Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 36

Chapter 36

The next day, Ye Xi got up early, dressed carefully, and even wore the new clothes he had made for his wedding. He couldn’t look sloppy on his first visit to his future sister-in-law’s house.

Lin Jiangshan also got up. He couldn’t sleep without his husband beside him, feeling a sense of emptiness, so he got up early too, prepared the farming tools in the courtyard, and planned to sow the winter wheat in the fields today, so he could free up his time for other things.

Worried about the long journey, he said to Ye Xi before he left, “The road is long, and you might encounter wild animals and snakes, so be careful. It’s a long way to deliver the betrothal gifts with Mother and the others, so don’t be reluctant to spend the money, take an ox cart or mule cart, so you don’t tire your legs out and cause any problems. If anything happens, send someone back to tell me.”

As the groom’s husband, it wasn’t appropriate for him to go and deliver the betrothal gifts, so he could only give Ye Xi these instructions, worried that he would get tired from the long journey between the two villages, which involved crossing two mountains.

Seeing him fussing like a mother hen, Ye Xi smiled. “You’re just like my mother, giving me all sorts of instructions before I leave. I know, don’t worry.”

Lin Jiangshan wanted to say more, but he held back.

The village was far away, and they wouldn’t be able to return tonight, only tomorrow. Ye Xi, knowing that Lin Jiangshan couldn’t cook and that he had been spoiling him with all sorts of delicious food since they got married, making his taste buds more refined, had to prepare some food for him in advance.

He went to the kitchen, lit the fire, and made a few pancakes. Thinking that Lin Jiangshan would have to eat these for two days, he added a few eggs to the batter, sprinkled some chopped scallions, and cooked the pancakes until crispy. He also stir-fried some garlic with pumpkin vines, scallions with eggs, and made a mushroom sauce with the hazel mushrooms he picked yesterday.

“I made pancakes, and there are pickles and crispy oil residue in the cupboard. You’ll have to make do with these for the next few meals, wrap them in the pancakes,” he said to Lin Jiangshan in the courtyard.

Lin Jiangshan agreed. The thought of not seeing his husband for two days made him feel a bit uneasy, and he wasn’t in high spirits.

Ye Xi tidied up the house, mixed wheat bran and fed the chickens and ducks, added a basin of food for them, and then returned to the courtyard.

The fawn was lying listlessly under the eaves, not touching the pumpkin, looking pitiful.

“It’s still not eating,” Ye Xi said worriedly.

Lin Jiangshan glanced at it. “It’s a stubborn one, I’m afraid it’s going to starve itself to death. We have to take it to town and sell it before it dies.”

Wealthy families in town liked deer. It was said that deer blood nourished the body, deer meat strengthened the body, and the antlers were valuable medicinal ingredients, so a deer could be sold for one tael of silver in town.

Ye Xi squatted down, looking at its large, watery eyes, and reached out to pet its head. It was as docile as a puppy, and he felt a pang of pity. “If we sell it, will they skin it and drink its blood?”

Lin Jiangshan nodded. “Those wealthy families buy them for their health, so naturally, they’ll slaughter and stew them.”

Ye Xi couldn’t bear to hear that, pursed his lips, and said to the deer, “If you start eating before I come back tomorrow, I won’t sell you and will keep you as a pet.”

He knew that a deer wouldn’t understand his words.

Lin Jiangshan knew his husband was kind-hearted, so he said, “If it survives, I’ll keep it for you, husband, as a companion at home.”

Ye Xi felt slightly relieved.

He couldn’t delay any longer. He packed a basket of hazel mushrooms and kiwi fruits and hurried out, Liu Xiufeng was waiting for him at home.

When he arrived at the Ye family’s house, Liu Xiufeng was checking the items in the main room: a pair of chickens and ducks tied with red ribbons, two bolts of brightly colored cotton cloth, two jars of wine, and a package of soft cloud cakes Ye Shan bought from the shop. He had heard at the market yesterday that young women liked these sweet treats.

Pastries were more expensive than meat, and farming families were reluctant to buy them. Normally, the frugal Liu Xiufeng would have scolded him for wasting money, but now, she felt that her son had finally matured and become more thoughtful, and she was only happy.

“Mother, have you prepared everything?” Ye Xi asked, entering the room with the basket.

Liu Xiufeng replied, she even wore a silk flower in her hair today. “Everything is ready, just waiting to leave.”

She saw the basket in Ye Xi’s hand and lifted the pumpkin leaves covering it, checking the contents. “Why did you bring a basket of hazel mushrooms and kiwi fruits?”

Ye Xi glanced at his brother and smiled. “It’s my first time meeting my sister-in-law, naturally, I have to bring a gift. We don’t have anything special at home, these were picked by your son-in-law in the mountains yesterday, seasonal treats. I thought I’d bring some to my sister-in-law’s family as a small token of my appreciation.”

His brother’s thoughtful gesture brought honor to Ye Shan, and he said happily, “Xi-ge’er is so thoughtful, always thinking of me! Thank you, Brother!”

Liu Xiufeng’s face also beamed with a smile. Her son and son-in-law were thoughtful and considerate of their family, such a harmonious and happy family.

“These hazel mushrooms and kiwi fruits have to be picked in the deep forest. They would be worth dozens of copper coins at the market. Bringing them to the Li family is quite impressive, your future sister-in-law will appreciate your kindness.”

They couldn’t delay any longer. Father Ye urged them from outside, and they quickly took their things and left.

Xiushui Village was far away, the journey all mountain paths. The four of them carried the betrothal gifts and walked on the mountain road, sweating after a while. When they encountered a mountain spring, they stopped to drink some water and rest.

A peddler carrying goods passed by, and Father Ye greeted him and asked, “Young man, is Xiushui Village still far?”

The peddler, accustomed to traveling through the mountains and villages, walked effortlessly on these mountain paths. He smiled and said, “Master, are you going to Xiushui Village? It’s still quite far, you have to cross this mountain and the next one, probably another hour’s walk.”

Father Ye thanked him, and the peddler walked with them. He looked at Ye Shan and the betrothal gifts they were carrying and smiled. “You must be going to propose marriage. There are many good young women and men in Xiushui Village, which family are you proposing to?”

Ye Shan walked steadily, carrying the chickens and ducks, and smiled. “The Li family, Old Li the butcher’s family, in Xiushui Village.”

The peddler exclaimed, “That’s a good family, a butcher’s family. Mrs. Li Zhuang is a kind person, and her husband is also straightforward. Is it for Ran-guniang?”

Ye Shan’s lips curved into a smile at the thought of the young woman, and he replied loudly, “Yes.”

The peddler, a smooth talker, said, “Ran-guniang is virtuous and capable, a bit straightforward, but a good person. You have good taste.”

His words made Ye Shan and the others happy, and their steps became lighter.

After a while, an ox cart approached from the mountain path, the bells around the ox’s neck jingling. The peddler looked back and recognized the driver. “Hey, what a coincidence, that’s Jinghong-ge’er from the Lu family, the elder brother of Lu Jinghe, Li Zhuang’s husband. He’ll be related to you in the future.”

The Ye family stopped and looked at the ox cart. A middle-aged man with a sturdy build was driving the ox cart towards them, flicking his whip.

Lu Jinghong naturally knew that a family from Shanxiu Village was coming to his brother’s house today to propose marriage to his niece. He had just returned from town, and seeing the gifts they were carrying, he knew it must be them.

He stopped the cart and smiled. “Are you going to Xiushui Village? Are you the Ye family from the next village?”

Ye Shan nodded and stepped forward to greet him. “Yes, are you Old Li the butcher’s elder brother?”

Lu Jinghong said, “Yes, Ran-guniang is my niece. Come and ride in my ox cart, the road is still long, save your energy.”

Ye Xi, Liu Xiufeng, and the others didn’t refuse, put their things on the cart, and sat on the sides, swaying towards Xiushui Village.

Along the way, Ye Shan chatted with Lu Jinghong, their hearty laughter filling the air. Lu Jinghong, as his niece’s uncle, had a good impression of his future nephew-in-law, finding him honest and reliable.

Ye Xi and Liu Xiufeng sat at the back of the cart, the swaying motion making them drowsy.

Liu Xiufeng said enviously, “The Lu family is living a good life, considered one of the wealthiest families in Xiushui Village. They’re either butchers or own dozens of acres of land. The second Lu family is even better off, a carpenter. Oh dear, I was hesitant to propose marriage to them for your brother at first, afraid they would look down on our humble family.”

Ye Xi, having met Lu Jinghong today and heard what Liu Xiufeng said before, knew that although the Lu family was wealthy, they were kind and good people.

“Mother, this family is virtuous, they won’t look down on us. Even the peddler just now praised them. Don’t worry, my future sister-in-law will be a good person.”

Liu Xiufeng happily agreed. “Looking at the Lu family’s ox cart, Mother is thinking about when our family will be able to afford a cow. Then we won’t have to pull the plow ourselves when plowing the fields, and we’ll have a cart to ride.”

Ye Xi smiled. “After Brother gets married and has a family, he’ll definitely work even harder. We’ll be able to afford it in a few years.”

Liu Xiufeng hugged her beloved son. “Don’t just think about your brother, your husband is also capable of earning money, chopping firewood and hunting. He’s building up our family fortune, you must manage the household well and save the money carefully. I think you two will become one of the wealthy families in the village in a few years.”

Ye Xi’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Alright, since Mother said so, then we’ll definitely work hard to become wealthy.”

The cart full of people, filled with laughter and chatter, headed towards Xiushui Village.