Chapter 621: Imperial Examination Family-Raising System (30)

Regarding the homespun cloth bought from Qingfeng City last time, Lin Shi had distributed it to several women with whom she had good relations at the town price, earning a few dozen Silver from it.

It was just that the circumstances of every household were plain to see; not everyone had the money to buy cloth to make new clothes, and since the family didn't have a horse-drawn carriage at the time, they hadn't even considered going to Qingfeng City again to "restock."

But liquor was different! Liquor was indispensable for ancestral worship during the New Year; even if times were tight, people would find a way to save a few dozen Silver to buy a small jug.

Moreover, people like the village head and the village chief, who had a bit of spare cash on hand, would send their children or grandchildren to town to buy liquor every ten days or half a month. They could go without new clothes, but they were certainly willing to spend money on liquor!

Lin Shi did some calculations: a five-jin jug of liquor cost three hundred Silver if bought by the whole jar. If sold at the town's retail price, five jin of liquor could sell for three hundred and fifty Silver, earning fifty Silver per jar. Ten jars would be five hundred Silver! Twenty jars would be one thousand Silver!

As for the fact that the hundred or so households in the village couldn't consume that much liquor, there was still the village of her maiden family! It would just be a bit more tiring, but since money could be earned, that bit of hardship was nothing worth mentioning.

Lin Shi felt a surge of excitement and immediately replied, "Fine! Let's do as Yang Er says! But since you bought the carriage, your father and I can't just earn Silver without contributing; we'll take care of feeding the horse fodder, brushing its back, and cleaning the stable."

Xie Yang had wanted to refuse.

The money for the carriage wasn't entirely provided by her; it also included what their son had earned.

But Song Yanqing held her hand under the table, signaling her to agree.

Xie Yang then smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Father and Mother!"

"What's troublesome about these little tasks? It's much easier than carrying rice bags at the wharf."

If the liquor business could stabilize, it would indeed be much easier than doing odd jobs in town, and the earnings would be quite substantial.

Song Zhisheng and his wife were so happy that they each had another cup.

That night, the sharp-sensed Xie Yang, separated by the study, the main hall, and several other rooms, could still hear the sounds of her parents-in-law performing their marital duties in the east room. They must have been excited from the drink.

However, she herself hadn't fared much better, being pestered by a certain fellow until the second half of the night.

Needless to say, she woke up late the next day.

Fortunately, the food for him to take to the County School had all been prepared yesterday.

"Just keep one jar of Crab Roe Paste at home for a taste; take this jar of Crab Roe Paste and the Drunken Crab with you. Remember that the Drunken Crab needs to be marinated for another four or five days before it can be eaten, but the Crab Roe Paste shouldn't be kept for too long; it must be finished within five days, and remember to use a clean spoon every time you scoop it."

Actually, at this time of year, the Crab Roe Paste wouldn't spoil for seven or eight days even at room temperature, but to be safe, Xie Yang told him to eat it as soon as possible.

"Didn't you say the instructor likes Salted Duck Eggs? Take this whole jar with you. We aren't short on chicken or duck eggs at home; we can pickle them whenever we want to eat them."

She also packed him plenty of goat milk cakes and butter cookies.

Her father-in-law had also gotten up early to whittle a particularly thick bamboo tube, giving him a jug of boiled goat milk to take along.

When her mother-in-law made breakfast, she used goat milk to knead the dough and steamed a basket of two-flour steamed buns; they were fluffier than ordinary buns and had an extra milky fragrance. They could be eaten even when cold. It was just that in this weather, eating cold food easily caused an upset stomach.

"When you get to the Zhaishe, heat them up on the stove; the goat milk and buns will make a decent meal."

Whenever this happened, Song Yanqing especially wanted to hug his wife.

Seeing his parents and younger sister leave cooperatively, leaving only the two of them in the main hall, he could no longer hold back. He pulled his wife into his arms, rested his chin on her shoulder, and said in a muffled, nasal voice, "There's no need to bring so much; I'm going there to study."

"I know!" Xie Yang smiled and tightened her arms around his waist. "Studying doesn't conflict with these things! If our family didn't have the means, that would be one thing, but now that we aren't short on food, I can't let you eat poorly while you're away studying hard, while we eat and drink well at home, right? I would feel heartache..."

The words she hadn't finished speaking disappeared into the lips and teeth he pressed against hers.

His scorching lips lingered and rubbed against hers for a good while before they reluctantly parted.

Xie Yang smiled, "If the liquor business takes off, perhaps in less than half a month, the family will go to the County to restock again. If I'm free then, shall I follow the carriage to see you?"

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his usually cold voice sounding somewhat muffled: "No need, that would be too tiring for you."

"Many thanks for your consideration, husband. Then I'll listen to you and not go; how about I have Father bring you some food instead?"

"..."

Xie Yang almost laughed out loud; that guy was just being stubborn.

Yefeng had slept comfortably in the stable for the whole night and had eaten a big meal of black beans in the morning. It had long been impatient to show off its steady and fast running posture. Seeing that its master was finally willing to come out of the house, it neighed urgently.

Song Zhisheng stroked the horse's back and exclaimed, "This horse really has spirit!"

"Ang!"

Yefeng raised its long horse face and proudly let out a snort.

Song Zhisheng: "..."

Not only did it have spirit, but it could also understand human speech?

Because they still needed to go buy liquor, Xie Yang had the Farm manager, an old hand, drive the carriage and go with her father-in-law.

Xie Yang gave her father-in-law ten taels of Silver. If the price for the large ten-jin jars of liquor was more favorable, they were to buy ten large jars and five small ones; if the prices were about the same, they were to buy all small jars.

She saw them off to the edge of town, and after taking the braised meat and braised pig's trotters made by her maiden family, she bid farewell to Song Yanqing.

"Son-in-law, there are twelve packages of braised meat in total and four pig's trotters; two packages of meat and two trotters are for you to eat," Fang Shi instructed carefully. "There's also a braised duck and a few small braised dishes for you to add to your meals. Studying is important, but you mustn't neglect your own body."

"Many thanks, Mother-in-law!"

"Sorry to trouble you, in-laws!"

"Oh, we're all one family; saying such things makes us strangers!"

After some pleasantries, Xie Yang and her parents walked them to the main road and watched the carriage drive away.

Afterward, she waved the bamboo basket in her hand: "Father, Mother, guess what delicious things I brought you?"

"It wouldn't be winter bamboo shoots again, would it? We haven't even finished the ones you brought last time!"

"Haha! This time it's not; this time it's lake crabs! Didn't I dig a small lake at the Farm to raise some Fish, Shrimp, and Crab? I pulled up a crab trap yesterday, and every single one was so fat they were dripping with oil. I had to send a basket to my parents to taste, right? Let's go! I'll show off my skills for you, and we'll have a whole table of lake crab feast!"

Xie Rong and Fang Shi looked at each other; while gratified, they couldn't help but worry: "Don't always bring good things to your maiden home; your parents-in-law might have opinions about it later."

"My parents-in-law are reasonable people; they won't have opinions about me just because I'm being filial to my parents. Besides, the Farm is my dowry, and the produce from the Farm is also income from my dowry; I have absolute authority over its distribution."

Hearing his daughter say this, Xie Rong said happily: "My dear girl has her own plans; your mother just likes to worry for nothing."

Fang Shi glared at him: "I'm worrying for nothing? I don't know who it was last night, after drinking a few too many cups, who kept talking nonsense, saying that the son-in-law passing the imperial exam is both good and bad..."

Xie Rong hurriedly interrupted: "Oh my! Dear girl, quickly help your father; I think I've twisted my waist."

Just then, an acquaintance passed by and, hearing this, teased: "Zhurong, did you twist your waist from being too attentive to your wife last night? At your age, you need to take it easy."

Xie Rong: "..."

My daughter is still here, do you have any manners?

Fang Shi hurriedly pulled her daughter, who was snickering, and returned home.