Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands

Chapter 449 - 428: Song Jinxiu, whose clothes are you mending? (2)_2

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In the evening, while chatting with Prince Luling and his wife, Li Yuzhu mentioned the situation with Song Jinxiu. She told them that Chen the Third had been quite diligent recently, running to the Song Family every day. Most villagers recognized Chen the Third now and even praised his diligence.

Princess Consort Luling chuckled, "It seems Chen the Third is a smart man; he responds quickly to hints."

"Mr. Song doesn’t quite agree with the Chen Family’s matter, mainly because of their business. He’s worried about what the villagers might say about his family," Prince Luling said, shaking his head.

Recalling what Old Chen said when Madam Chen gave birth to a daughter, Li Yuzhu remarked, "I remember Chen the Third’s father saying that they wouldn’t charge such high prices anymore. He mentioned that back then, their boat was new, and due to superstitions tied to new boats, they charged more to conduct ceremonies for warding off calamities. Now that the boat’s been used for years and is quite worn out, they won’t demand such high prices."

That was just them finding a way to back down gracefully, making polite excuses.

The main issue was the Chen Family’s lack of offspring. The eldest son kept getting into trouble, and Old Chen got frightened.

If Chen the Third marries Song Jinxiu, even if they only have granddaughters, Old Chen would be happy.

Having granddaughters is better than having none at all.

Because Madam Chen’s first childbirth took a toll on her body and she’s nearing forty, it’s uncertain if she can have more children.

However, Song Jinxiu is in the bloom of youth and healthy.

For the sake of descendants, the Chen Family would certainly restrain themselves a bit.

If Mr. Song truly had any objections, he would speak directly to Chen the Third.

"If the Chen Family makes changes, Mr. Song will agree," Prince Luling said.

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The next day was a fine day. Li Yuzhu moved some dried fish and meat from the kitchen, put them into a basket, and went with Mu Yuanxiu to Mr. Song’s house.

Just as Liu Yanbai had said, Chen the Third was busy at the Song family house.

He was carrying a load of water into the kitchen.

The big water buckets were filled to the brim, bending the carrying pole, yet Chen the Third walked briskly.

Song Jinxiu sat on a small stool in the yard, mending a man’s coat. Li Yuzhu, with sharp eyes, noticed that it wasn’t Mr. Song’s clothing.

Because that coat was rather roomy, and Mr. Song was of a small build.

"Jinxiu, mending clothes, are you?" Li Yuzhu walked over with a smile.

Song Jinxiu looked up, saw Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu approaching, and appeared flustered. She quickly bunched up the coat and tossed it into a sewing basket on the side of the stool.

"Miss Li, Brother Mu, you’re here? Come on into the yard and have a seat," Song Jinxiu said with a smile, standing up to move the stool.

Li Yuzhu glanced towards the kitchen area, "Oh, Chen the Third, you’re here too?"

Chen the Third dumped the water into a large water tank, wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve, and said with a goofy grin, "Grandpa Song’s legs aren’t strong, and Miss Jinxiu is not strong enough either. It would take her seventeen or eighteen trips back and forth to fill both water tanks. Since I’m free, I help carry the water."

Li Yuzhu pointed to a pile of firewood in the corner of the yard, "Did you chop that too?"

It had only been days since her last visit, and now there was a heap of firewood as tall as a small kitchen in the yard, a supply that would last through to the spring of the following year.

Chen the Third carried the empty water buckets into the yard, bashfully saying, "Grandpa Song and Miss Jinxiu aren’t strong, so I helped chop some wood. The weather’s getting colder by the day, and it’s necessary to stockpile firewood."

He waved to Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu and went back to fetch more water.

Li Yuzhu took the basket from Mu Yuanxiu and handed it to Song Jinxiu, "I brought this from home. It’s not much, don’t look down on it. The salted meat is a gift from the villagers, and the fish were caught and sun-dried from the creek in front of our house."

The basket contained three pounds of salted meat and more than three pounds of dried stream fish.

Dried meat can be eaten in many ways: cut into chunks and stewed with radish, sliced thin and steamed over rice, or cooked with various vegetables. Dried fish can be steamed or pan-fried.

Song Jinxiu, feeling embarrassed, said, "We already have lots of dried meat at home, and we can’t finish them all."

Li Yuzhu said, "Oh? You bought them at the market?" She asked deliberately.

She knew about Chen the Third giving dried meat.

Song Jinxiu blushed, "Not exactly, it’s... Chen the Third who sent them."

Li Yuzhu feigned surprise, "He delivered dried meat?"

"And quite a lot, that piece of dried meat must be at least ten pounds," Song Jinxiu pointed to the kitchen, "It’s hanging inside, afraid of mice chewing on it, he even caught two cats to watch over it."

Chen the Third truly was amusing, Li Yuzhu held back her laughter and walked into the kitchen.

Sure enough, there was a large soy sauce meat, draped with a light gray clean old cloth, hanging from the kitchen’s roof beam.

A big cat sat on a wooden ladder in the kitchen, looking at her with wide, round eyes.

A little cat was playing and pawing around in the pile of straw.

Li Yuzhu placed the dried meat and fish she brought on the table, "Jinxiu, dried meat and fish can be stored, you don’t have to worry about having too much. With the weather getting colder, rainy days and freezing rain will be common; it’s good to have supplies at home."

She insisted on having Song Jinxiu accept what she had brought.

Song Jinxiu had no choice but to accept it.

Without anything to offer in return, Song Jinxiu gave Li Yuzhu some osmanthus she gathered from around the village.

When she visited the Li Family, she noticed a faint osmanthus fragrance in the sisters’ room.

Having heard that Mr. Li liked Osmanthus Brew, she had gathered all she could find and collected more from villagers, planning to give them to Li Yuzhu when she came over.

Taohua River Village was known for its abundance of peach blossom trees, while Qingshui River Village was famous for its osmanthus.

Nearly every household had osmanthus trees nearby.

In autumn, the entire village would be infused with fragrance upon entering.

Li Yuzhu was indeed collecting osmanthus as Princess Consort Luling was learning to brew wine.

"Thank you so much." She accepted it with a smile.

The weather was nice today, and long-absent Mr. Song went out on his own, cane in hand, to visit a neighbor at the Niu family.

Seeing Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu, he insisted on having them stay for lunch.

But Li Yuzhu was quite busy today; in the afternoon, there were books to organize, and Mu Yuanxiu needed to go back to prepare for a trip, so they both declined.

She briefly checked Mr. Song’s health and gave him some medication to control blood sugar.

"We need to head to the county tomorrow, so we must get back early to prepare," Li Yuzhu explained.

"Ah, I see. I won’t keep you then," Mr. Song laughed and wished them a safe journey.

Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu left the Song family and took a carriage back to the village.

On a path in Qingshui River Village, Li Yuzhu saw a woman scolding a young man as they walked.

"That’s Liu Yanbai’s mother and his older brother," said Mu Yuanxiu, who was driving.

Li Yuzhu remarked, "His brother is dressed more lavishly than the city lads. What’s he off to do?"

As their mule cart approached, Li Yuzhu picked up the conversation.

It turned out Liu Yanbai’s brother was off to a matchmaking meeting.

Lady Liu was scolding him for walking slowly, "Walk so slow, the girl will leave before you get there!"

"Mom, I’m walking, aren’t I? It’s ten miles out and you didn’t hire a cart. My feet hurt!" Liu Yanbai’s brother complained.

"Ah, money’s tight at home, isn’t it? Once Er Egg makes money with the Li Family, I’ll have him get you a bullock cart," Lady Liu said. "A cripple like him should help his brother; who’s going to take care of him when he’s old!"

"I don’t want a bullock cart; it’s as slow as walking. I want a carriage!" Liu Yanbai’s brother shouted.

"Sure, sure, have him get you a carriage," Lady Liu echoed.

Li Yuzhu internally chuckled to herself at how thick-skinned this mother and son pair were.