Chapter 20 Envy

"They're all reading in the backyard study. The two little ones went to herd the cows with the little grandson of your second grandfather's house."

Farm children, as long as they can go out, they can help the family with their work. While grazing the cows, you can also get some hogweed.

Qixun went out the door and asked the aunt to go back: "It's muddy outside, don't get your shoes dirty, and go back."

Uncle Guo smiled and said, "It's not going out to visit relatives, who wears shoes at home? What are you afraid of getting dirty?"

Seeing that the shoes on Qixun's feet were all open, he hurriedly said, "Where can you still wear these shoes? I think you don't have ready-made soles at home. It just so happens that the soles are ready at home, so I'll go get you two. Shuanglai, let your mother make you new shoes."

There is a younger cousin who is about the same age as her, and she can use the soles prepared for them.

Qi Xun didn't want to wear open shoes all the time, so he responded: "I'll let Xiao Wu embroider a pencil case for Brother Lingzhou, and I will use it for Tong Sheng's test next spring."

Mingchun Lingzhou is going to end, her father said that she is very sure to be admitted to the Tongsheng Xiucai.

Auntie was really happy when she heard this: "Then I have to ask your brother to thank you for going back."

Qixun only walked back after the aunt took the sole.

As a result, he arrived at the head of the village, and met the grandson of the eldest grandfather's family, Xiaojiu and Xiaoshi, and the youngest grandson of the second grandfather's family, Xiaoba, and returned to the village.

Xiaoba and Xiaojiu lead the ox, the other carries the basket, and Xiaoshi sits on the ox. It looks very relaxed.

Seeing Qixun, Xiaojiu called at Qixun, "Miss Xiaoxun, where did you come from?"

"From your house, why haven't you come to my house to play in the past two days?"

Xiao Shidao on the cow's back: "My grandfather asked me to herd the cow. I'll go look for you to play when I'm free."

yo, the little guy is quite busy.

Qixun looked at people sitting on the back of a cow. Not to mention her arrogance, she was very envious. She was good at equestrian, but she had never ridden a cow before. She didn't know what it was like to be a little shepherd boy, but unfortunately there were no cows at home.

Seeing her envious face, the shepherd boy Xiao Shi was very proud: "Sister Xun, do you also want to ride a cow? Then you go to herd the cow with me tomorrow."

As he said, he also took out his cloth pocket, took out a few dried wild fruits, and greeted Qixun: "Miss Xiaoxun, this is the fruit we found at the foot of the mountain, for you to eat."

The little guy is quite generous.

Qixun smiled and said, "Sister won't eat it, come back to your house, I'll give you fresh dates and persimmons. It's very sweet."

The little guys didn't ask why there were fresh fruits in this season, they just cheered: "Then you keep it for us, and you will give it to us tomorrow when we let the cattle pass by your house."

It's done.

Saying goodbye to the three little guys, Qixun returned home, went to the well to wash the soybeans and mung beans, soaked seven catties of soybeans to make tofu, and soaked three catties of soybeans and one catty of mung beans in cool white to make bean sprouts.

Soaked the beans, she went to the well to fetch water, cleaned the small stone at home, and went back to grind the beans.

After washing, she went to Zuo's house again, and asked her grandfather to help her rub four hemp ropes, and then went back to hang the gauze to think that the bean paddles would be used.

Grandpa Zuo smiled and said, "You don't need to rub it now, you have it at home."

called Grandma to find the rope, and asked Qixun to take it.

Qixun took the rope home and went to the carpenter's house in the village to have her make a wooden basket mold for pressing tofu.

In fact, if there are tools, she can do it herself. A few boards around this thing can be nailed, and it is very fast.

The carpenter's family is also surnamed Yan, called Yan Yonghui. Although he has five costumes, he is also of the same clan, and his blood relationship is not far away. He is older than Qixun by a generation. At the age of more than 40 years, Qixun wants to call his cousin.

He and his eldest son went out to work for others, while the youngest son Yan Lingfeng was at home.

Hearing that Qixun was going to make a wooden basket board for pressing tofu, and after seeing Qixun's drawing with a woodworking charcoal pen, Yan Lingfeng said, "I can do this, and it can be done in an hour. You can come and get it later."

Qixun also wanted to ask how much a set of woodworking tools cost, so he said, "Brother Lingfeng, I'll help you. I didn't bring any money. I'll bring it to you tomorrow. How much will it cost to make these baskets?"

The whole village now knows what happened to their house in a fire.

Yan Lingfeng said with a smile: "It doesn't cost anything, just use scraps to make boards. What kind of money do you charge? Just take it and use it. Besides, I haven't graduated yet. It's hard to get paid for woodworking."

Yan Lingfeng really didn't take it seriously, the scrap wood is really worthless, that is, it takes a little time. Right now he is idle.

Besides, the clan said that each family collected two catties of grain for Qixun's family, but her family didn't ask for it. He just thought that these wooden baskets were the few kilograms of grain that should be produced.

The people of the clan should watch and help each other. After Uncle Yongwu was raised, there are many benefits that cannot be seen in the clan. If Uncle Yong Wu could be a high school jinshi in the next spring, their Yan family would be able to straighten their backs in the future, not to mention the town, but the county seat.

If he took money from Xiaoxun sister for several baskets, who would he be?

Qi Xun thought about it, but didn't insist. When the tofu is ready, he will send two pieces to Brother Lingfeng to taste it.

Yan Lingfeng picked the wood and started to work.

Qixun helped him draw the ink line and asked him, "Brother Lingfeng, how much money does a full set of woodworking tools cost? Where can I buy them?"

"It's better, but you need seven or eight taels of silver? The town doesn't sell very well. If it's better, you have to go to the county to buy it. Why are you asking this? The little girl still wants to learn carpentry?"

Yan Lingfeng teased her.

"I'll just ask."

She can't say, in fact, she does a good job of woodworking, right? She actually has a full set of power tools in her space.

For a while, she fell in love with manual work and made many models by herself. The craftsmanship is not her boast, it is not worse than the traditional old artist.

After saving money, go to the county town to buy a set. Make the spinning wheel first.

The wooden baskets were quickly made, and a total of two large and one small three templates were made, plus a cross hanger for hanging soy milk. Yan Lingfeng saw that she couldn't take it home by herself, so she packed up her tools and carried it herself: " Let's go, my brother will send it back to you."

When she got home, Gongyu Mingxi realized that the girl had gone to find someone to do her work without a word. Knowing that she had no copper on her body, she hurriedly asked Yan Lingfeng: "Boy Feng, how much money do you need? Just get it for you."

In fact, the family now has a total of about 20 copper coins, and I don’t know if it is enough to pay for the wood and wages.

Yan Lingfeng waved his hand: "It took a while to make it out of scraps. I haven't even graduated yet, so I can't take money. If I want to charge you, my father will scold me if I know it. I gave it to my sister Xiaoxun. Auntie, I'll go back first, my mother has gone out, and I have to go back to watch the door."

How could Gongyu Mingxi tell him to go out empty-handed, so he hurriedly took twenty eggs and put them in a small basket: "Your brother Hao went to the mountains to find a basket yesterday, and our family can't eat them, so take them back and cook them. eat."

yan Lingfeng was willing to accept it. After pushing it for a long time, seeing that he couldn't push it, he accepted it.

Sending Yan Lingfeng away, Qixun went to wash the formwork and put it in the air vent to dry, then went back to the house and asked Gongyu Mingxi: "Mother, can you make me a pair of shoes first?"

Her shoes are open, not to mention ugly, the key is that it is really inconvenient to walk.

Gongyu Mingxi smiled and said, "With the soles from your aunt, I can make them for you in half a day tomorrow morning. It's getting colder and colder today, so I'll make you cotton shoes. One pair of thin cotton, one pair of cotton shoes. Be thicker. Can it be done?"

It's done.

Qixun then said to Lingyu: "The aunt gave me the soles of the shoes, and I also said to make a pencil case for Brother Lingzhou. But I think that the pencil case made of cloth is more convenient to carry, Xiaowu, you embroider well, you can do it when you have time. Can you embroider one for me?"

It's just a pen bag for embroidering, and Lingyu said it's no problem.

There are scraps of fabric at home, but no colored threads. But you have to do what you say.

Gongyu Mingxi said: "When I have time to go to the town to buy some silk thread, I will let Xiaowu help you embroider."

Well, you also need silver to buy silk thread.

Silver. This is a really sad subject.

(end of this chapter)