Traveling through ancient times: living a different life

With so many people coming to the house at once, cooking was temporarily arranged for Niu, Tian and Lu Yiping. Tian was the chef and the other two were his assistants.

Today we cleaned up the house and took a half-day break. We will go to work in the fields tomorrow.

After dinner, the 11 people stood in the yard and introduced themselves to the whole family, getting to know each other.

The winery business is good now, and my mother-in-law has to go back to do spring ploughing. There are only two of us in the store, a couple. My aunt has to take care of two little kids, and my uncle can't handle it all by himself in the store, so there is a shortage of manpower. So my grandmother asked 15-year-old Xiang Zhigao and 11-year-old Lu Gensheng to help first.

The three women, together with Wang and the second aunt, worked together to make clothes for the servants, two sets for each person. Worried that there were not enough for too many people, they would go to the cloth shop tomorrow to bring back three more rolls of coarse cloth.

I asked 11 people about their foot sizes and had each of them buy two pairs of rubber-soled shoes, black for the men and dark grey for the women. Everyone loved these great shoes so much that they couldn't let go.

Grandma asked Lu Xiaomai to follow Biyue in the future, but not to sleep in the same room with her granddaughter. Lu Dashan and his wife were very happy and asked their daughter to listen to the young lady.

Bi Yue also agreed. Usually, Bi Yue asked her to learn words and read books with the three Tingwei brothers. The children became familiar with each other quickly.

The servants, led by Qingyun and Qinghui, loosened the soil and raised rice seedlings. The rice fields would be planted in mid-to-late March. Last year, they had a good harvest from raising fish on two acres of land, so this year they plan to raise five acres of land and 50 ducks.

Qingyun also found the village chief and asked him to tell the villagers that those who wanted to raise fish in rice fields could order fish fry first, and those who wanted to grow potatoes could come to Chen's house to buy seeds in a few days.

On the 12th, everyone in the village lined up at Chen's house to buy potato seeds and asked about fish farming.

Two big red papers were posted outside the Chen family’s door, on which were written where to put the potatoes, how to make them sprout, how to cut them, how to plant them, various precautions, etc.

How to raise fish? The weather is a bit cool now. Putting fish into the fields in mid-to-late April will be more conducive to their survival and growth, but the fish will not grow too big. Those who want to raise fish can try it and let someone who can read read it to the villagers.

After repeated requests from the village chief and villagers, each family planted two acres of potatoes. The Chen family finally met the villagers' wishes. Each family provided 400 kilograms of seeds, which could almost plant two acres of land whether cut or whole. The villagers were all smiling.

Worried that there wouldn't be enough potatoes, Biyue placed an order and had them stored in the winery's warehouse.

On the 13th, relatives Wang and Li came with the village chief driving several ox carts, and the two villages brought back nearly kilograms of potatoes.

My fourth uncle has been feeling uneasy these past few days. The day when the scholar results will be announced is approaching. He is extremely nervous and cannot sit still. Everyone in the family knows what is going on.

The whole family comforted him not to worry, and Bi Yue also said to him: "It will take two days for the county to receive the good news before the list is released on the 25th, and then the county will send people to the village.

On the 28th, Fourth Uncle got up very early, and the family didn't let him do anything today. At o'clock in the morning, the sound of gongs and drums came from outside the village, getting closer and closer. The whole family guessed that it might be a good news. This time, Qinghui was the only one in the village going to the capital to take the exam.

A group of people slowly approached from a distance. In front were the yamen runners. They arrived at the gate of the Chen family in great joy. When the villagers saw them, they dropped their work and came to watch the fun.

The yamen runners announced loudly, "Today, Chen Qinghui, a student from Shuwan Village in Sishui County, has won the third place in this year's scholar exam. Congratulations!"

When Fourth Uncle received the document from the messenger, he was so happy that he couldn't even say a word.

Grandpa and grandma quickly invited the guests into the house for tea and gave them red envelopes as rewards.

The whole family is really happy today, and the villagers are also happy for the Chen family. Last year, the Chen family produced a ninth-rank agricultural official, and this year the fourth son passed the imperial examination and became a scholar. All good things have gathered in the Chen family. The villagers gathered in three layers inside and outside, surrounding the Chen family so tightly that no one could get in or out.

After sending away the yamen runner who brought the good news, grandpa said to the people outside that he would treat the villagers to a wedding banquet tomorrow. The villagers happily agreed. The Chen family was going to treat again, and the villagers could have a good meal again, hahaha!

Fourth Uncle returned to his room and took the scholar's document. He read it again and again, as if he was dreaming. He felt happy and excited.

Bi Yue came in and said to him with a smile: "Uncle, you got third place in the exam, that's great! Congratulations! Keep up the hard work!!!"

Fourth uncle put down the documents, picked up Biyue, and kissed her on the cheek, "Thank you, little Yueyue. Without your help, it would be difficult for Fourth uncle to get third place in the exam, and he would be at the bottom. Fourth uncle will remember this kindness in his heart and will never forget it."

Biyue has a soul of more than 5 years old and a body of more than years old. Her face turned red when she was kissed by her fourth uncle. Qinghui was immersed in joy and didn't notice it.

"Fourth Uncle, you did well in the exam this time. You have made great progress. Are you considering continuing to study in this academy or going to another academy?"

Fourth Uncle put Bi Yue down, thought for a moment, and then said, "Last time, the teacher said that he hoped to continue studying at Zhiyuan Academy. You don't know that my teacher is the top scholar of the 35th class of Dachang State. I am lucky to be his student. It is all thanks to you. How can I be so worthy to have such a good niece like you help me? I am so lucky.

He said last time that if I could pass the exam to become a scholar, he would personally guide me, and when I passed the exam to become a juren, he would recommend me to study at the Imperial Academy. I agreed without hesitation. "

"This is a good thing. Not just anyone can enter the Imperial College. For your sake, the headmaster continues to stay in the academy to teach. First, because the potion I gave him last time helped his brother and son. Second, he stayed to thank you. Once you have the status of a juren, it will be helpful to you."

"My little Yueyue was very far-sighted and predicted all this early on. Now everything is developing in a positive direction. It is really worth celebrating."

"Today we will celebrate on our own, and in the afternoon we will go to town to do some shopping by horse and ox cart."

After the two of them came out, grandpa and grandma arranged to inform relatives in the afternoon. There were not enough ox carts, so they went to Doctor Lin and Cao Qingmin's house to borrow two carts.

Qinghai and Qinghui went to inform the two in-laws, while Tian Liujin, Wu Ben and Qingyun went to the town to buy ingredients for tomorrow's banquet.

It was another busy afternoon, and the children were reading books and eating snacks in the house, carefree.

They came back one after another at four in the afternoon. They dropped the meat into the well in the backyard for use tomorrow. They killed all the chickens they bought in the village, marinated them and kept them ready. It was getting dark at around six o'clock, so everyone went to rest and washed up. Biyue placed an order for oil lamps and matches on the system, and asked her father to distribute them to the three servants' rooms. She also taught them how to use them so that they could get up at night. What thoughtful care she showed!