Peasant Girl Bookseller

Chapter 41

Naturally, Mai Xiang was not idle. After the separation, she asked Wufu to build a nest next to their house. She didn't raise chickens, but bought ten goslings, because she knew that geese could go out to graze, and they could also mow grass from the outside. Come back, as for chickens and ducks, they need to eat food, which she can't afford now.

Ye Dafu asked Erfu and Sanfu to carry them back to his house after the separation. This is what Mai Xiang meant, so that it would be convenient for Mai Xiang to take care of her. Zhao and Ye Dafu also had a companion who could talk.

After Cao Xueqin knew that the Ye family was separated, she guessed that Mai Xiang's family had no source of income, and seeing that Ye Dafu's hands were not disabled, she taught Ye Dafu how to make a kite.

Mai Xiang did not expect that Cao Xueqin still has this ability, but considering that "Dream of Red Mansions" has written so many food, medicine, architecture, clothing, etc., it is not surprising that Cao Xueqin can make kites.

March is the season for kite flying. Before March [-]th, Ye Dafu made two kites with the help of Cao Xueqin.

Mai Xiang learned how to draw stick figures, so she drew a fat pig and a waddling duck with charcoal, and then filled them with colors.

On the morning of March [-]th, Mai Xiang still took Mai Huang with a basket and went out to mow grass and dig wild vegetables.

This season is the season for digging wild vegetables. There are not a few green vegetables in the northern countryside in winter, so when the wild vegetables come out, almost girls as old as Maixiang Maihuang go out with a basket.

"Sister, we come to mow the grass every day, and our little geese can't eat much, and the house has piled up a lot of grass." Mai Huang felt strange, isn't it the day to go to the market?

Mai Xiang looked at Mai Huang's little bloody face, and felt a sense of accomplishment in her heart.

Since the separation, Mai Xiang feeds the family with rice, although it is brown rice, but after all, it is fine grain and dry rice, so as to keep them full.Mai Xiang is also paired with stewed radish or cabbage and wild vegetables in bone soup. In just ten days, the faces of Mai Huang and the others have turned a little flesh-colored.

So when Mai Huang saw that Mai Xiang would not go to the market today, she was a little anxious, she was afraid that if the family had no money, everyone would starve.

"My sister is going to sell the grass, so the more the better." Mai Xiang went to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha a few times later. Although she came back empty-handed every time, she was not lucky to meet generous people every time. .Because the pressure of survival was too great, she had to rack her brains to find new ways of making money.

Mai Xiang even dreamed about how to make money, and finally once in a dream, she dreamed of a TV series she had watched in the previous life. After waking up, she only remembered that when the waiter in the shop was feeding the male protagonist's horses, the male protagonist I rewarded him with a small piece of silver.

This dream reminds Mai Xiang that she can also feed these rich people's horses with hay.

"Can grass be sold?" Mai Huang felt that the eldest sister was really capable.

"of course."

"Mai Xiang, Mai Huang, are you here again?" Pang Dun ran to Mai Huang with his schoolbag on his back, followed by a few friends from the village.

Pangdun is the youngest son of the Li Chang's family. He is also ten years old this year. He looks really stocky and chubby, and he is quite happy.

"Mai Huang, I recited a new poem yesterday, can I teach you how to recite it?" Fat Dun moved closer to Mai Huang, and he found that Mai Huang was getting more and more beautiful.

"You don't need to teach me, my elder sister can. I have already learned to write my name, and my elder sister also taught me." Mai Huang cut the grass with her head down. Knowing that grass can also be sold for money, she mowed more vigorously.

"Oh, oh, little boy, sitting on the gate, crying and calling for a daughter-in-law, why do you want a daughter-in-law? Light the lamps, talk, blow the lamps, and fight." The boys behind sang.

"Go, you're just crying and asking for a wife. If you don't leave, sir, it's time to beat the hand." The fat man was teased by everyone, and he ran into the courtyard of the private school in a hurry, afraid that he would be ashamed.

When Mai Xiang was looking at the chubby back and feeling that ancient children matured prematurely, Cao Xueqin walked up to her, "What is Mai Xiang looking at, so engrossed?"

"Why did you come here so early in the morning?"

"Mr. Zhang from this private school is a good friend of mine. He was feeling unwell yesterday. I came to see him."

"Mr. Zhang?" Mai Xiang thought of Zhang Yiquan. This Zhang Yiquan was one of Cao Xueqin's friends. Later generations of red scholars inferred Cao Xueqin's age before death from Zhang Yiquan's mourning poem. He died when he was less than fifty. And not just forty.

Seeing Mai Xiang, Cao Xueqin was in a daze again, thinking that Mai Xiang was thinking about studying again, but Liu Huilan said that Mai Xiang was very talented, but unfortunately she was a girl.

"Mai Xiang, if you really want to study, why don't you come to my house after dinner every day, and I'll teach you for a quarter of an hour."

"Really? Sir, it doesn't take two quarters of an hour. You teach me to write ten characters every day. After I go back, I can practice on my own. If there is anything I don't understand, I can ask my teacher." Mai Xiang raised her face and asked happily.

Mai Xiang knows how precious Cao Xueqin's time is, but she must learn calligraphy as soon as possible so that she can access Cao Xueqin's manuscripts.

At this time, Mai Xiang hated herself for not learning calligraphy in her previous life.
"That's right, he's such a good boy." Cao Xueqin patted Mai Xiang's head, seeing that Mai Xiang was smiling so happily, he also smiled.

Since the separation, Mai Xiang and Cao Xueqin's family have gotten closer.At the beginning, Cao Xueqin was worried that Mai Xiang had no money, so she grabbed the medicines for Zhao and Ye Dafu and delivered them to Mai Xiang, and refused to accept the money from Mai Xiang, saying that Mai Xiang owed it first.

And Mai Xiang guessed that he was not rich, probably because Liu Huilan gave birth to a child this time, and relatives only gave a few taels of silver to see the child, so every time I went to the town to buy rice, noodles, meat, eggs, etc., I would give it to Liu Huilan Bring a copy here, and it doesn't cost money.

Cao Xueqin and Liu Huilan were moved by Mai Xiang's sensibility and gratitude several times, but Cao Xueqin was even more surprised that Mai Xiang provoked this family. At least, the complexion of this family is getting better and better.

Of course, his family is also the one who is looking better. Liu Huilan is in confinement, her eggs, meat, and bones have never been broken. She eats well, and her milk is naturally good. The youngest son is white and fat, and he is more and more attractive .Therefore, Cao Xueqin is also very glad that she met a neighbor like Mai Xiang.

After Cao Xueqin left, Mai Xiang saw that she could talk, so Mai Huang cut a big basket of grass and dug up a lot of wild vegetables, and asked with a smile, "Are you tired? Let's go home."

"Ah."

Back home, Mai Xiang made everyone a pot of pimple soup with bone soup and wild onions. After eating a few mouthfuls, she picked up two big baskets full of green grass and asked Mai Huang to take two kites and carry them on her shoulders. A basket of straw sandals went out.

At this time, the weather is getting warmer, and the straw sandals should be easier to sell. There are at least a hundred pairs of straw sandals piled up at home. This is the fruit of Ye Dafu's labor last winter.

When the two arrived at the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Mai Xiang found a place for Mai Huang to watch a stall selling straw sandals, and she took a basket of grass and took a kite to the shade of the tree on the west side of the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. The carriage is usually watched by servants.

Mai Xiang knows that servants generally cannot make decisions, even if they buy fodder, it will not exceed five cents. This is not Mai Xiang's goal, what she wants is a reward.

Mai Xiang found a pure black horse with a particularly shiny coat color. This horse looks impressive at first glance, and Mai Xiang guessed that its owner must be right.

Mai Xiang had never fed a horse before, and she couldn't get close to the horse at first, because the horse's vigilance was particularly high.Mai Xiang had no choice but to grab a handful of grass and throw it to its mouth.

But the horse didn't even look at the grass on the ground. Mai Xiang squatted on the ground, resting her chin, staring at it, as if it could understand Mai Xiang, looking at Mai Xiang.

The man and the horse looked at each other for about 5 minutes. Seeing that the horse seemed to relax a bit, Mai Xiang took out a handful of grass from the basket and stretched out his hand tentatively. The horse looked at Mai Xiang for a while, until Mai Xiang's hand Feeling sour and wanting to give up, Ma just lowered his head and ate the grass in Mai Xiang's hand.

"Small sample, I don't believe I can handle you." Mai Xiang smiled triumphantly and clapped her hands, not noticing that there were several people standing not far behind her looking at her strangely, and two of them were Mai Xiang. Brother Dunmin Duncheng who Xiang knew.

"Come on, eat some more." Mai Xiang fed another handful of grass.

"Hey, where did you come from, you stinky girl? How dare you touch our master's horse?" Suddenly, a boy appeared out of nowhere, kicked Mai Xiang to the ground, and at the same time threw Mai Xiang's basket into the ground. Kicked away.

"You, you are too much, I just want to help you feed the horses, what are you doing?" Mai Xiang has done business in the Reclining Buddha Temple so many times, and has never met such an arrogant person.

"Feed it with you, what if we spoil our master's baby?" The boy stared at Mai Xiang with contempt.

"What's the matter? What are you arguing about?" A seventeen or eighteen-year-old young man wearing a blue satin Liuhe hat walked over swaggeringly. Mai Xiang saw a ruby ​​inlaid on the front of the hat and the clothes on his body were also satin. This person is a Manchu nobleman, and the Han people don't walk so arrogantly.

"Master, this stinky girl dares to touch my treasure, to feed my black wind."

Mai Xiang knew that today's flattery was not done well, and it was shot on the iron plate. Neither the master nor the servant is easy to talk to.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't touch your baby, I just fed your baby some fresh grass, really, your baby can testify." Mai Xiang bowed her head.

The other party looked at Mai Xiang, and saw that although Mai Xiang was not pretty, she was still clean, so he said: "What are you talking about, since she likes to feed my grandpa's baby, I took her back to feed the horses. There is still a lack of a groom."

"I'm sorry, I just want to help you feed the horses and earn some rewards. I don't want to be a special groom. Please forgive me." Mai Xiang was terrified when she heard this. manage?What about this family?What about Cao Xueqin?
(End of this chapter)