Spring scenery in the fields

Chapter 175 Marriage

She probably understood what he meant, and continued, "What about a wheelbarrow? Why not buy one? It's easier than carrying it on the shoulders."

"I was originally planning to save money to buy a donkey cart, but now I have bought the land and spent two taels of silver."

"After selling this batch of goods, I only have a little over five taels left. It's too early to buy a donkey cart. I might as well buy a wheelbarrow."

On weekdays, I spend money on food and drink, and on anything the family needs.

And even if you earn enough nine taels of silver, you can't buy it immediately. You have to keep the money for purchasing and keep two taels of silver as a backup.

Shen Rongshan replied while digging a hole: "Okay, let's ask the carpenter to make one, or should we go to town and buy a ready-made one?"

"How much does a wheelbarrow cost? Which one is cheaper?"

"It costs 400 wen to ask a carpenter to make it. It should be more expensive if you buy it in town, but no more than 500 wen."

Ji Wenhe opened his mouth in surprise: "A wheelbarrow is so expensive!"

"Then you should hire someone to do it. It will be much cheaper."

She had seen wheelbarrows at the market, and the rotating part of the wheel was not made of iron but of wood.

So she thought it wouldn't be very expensive, about two hundred Wen.

Shen Rongshan stopped and turned to look at her: "It will take some time to make a wheelbarrow. I will go talk to the carpenter and you can give me fifty cents."

"It's a deposit, right? Wait, I'll go home and give it to you."

Ji Wenhe trotted back home and took out fifty cents.

"Here, is it far? When will you be back?"

"Not far, about half an hour, go home and rest, I'll be back soon."

He pushed down the brim of her hat, his brows gentle.

"Be good and go home. Wait for me to come back and dig."

"Okay, go ahead."

He agreed verbally, and after he left the village, he took a shovel and started digging a hole.

After a while, he put the shovel on the ground, panting, and came to Lan Qiuhua's house.

"Aunt Lan, Xiaoya, are you home?"

"Inside the house, come in."

She walked into the room, but Shen Suya was not there: "Where's Xiaoya?"

"Take the silk cord and go find Wanqing."

After the four of them learned it, Ji Wenhe let them go back home to embroider because she couldn't be at home every day.

"What did you do? You're sweating all over." Lan Qiuhua handed over a handkerchief.

She waved her hand and raised her sleeve to wipe the sweat off her face: "Dig a pit and build a shed."

"Where's Rongshan?"

"We went to the carpenter's house. We wanted to buy a wheelbarrow. It was too hot and we were afraid they would get heat stroke carrying the goods."

"It's convenient to push a wheelbarrow, and it saves trouble."

Ji Wenhe turned around and went to the kitchen to move a small stool, sat next to the door, and fanned himself with his hat.

Lan Qiuhua sat on the bed, embroidering a purse: "Didn't you say you wanted to buy a donkey cart?"

"I don't have enough money, and I don't know when I can buy a donkey cart."

The main reason is that they have spent a lot during this period.

By the end of the month, there are a lot of things to buy and the money is too much to spend.

"By the way, Wen He, have you heard?"

Ji Wenhe turned around and asked in confusion: "What's the matter?"

"Yang Cuicui from Zhaojia Village wants to propose marriage to Shen Ping. They just met yesterday."

"so fast!"

It's only been two or three days.

Lan Qiuhua looked puzzled: "You knew this before?"

She nodded and told him about what happened to her when she met Yang Cuicui two days ago.

"Aunt Lan, do you think it's possible? Uncle Ping's mouth is not likely to please a woman."

If he could talk, he wouldn't be naked until now.

"I don't know. I didn't ask, and Guilan didn't come to my house to tell me. I guess it's uncertain."

People can't talk about it, because if they do, she will come.

From a distance, I could hear her shouting, "Qiuhua."

Ji Wenhe poked his head out: "Aunt Niu."

"Hey, Wen He is here." She pushed open the gate, looking gossipy, "Have you heard about it?"

Niu Guilan walked to the bed and sat down. Without waiting for them to ask, she said directly, "Shen Ping's marriage is settled. It's with Zhao Sanniang from Zhaojia Village."

Lan Qiuhua put down the purse in her hand and rubbed her neck: "With Shen Ping's mouth, can Zhao Sanniang tolerate it?"

Ji Wenhe agreed in his heart.

"I told him in advance." She put her arms on the small table. "If he doesn't change his mouth, he will really be alone for the rest of his life."

"I just came out of his house and asked him when we could go to his house for a banquet, but he said no, so he took me back home and that was it."

"Aunt Niu, this... isn't this a bit... not good."

Ji Wenhe didn't say it directly, which was very disrespectful to the woman.

Niu Guilan looked at her and said, "Zhao Sanniang is thirty years old this year. Her husband died and she became a widow. Her two sons don't care about her."

"She was divorced and sent back by her husband's family. Her parents thought she was a disgrace. I heard that they didn't want any betrothal gifts. They asked Shen Ping to bring her back tomorrow, and the marriage will be settled."

"I have seen Zhao Sanniang before. She is a capable person, but she has a bad fate. I heard that her husband's family didn't treat her well either."

Lan Qiuhua secretly shook her head: "It's better to get married, it's better than being looked down upon by the husband's family."

"Yes, I went to Zhao Sanniang's house and saw that there was no room for her to sleep in. She slept in the utility room these past two days after returning home."

"There's not even a bed, just a broken wooden board on the ground."

Niu Guilan looked out the window and continued.

"Shen Ping is quite capable. Look at the two acres of land at home. He planted the rice seedlings by himself without asking anyone for help."

"It's just that his words are not pleasant to listen to. Now he has a wife, things are different. He is cleaning the house right now."

Ji Wenhe held her chin and listened quietly. If what she said was true, it would be better to get married than to stay in her parents' home.

I chatted with them for a while, said goodbye and left.

After the four pits were dug, they sat at the foot of the mountain to rest. Not long after, they saw Shen Rongshan coming back.

She waved her hand, and when someone came closer, she said, "Brother Shen, Uncle Ping is going to marry Zhao Sanniang from Zhaojia Village."

"Uncle Ping?"

He looked surprised, as if he didn't expect Shen Ping to get married.

"Yes." Ji Wenhe explained the situation to him.

Shen Rongshan looked back in the direction of Shen Ping's house: "As long as we can live, Uncle Ping should have figured it out."

If I don't control my mouth, I'm going to be single for the rest of my life.

"Wen He, I'll go carry the tree stump over here."

"I'll help you carry it over."

"No, I can lift it. You wait for me at the bottom of the mountain."

Ji Wenhe sat back on the stone, looking listless.

Niu Guilan came out of Lan Qiuhua's house and saw them busying around. She walked over in surprise and asked, "Did your family buy land?"

How come I haven't heard about it? He bought the land quietly. It seems he made a lot of money.

"Yes, Aunt Niu, the weather is too hot. It's not easy for Wenshan and his men to go out carrying hundreds of kilograms of goods."

“So I thought about buying a piece of land and building a shed. If there are any nearby, I will ask them to come to the village to buy them.”

"It seems that your family has made a lot of money, otherwise how could you buy wasteland and residential land?"