My humble days in ancient times

The next day, Tian Yuhe got up early to help with breakfast, so Xu Ruyi asked her to light the fire. Xu Ruyi washed and chopped the wild vegetables, scooped a bowl of gray noodles into a wooden basin, and then added some water and stirred it into lumps. The breakfast she made was noodle soup, which was easy.

After dinner, Xu Ruyi and Xu Qinghe went up the mountain with their backpacks.

Xu Qinghe and Xu Ruyuan continued to go to the village school to attend lectures.

There was a scholar named Han Jun in the village. After passing the exam, he didn't continue to take the exam. He was considered the most learned man in the village. He decided to use two empty thatched houses in the village as a school. The villagers were happy to see the school become a success. After the school was completed, many children from the village went to study. It was close to home and very convenient.

Han Jun was the only teacher at the school. He taught only half the morning, leaving the students with complete freedom in the afternoon, free to review their lessons, help with chores, or simply play. Han Jun only accepted children under ten; those over ten had to attend other schools in town or county.

Most people hope that their children will learn to read more. As for fame and fortune, they think about it but don't take it too seriously, as it will cost a lot of money.

Tian Yuhe stood alone in the yard.

Xu Dachuan was preparing to go to the old house next door.

The news that Xu Dachuan had brought a female relative home yesterday had spread throughout the village, and three or five neighbors had already passed by their house.

Old Li was old, probably in his sixties, and he couldn't work all day, so he just wandered around the village. He came here while walking.

"Dachuan, has Qinghe had breakfast?"

Xu Dachuan: "I have eaten. You have eaten too, right?"

Old Li's face was bright red: "I got up at five and had dinner at six."

After greeting Old Li, he stood outside the fence and didn't come in. Zhang San and Widow Wang also came over one after another. The three of them were talking about something.

It’s true that good things don’t go out, but bad things spread thousands of miles.

Xu Dachuan left the yard and went to the old house next door. Xu Dachuan's parents lived in the old house. Xu Dachuan wanted to persuade his parents to let Tian Yuhe stay temporarily. After Xu Dachuan left, the neighbors did not move a step.

The three people outside the courtyard kept looking at Tian Yuhe, especially Zhang San and Widow Wang, as if they wanted to dig a hole in Tian Yuhe's face and body.

Tian Yuhe met their gazes and wanted to say something, but in the end, she kept silent. She didn't even know them? She just felt uncomfortable being stared at like a monkey, and she felt uncomfortable.

Forget it, rural people are like this everywhere, poor houses are built together, the doors are open, and they like to watch each other's fun. In a lifetime, I can't go to the county town more than a few times, and I can only find fun in the villagers of the front and back three villages.

Tian Yuhe forced a smile, then turned and went into the house.

Later they left.

The villagers had already started cooking, with smoke rising from the kitchen. Xu Ruyi and Qinghe were also busy preparing lunch after returning. However, when they ate lunch, Tian Yuhe was gone.

In the afternoon, the four brothers and sisters went to the mountains to dig wild vegetables.

People were scattered in groups of three or four on the hilltop.

They came to the north, some went to the west, and some went to the northeast.

Xu Qinghe and Xu Ruyi carried backpacks, while Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan carried baskets.

They came to the outskirts of the mountain, where the wild vegetables had been almost dug up.

They walked a little further and started digging. There were many wild vegetables in spring, such as shepherd's purse, wild onion, water spinach, ash-green mustard, purslane, fern...

Actually, Chinese toon is also good. I wonder if it can be found in the mountains here.

Xu Ruyi asked Xu Qinghe: "Brother, are there any medicinal herbs or anything like that in this mountain?"

Xu Qinghe was stunned. "Are you talking about plantain and wild chrysanthemum? Everyone is familiar with these two, but not so much with the others. I only know about these when I saw Doctor Qian from the village digging them up the mountain."

"Then why don't they dig some and sell them?" Xu Ruyi underestimated the villagers. They knew some of the herbs.

Xu Qinghe thought for a moment and said, "Some herbs need to be processed before the pharmacy will accept them. They don't know how to process them, and they don't recognize most of them. The little girl in the village will dig up plantain and sell it to Doctor Qian. After drying, the price is probably a few coins per pound!"

Xu Ruyi thought about it and realized that if they could make a lot of money, it wouldn't be Xiaohua's turn.

Xu Ruyi walked inside while digging.

Xu Qinghe reminded from behind: "Don't go too far!"

Xu Ruyi waved his hand to indicate that he understood, and strode into the mountains.

Not long after Xu Ruyuan left, he met Xu Xiaohua. Xu Xiaohua was the same age as Ruyuan, seven years old, and depended on Grandma Wu for everything.

She came over with a basket on her back: "Sister Ruyi."

"Well, Xiaohua, you've finished digging up wild vegetables and are back home so soon!"

"I came early, so I can finish digging early and go back early. Sister Ruyi, walk forward a little bit and see a crooked tree, then go a little to the west, there are more wild vegetables there." After saying this, Xu Xiaohua went down the mountain.

Xu Ruyi went to the place Xu Xiaohua mentioned and indeed found a large patch of wild vegetables. He started digging them up in a hurry and soon filled a basket with them.

Xu Ruyi walked back and saw many children making a lot of noise from afar.

When I got closer, I saw that it was Da Niu, Er Hu and a few other kids who had also come over.

Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan were arguing with them.

Erhu was the son of Huang Guiyun, a village shrew. He often bullied other children. He was fatter than average, and at nine years old, he was stronger than his peers.

At this moment, Xu Erhu was gritting his teeth and threatening fiercely: "I was the first one to discover the wild vegetables there. If you dig them up again next time, I will beat you."

Xu Qingyan was also angry: "I'm not afraid of you. Why don't you try to fight with my brother?"

Xu Erhu looked at Xu Qinghe next to him, stunned for a moment, his heart skipped a beat, knowing that he couldn't win: "Believe it or not, I will go back and tell my mother to take care of you."

Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan said together, "I don't believe it."

Xu Qinghe looked at them with amusement: "Are you all calm now? Just go away after the quarrel!"

Xu Ruyi also approached and said, "There are so many wild vegetables on the mountain! Look, I've dug up a basket! Everyone should try to spread out more in the future."

Xu Erhu was still not convinced and was very angry.

Xu Daniu had no choice but to pull him away.

Xu Ruyi looked at her younger brother and sister and said, "Not bad, you've become more capable now. You can even quarrel now."

Several people went down the mountain and went home happily.

Back home, they picked some vegetables and cooked dinner early. After a tiring day, Xu Ruyi climbed into bed early. Tian Yuhe had also moved next door, which was great. The three of them were too crowded, so it was just right for her and her sister.

Xu Ruyuan said: "Sister, I can't sleep."

"I can't sleep either. I go to bed when it gets dark. The night is long and it takes five or six hours for daylight to come out. Actually, four hours of sleep is enough."

In modern times, eight hours of sleep is enough, and we have clocks, watches, alarm clocks, mobile phones and other timers. However, the villagers in this dynasty did not have timekeeping tools and simply adhered to the lifestyle of working from sunrise to sunset.

"Well, it would be nice if there was sunshine in the sky at night. That way I wouldn't have to go to bed early."

Xu Ruyi smiled and said, "There is no sun at night, but there is the moon and stars, and the night is for people to have a good rest."

Xu Ruyuan disagreed: "But sister, the moon is not as bright as the sun, and the stars are not as bright as the sun. It's not good at all."

"Yes, yes, if you still can't sleep, I'll tell you a story!"

"Sister, you can tell stories, so tell them quickly!" Xu Ruyuan squeezed straight into Xu Ruyi's arms.

"Okay, let's tell the story of the boy who cried wolf."