Lucky husband

The running water banquet started at Si o'clock in the morning and ended at the end of You o'clock in the evening. There were still a lot of meals prepared by the Li family and the Bai family.

But seeing the sky getting darker, the number of people coming to eat the noodles gradually decreased, and after the prepared meat and vegetables were almost used up, Granny Li asked the chef not to make new ones, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law she organized to help clean up Divide the rest of the meal.

The rice on the flowing water table is all steamed from new rice. For the people in these villages, even if they don’t have any food, they can eat two or three bowls of dry rice. There are several barrels of rice left. It was snatched by everyone.

In addition to rice, what is more important is the dishes. Countryside people do not pay much attention to the appearance of the banquet. As long as the taste is good, the portion is large, and the oil is heavy, everyone will give a thumbs up.

Therefore, although the dishes are leftovers, they are only willing to prepare during the Chinese New Year. Those who hold the bowls are very happy.

Originally, most of the bowls were borrowed from various households two days ago. After everyone found their own bowls, which dish they fancy, just tell Granny Li and just go back.

In less than a stick of incense, the rest of the food on the flowing water mat was divided up. After the tables and bowls were taken away, almost only the floor remained to be cleaned.

This matter does not need the help of the villagers. The master who was invited to handle the noodles and the people he brought over cleaned up the open space in a few moments. They used the bullock cart to pull the steamer they brought and other things, and left with the wages. Shanghe Village.

Since the running water feast ended very late, it would be a curfew if we went back to the county, so Wenzhu stayed in Shanghe Village.

Li's family hadn't built a new house in these years, and there was no extra room in the main house and the left wing to prepare a bed for Wenzhu, so he simply went directly to the right wing, and shared a night with Xiang Yiyu who had been living there.

It was too busy and tiring to prepare the flowing water mat during the day, and the Li family went to bed and fell asleep after the guests left after washing up one by one.

The next morning, Wenzhu, Li Mingde and Bai Zhiwen first explained the accounts of several shops and told them the situation of the shops before leaving.

Li Mingde and Bai Zhiwen did not leave, Zhang Anhao gave them five days off, today is the third day, they can continue to stay in the village.

But even if they don't have to go to Zhang's house in the county seat to study, they still have to do their daily basic homework at home.

Asparagus left, after Li Mingde finished reading the big characters and books that should be written today, Mrs. Li approached her eldest grandson and asked him to help calculate how much money was spent on yesterday's water banquet and how much gift money was received.

The initial budget was 20 taels of silver, and the Li family and the Bai family contributed ten taels.

It cost a total of 17 taels of silver and three hundred wen to buy the meat. The two-day salary for the master chef and his apprentices was one tael and two hundred wen. The rental tools for cooking were calculated separately. It was 21 Wen, and there was a total of [-] Wen for buying vegetables from the villagers, and some other expenses of two taels of silver. The total cost was [-] taels of silver and three hundred Wen. The Li family paid more than one or two taels first.

However, because the two scholars merged together to celebrate, after today's flowing water banquet, the gift money they received was doubled. Old Madam Li carefully counted back and forth twice, and the total was six taels of silver and 820 renminbi.

Li Mingde recorded the data on paper, one in and one out, and calculated the final remaining money of the water banquet: five taels of silver and 520 Wen.

The figure calculated by Li Mingde coincided with the amount of money left in Mrs. Li's hands. There was no problem with the accounts, and the Li family should return half of it to the Bai family, which is two taels of silver and 760 Wen.

After splitting the money from the two families, Li Mingde approached his grandma and talked about his next plan.

First of all, of course, is his marriage with Bai Ting. This was decided last year. Now that the hospital examination is over, the preparations should naturally begin.

Old Madam Li watched her elder grandson blushing bring up this matter, and laughed at him: "When you remember that the day lily is cold, I have asked your father and Bai Ting's father to discuss this matter a long time ago. Bai Ting's dowry is all ready, and the chef in charge of the wedding banquet is the chef from the flowing water banquet yesterday, and in two days you will go and marry Bai Ting back home."

Li Mingde's eyes flickered left and right, and soon he stabilized, nodding to show that he understood.

After thinking about it, Li Mingde ran back to his room, took out a box and handed it to Granny Li: "Grandma, I prepared this for Bai Ting, someday you can help me give this to her."

Zhang Anhao's education for the two disciples is quite strict. Although the two disciples are from farming families, he wants them to master the skills necessary for scholars such as piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. It is enough not to show timidity in the conversation.

Inside the box is a framed painting, the person in the painting is Bai Ting, this is the first painting Li Mingde drew after he learned how to draw figures, although the technique is a little rusty, but the figures are very vivid, you can tell I put my mind into it.

So after finishing the painting, he went to find the master of the painting to frame the painting, intending to give it to Bai Ting as a gift before getting married.

Mrs. Li didn't open the box to see what was in the box. What the grandson wanted to give to the granddaughter-in-law was the love between their young people. She, an old lady, didn't bother to worry about it: "You two are getting married soon, go and deliver the gift yourself. Give it to her."

Back then, Li Mingchun and Bai Chen met secretly not long after they got engaged. In the following years, every time Bai Chen came back from his master, he would go to Li Mingchun first. Why didn't the eldest grandson have such a brain? .

Li Mingde shook his head. His temperament was relatively calm. After studying with Mr. Zhang Lao, he strictly abided by etiquette. He felt that it was best not to meet in private before marriage, because he thought it would be easy to appear less respectful to his fiancée.

For the eldest grandson who is not enlightened, Mrs. Li shook her head and stopped talking about him. He has had this personality for so many years, and he probably can't change it. Fortunately, Bai Ting is a considerate girl, so she probably won't mind.

Then there is the matter of going to Fucheng to study. Mrs. Li is a little mentally prepared. Listening to Li Mingde

Here, Li Mingde was discussing with Mrs. Li, while Bai Zhiwen and Bai Yaoshi were also talking about his marriage with Li Mingjin.

Only at this time did Bai Zhiwen know that his mother had told the Li family about this matter before the Chinese New Year. tell him.

Bai Zhiwen's expression became tense all of a sudden, and he immediately recalled whether his actions from the New Year to now had gone out of line.

Bai Yao secretly sighed that it was a big mistake to stay, and he couldn't bear to let his son get entangled so he told him: "I don't think your Aunt Li has any objections, it should be that you can go to their house to propose marriage after passing the exam, so don't worry so much, Think about what to say when you go to propose marriage."

Hearing this, Bai Zhiwen seemed even more nervous. The first time the eldest girl got on the sedan chair, it was the same for him to propose marriage. What will he do and say then?

"Okay, don't be so nervous so early. If you want to propose a marriage, you have to wait until Li Mingde has settled the matter." Seeing that his son, who seemed to be doing other things calmly, was nervous about his own marriage, Bai Yao couldn't help it. Live a little sad.

Mother and child are connected, Bai Zhiwen felt his mother's emotions, and tried to suppress his nervousness: "Mother, you... I will definitely study hard, so that you can live a good life in the future."

It's quite rare for Bai Zhiwen, who is not used to sweet talk, to say this, and Bai Yao quickly suppressed the sadness, and she looked at her son seriously: "Mother doesn't want to live a good life for you, but I hope you will be able to go smoothly in the future, live a good life with Brother Jin after you get married, and try to let your mother hug your grandson, granddaughter or grandson as soon as possible."

Speaking of getting married, Bai Zhiwen's face became slightly hot again, he cleared his throat a little uncomfortably, and quickly changed the subject: "Mother, Brother Mingde and I should go to the government school in Fucheng next time, you and your brother are at home, we have to Or raise a dog to look after the home?"

"Well, why are you going to Fucheng?" Mrs. Bai Yao was a little strange. Isn't it good that the two of them studied with Mr. Zhang Lao in the county town? Why are they going to Fucheng to study again.

Now that Bai Zhiwen has passed the scholar exam, and the teacher is leaving, there is no need to keep things related to the teacher from his family.

Bai Zhiwen roughly told his mother about Zhang Anhao's background, the small fortune he left to his two disciples, his requirements for them, and their current level.

Bai Yao is not a real country woman. Her natal father and married husband are all scholars, and they know more about imperial examinations and official affairs than most women. After hearing what her son said, she was very surprised.

What kind of person is Hubu Shangshu? She never dared to think about it before. Such a person would actually stay in Changping County and teach her son for six years?

In the past, Bai Yao's expectations for Bai Zhiwen were only to be better than his father in the exam. After knowing that her son's teacher is such a powerful person, and also knowing his son's level, her ambition suddenly swelled up—— The son will definitely be able to pass the Jinshi exam!

These cognitions made Bai Yao neglect to ask Zhang Anhao what kind of small business Zhang Anhao left to pay the travel expenses for the two disciples. She returned to her room in a daze, and needed to be alone for a while!

Bai Yao was surprised by Zhang Anhao's former official position, and Mrs. Li was surprised by the amount of money after learning from Li Mingde that his teacher had left so much money for the two of them.

After all, in Mrs. Li's cognition, there are only officials such as magistrate, prefecture, prefect, and governor, and she has never heard of such official positions as magistrate and general judge.

So after knowing that Sun Tzu's teacher was from the capital, Mrs. Li just kept lamenting that the other party's background was not small, but she didn't know exactly how big it was.

In Li's opinion, the more than 1000 taels of silver made her even more frightened and uneasy. She would accept it after receiving ten taels or 20 taels of silver. She had never seen thousands of taels of silver, which was a bit unimaginable.

After the separation, apart from taking care of the family property of the old couple and the eldest son's family at the time of the separation, and the filial piety of the sons and daughter-in-law after the separation, Granny Li basically didn't care about the family property of the sons. .

She has worked hard to save hundreds of taels of silver over the years, thinking that she already has a lot of money.

After thinking about it, Mrs. Li said to her eldest grandson, "Mingde, your parents can earn money in business now, but we can't use the money your teacher gave us."

"You said that after you get married, you are going to study in a government school in Fucheng. Your parents have already prepared 300 taels of silver for you. Although you can't buy a house in Fucheng, it is enough for you and the young couple to study in Fucheng for a few years, rent a house and spend other expenses. sold."

"No one's money is blown by the strong wind. Your teacher left you a lot of money. Otherwise, you can find a way to return it to him after you go to the capital to take the exam. Your teacher is so kind to you. You don't take money, but you must Remember his kindness."

Mrs. Li took Li Mingde to talk a lot, but still felt uneasy, and asked Li Mingde to send the money to the Bai family, and then found Jiang Zhiyun who was at home: "The third daughter-in-law, Mingde, his teacher, I don't think so." I always feel uneasy..."

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