"Then do it."

"it is good!"

"Father, I'll be with you." Ma Dalang said happily.

"Me too." Masanlang raised his little hand with excitement on his face.

"Father, I want to help you too." Xiao Yue'er said softly, like a little adult.

"Haha..." Ma Min'er was amused by the cuteness of her brothers and sisters, and she leaned forward and backward with laughter. Even in exile and famine, as long as the family is united, there is nothing they can't survive. She believes that man will conquer heaven.

Shen Hou'er happily returned home, and as soon as he entered the door, he was beaten faceless by his mother's Tiao Zhi, "I'll let you bet, let you bet..."

"Mom... I don't dare anymore." Shen Hou'er hugged his head to avoid his mother's slap.

"Don't dare, you didn't say that back then, but how did you do it..." Mother Shen was so angry that she beat her harder.

"mother……"

……

In the courtyard of the Shen family, chickens were flying and dogs were jumping. At the end of the beating, Shen's mother was so exhausted that she sat down on the steps and cried loudly, "Old man, why don't you take me away and let me be a cow for your Shen family?" It’s fine to be a horse for a lifetime, but I still suffer from this when I’m old, I’m suffering... suffering..." With snot and tears, it’s really sad!
Shen Hou'er sat on the side with his head bowed and accompanied his mother until it was dark before Shen's mother regained her senses, "We have to repay the debt of gratitude."

"Mother, I know, just now I forced Uncle Lin Gui to sell rough noodles to a benefactor."

"Pa..." The bar in Shen's mother's hand swiped with a flick.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Shen Hou'er screamed in pain.

"Why, can this be called gratitude?"

"Mom, how do I report it?"

The five members of Ma's family began to look for clods or stones to build an earthen stove. They kept busy until the sky was dark, and the clods and stones piled up in a pile.

"Should be enough." Ma Sanlang said, wiping his sweat.

Ma Min'er shrugged secretly. There were not many soil clods that the little guy could use, but he didn't dissuade his enthusiasm. She smiled slightly, "It should be almost there."

"Oh, that's great, Dad, when can we build a stove and cook food?" Ma Sanlang looked forward with his little face up.

"..." Ma Qifeng couldn't answer.

As for Ma Miner, she has a bit of a spectrum. She has camped and built an earthen stove. As long as she has the strength, it is easy. She suddenly realized a big problem: "Even if it is done tonight, I am afraid that I will not be able to eat."

"Second sister, why?"

"There is no iron pot, and there is no water."

"It's really..." Ma Dalang looked very frustrated.

Ma Qifeng looked towards the town, "Father, go to the well and wait in line. If you can make it, you should be able to get water tomorrow morning."

This was the only way to go. Ma Min'er went into the hut and took out the things she picked up on the road - a water ladle and a broken earthen jar, "Father, I'll go with you."

"No need, Min'er, you take Yue'er to rest at home, Dalang, take Saburo to bed early, and it's fine for Dad to go."

"Father..." several children shouted in unison.

Ma Qifeng reached out and patted their heads one by one: "Don't worry, Yunshui Town is very peaceful, Dad just went to wait in line for water."

The children nodded obediently, "Father, come back and rest as soon as you get to the water."

"Well, Dad knows!"

Ma Qifeng took the ladle in the elder daughter's hand, and just turned around, almost bumping into someone.

"Yes... I'm sorry, Master Ma."

"why you?"

Yes, how could it be him, Ma Min'er felt strange, didn't the carpenter deliver the sacks for father this afternoon, didn't he also want our food, didn't have a chance to do it during the day, and came to grab it at night?

For some reason, thinking that he is a carpenter, Ma Min'er unconsciously looked up at the sky. The moonlight today is the same as last night, hazy, and the starlight is not as bright as the days when she passed through it just now. Is it really going to rain?
Ma Min'er still doesn't know that this afternoon, she fell asleep and missed a lot. When she woke up, she was dazed and didn't pay attention to what the people around her were saying.

"Ma...Master Ma..." Shen Houer bowed his head and laughed along with him.

"Brother Shen family, you are..." Ma Qifeng didn't know why this person came over in the middle of the night, and how his painting style became like this.

"Master Ma—"

"I'm no lord."

"Ma...Brother Ma, I want to repay your kindness for helping me win back the shop."

"You can't hold your teeth without raising your hands."

"No no, brother Ma, it is a great kindness to me. You are my reborn parents, and I must repay you." Shen Hou'er didn't wait for Ma Qi to speak, turned and walked into the hut.

Looking around inside and out, I thought to myself, what mother said is right, they really lack everything, this is our chance to repay the favor, turned around and said: "Brother Ma, I know what to do." Said After finishing, no matter how Ma Qifeng reacted, he turned around and left.

Ma Min'er followed his figure around a few times with her small head, and seeing him leave, without thinking, she blurted out: "Uncle Shen, can you lend me some wood and planks."

"what……"

Not only Shen Hou'er was puzzled and surprised when he heard this, but the rest of the Ma family were also stunned. What does she want these things for?
Ma Min'er smiled and said, "If it rains, my thatched hut will not be able to last. I want to use wood to squeeze it into a solid wall, and then the ground is mud. It will be muddy when it rains. If it is paved with wooden boards, it will be clean."

"So that's how it is." Shen Hou'er has already found out that Ma Qifeng is an exile from the capital. He used to be rich and powerful. Hearing that they want to use wooden planks to pave the floor, although he instantly felt extravagant, it makes sense when he thinks about it Originally, rich people.

"Don't worry, Uncle Shen, when we have money, we will return the money to you." Ma Min'er said straight.

"Don't pay it back, don't pay it back..." I just gave myself a chance to repay the favor, so that she could pay it back, "I see, I'll do it for you tomorrow!" After finishing speaking, she trotted away.

Ma Qifeng turned his head: "Min'er..."

"Father, when we make money in the future, return it to him."

It turned out that my daughter always wanted wood because she disliked thatched huts. Using wood for walls and floors is indeed clean and tidy. Well, then, Ma Qifeng nodded, "Hurry up and go back to the house to sleep. Dad is going to wait for the water."

"Okay!" The brothers and sisters entered the room together.

Ma Qifeng walked to the edge of the small town and stood there, parked on the side of the road for a while, then suddenly turned around and went home. When he got home, the children had already fallen asleep. He checked it lightly, and smiled gratifiedly , I went to my room, took a scoop of rough noodles with a ladle, covered it in my arms and went out again.

In the dim moonlight, Ma Qifeng walked all the way to the town, and as he walked, he actually arrived at the back door of the yamen.

Hey, what is he doing here?
"Tuk-tuk-tuk!" There were three knocks on the door, not loud or small. The old man who guarded the door in the yard just heard it, and saw him unhurriedly pull the latch and open the door, "Sixth Lord——"

"Uncle Cang—" Ma Qifeng brought the water ladle in front of him, "You keep one and give the rest to my father."

Uncle Cang glanced inside in surprise, stepped out, and quickly closed the small door, "You... Where did you come from?"

Ma Qifeng bowed his head and smiled coldly, "It's the same as in the capital, winning by gambling."

"This..." The expression on Uncle Cang's face was either crying or laughing, "You child..." This time, he no longer called him "father", but called him "child" like an elder loving him.

"Uncle Cang, I don't know when the second elder brother will come back, let father take care of these first." Ma Qifeng said in a low voice.

"You child, you clearly know that your father despises you for gambling, why do you still..."

Ma Qifeng pursed his lips, feeling uncomfortable inside, but said: "Uncle Cang, I still need to use this ladle to fetch water."

"Okay, okay, okay..." Uncle Cang was delighted and heavy, and turned into the door lightly, and after a while, took out the water ladle, "Son, no matter what the master, there is something to eat, but you are different. In the future, let’s eat by ourselves first.”

Ma Qifeng nodded, "I see, Uncle Cang." After speaking, he turned and left, and quickly disappeared into the night.

(End of this chapter)