Spring scenery in the fields

Chapter 263 Learning a Craft

Ji Wenhe stood under the shed: "Fortunately we built a shed, otherwise the snow would be so thick that it would be difficult to walk."

"By the way, Brother Shen, let's go to Baiyun Mountain tomorrow morning. I'll go see the lonely goose."

She was pregnant and brought some eggs from home.

"Okay." Shen Rongshan urged, "Go inside quickly, it's cold outside."

"Fortunately, it's not too cold."

I was wearing a new cotton-padded jacket, which was very warm.

Shen Yuanshan came out yawning: "Brother, are we going out to sell goods today?"

Ji Wenhe took over the conversation: "I don't know if there will be sunshine today. The snow hasn't melted yet, so the road may not be easy to walk on. I think I'll take a rest at home today."

"It's better not to rest. If it's hard to walk, just walk slowly. I'm afraid that my business will be taken away by others."

A few days ago, they went out to sell goods and met two colleagues.

One peddler sells a variety of things, including everything. Another peddler is just like them, only selling rice and flour, and the prices are the same.

Shen Yuanshan continued, "There have been fewer people buying these days. I think we should import goods once a month in the future."

Anyway, the price is the same, so it makes no difference to the villagers whose house they buy from. Only the villagers don’t buy other people’s things and only recognize their house.

Ji Wenhe said helplessly: "There is no other way. We can't stop them from doing this business. We will still go to every village as before. If there is business, we will do it. If there is no business, we will come back early."

She had expected that colleagues would appear, but it was a little late.

"We'll raise a hundred or eighty chickens next year and start breeding."

Shen Wenshan came out of the house and asked, "Sister-in-law, are you not going to do business anymore?"

"Yes, now that we have competitors, business is definitely not as good as before. We have to find other ways to make money. We can't just rely on business."

It’s a pity that wasteland cannot be used as residential land, otherwise the house would have been built long ago.

Ji Wenhe walked up to Shen Rongshan and lowered his voice: "Brother Shen, why don't we send them to a carpenter to learn crafts this year."

"Now that you can sell the goods by yourself, don't let them go with you. Learn the skills as soon as possible so that you can find a good marriage."

He thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll discuss it with them during dinner."

Four people sat at the table for breakfast.

Shen Rongshan said, "Your sister-in-law wants to send you to learn the craft from a carpenter. After you learn it, you can teach it to your children and pass it down from generation to generation. Do you want to go?"

The two brothers looked at each other and nodded repeatedly.

"But don't be too happy too soon. The carpenter may not be willing to hire you."

"Brother, let me go." Shen Yuanshan explained, "I learn quickly. When he finishes his studies, he will come back to teach me. If there are two of us, the carpenter will definitely not want both of us."

Ji Wenhe nodded in agreement: "I think it's okay. As the saying goes, 'Teach your apprentice and starve your master'. If two people go to learn the craft from him at once, the carpenter will definitely not accept both of them. He may let one of you stay."

"Wenshan is better at doing things than Yuanshan. Once he learns, he will come back and be your master. You two can do business together in the future, but it depends on you."

Shen Rongshan looked at the two of them and said, "Make your own decision and tell us after you've discussed it."

"No need to discuss, just let me go."

"Okay." Shen Wenshan replied, "Then I'll go. I'll teach you when I come back after I've learned it."

That's how it was settled.

After breakfast, Ji Wenhe went into the house, took out a string of copper coins and put them in a cloth bag.

Shen Rongshan was shoveling snow on the steps. She walked over and said, "Brother Shen, take Wenshan to the carpenter's house later. Here is one tael of silver. Should that be enough?"

"That's enough." He took the purse and put it in his arms. "I have pickled beans at home. Fill a pottery jar for me."

"Row."

When learning a craft from someone, the more gifts you give, the greater your hope of becoming his apprentice.

He filled a small ceramic jar with sour beans, took out a basket, and put two cabbages, two pumpkins, and some dried long beans and winter melon in it.

Whether the carpenter is willing to accept an apprentice is up to fate.

Seeing Shen Wenshan coming out of the house, he handed him the basket and said, "Behave well and be sweet when you get there. If he doesn't want to take it, don't worry. We can find another carpenter."

"Well, I understand, sister-in-law."

Shen Rongshan walked into the yard with a shovel in his hand: "Wen He, stay at home, don't go down the mountain, we will be back soon."

"Okay, you go."

He watched them walk away, then turned and went into the house.

After the beginning of winter, chickens don’t lay many eggs, and they haven’t laid any eggs in the past few days.

I counted three duck eggs, three goose eggs, and twelve chicken eggs, leaving some for myself.

At the end of the month, I went to town and bought a pound of fatty pork.

Shen Yuanshan came out from the inner room and asked curiously, "Sister-in-law, why are you counting eggs?"

"Let's go to Baiyun Mountain tomorrow. Gu Yan is pregnant, so I'll go see her."

"How about sending two cabbages and two pumpkins?"

Ji Wenhe thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you bring two over?"

He nodded: "Okay, I'll go get it from the cellar."

It was almost noon when the two brothers came back.

Seeing the joy on their faces, she knew that it was done.

Shen Yuanshan was sitting at the doorway sewing. When he saw them coming up, he asked anxiously, "Brother, how about it, is the carpenter willing to accept an apprentice?"

"The carpenter agreed." Shen Wenshan said with a smile, "Let me go there tomorrow."

"I go out with my eldest brother in the morning and wait for him by the roadside in the evening, and come back in a donkey cart."

"Great, come back and teach me when you've learned it."

"it is good."

Shen Rongshan motioned her to go into the house, and when she got inside, he took out his purse: "Carpenter Li only asked for 500 coins, and I brought back the pottery jar."

Ji Wenhe asked doubtfully, "Doesn't Carpenter Li have a son?"

"Yes, his son is also a carpenter, working in a shop in town. He has good skills, but he can't make much money in the village, so he doesn't want to come back."

"If it were me, I would definitely want to work in town. There are not many people in the village who can make big items, so good skills would be wasted."

She put the money under the pillow, turned around and saw that he was wearing a thin cotton coat. She held his hand and tried it, and it was not cold.

"When it's cold, put on a thick cotton jacket and don't freeze yourself."

Shen Rongshan held her hand in return, took a step forward, and hugged her in his arms: "Yes."

Ji Wenhe leaned on his chest, raised his head slightly, and lowered his voice: "I won't go out to sell goods today. I'll rest at home for a day."

He closed his eyes and whispered, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

It’s too cold in winter, so villagers don’t like to visit each other and just stay at home.

I finished dinner early, washed up and went to bed.

Hearing the sound of the door closing, Ji Wenhe said, "Next year, take the old quilt and re-roll it. It's a bit hard to put it under you. It's better to cover yourself with a quilt, which is soft and warm."

Shen Rongshan walked to the bed in the dark, took off his coat, lay down on the outside, and put his arms flat. She moved into his arms and rested her head on his arms.

"Wait until spring comes, and take the old cotton-padded jacket with you."

He was warm and covered with a new quilt, and lying in his arms, he didn't feel cold at all.

"I am looking forward to the New Year being over soon and the wheat being harvested so that we can buy some land."