Scholar's Sweetheart

At the end of the tenth month, the color of the twilight was all over the place.

After dinner, Soong Xintong walked towards Xie Family alone. From afar, she saw that the Xie Family house was pitch-black, as if she hadn't returned home yet.

Soong Xintong walked to the outside of the fence and faintly heard the voices of Grandma Qiu and Aunt Xie in the room.

"Li family's girl is pretty good, but the betrothal gift is only worth eight taels of silver. If you add the money for the banquet, it's worth at least ten taels of silver." Aunt Xiezi's worried voice came out.

"How much silver do we need now?"

"Even if his righteous father sent someone to bring him back, it would only be five taels of silver." Aunt Xie paused for a moment before continuing, "After I finish my work, I'll go back home to borrow some money from Big Bro and the others. As long as we gather together, we'll have to settle the matter of marriage."

The yard was quiet again, except for the crackling of the firewood.

After another minute or two, Soong Xintong called into the courtyard, "Is Grandma Qiu at home?"

"Xintong? At home, come in. " Grandma Qiu's voice came from within the house.

"Sigh." Soong Xintong pushed open the door and walked into the yard. "Grandma Qiu, Aunt Xie, are you still cooking?"

"I'm still doing it." Grandma Qiu walked out from the kitchen and placed the small stool in the courtyard, "Have you eaten yet?"

"Yes." Soong Xintong fanned the mosquitoes that were buzzing non-stop, "Uncle Xie and Goudan aren't home?"

"You, Uncle Xie, and the second eldest brother went to help out, so you'll have to come back a little later. Goudan played around outside for the whole day, but he just got back and went to sleep on the bed." Grandma Qiu narrowed her eyes and looked at Soong Xintong. "Did that Grandma Zhang make trouble for you again?"

"No." Soong Xintong organized her words and then said, "It's like this, Grandma Qiu. I've made an appointment with the owner of the county restaurant to send a few broken ears every day, but I can't dig that much out by myself every day, so I want to ask you guys for a favor. I'll give you guys four coins per catty."

Although the difference was that they had earned three pieces of money, but the price of four pieces of money was more expensive than the price of two pounds of vegetables. Soong Xintong felt that Grandma Qiu and the others could accept this price.

"What?" Four coins. " Aunt Xie, who had just walked out of the kitchen, shouted in shock.

Grandma Qiu glared at Aunt Xie in dissatisfaction before saying worriedly, "What dish can be sold for four coins per catty?" Were you deceived? "

"Grandma Qiu, this is real."

"Then what is the root of the ear?" So powerful? at the same price as the mushrooms and wooden ears in the mountains. " Aunt Xie was intrigued. If it was four taels of gold a catty, she could earn four taels of silver by digging a thousand catties, which was more than what Goudan's father could earn by working here.

"It's also called Houttuynia Grass. I've asked the Chinese medical doctor about it. He said that this kind of herb can clear away heat and detoxify poisons, reduce swelling and treat sores, and remove urine and dampness. It's especially good for the body." Soong Xintong revealed the trick she had used on the restaurant owner, "So the restaurant owner is willing to pay a high price for it."

Aunt Xie was intrigued. "Xintong, then what does this crotch of an ear look like?"

"What are you doing, robbing someone of their culinary skills without shame or impatience?" Grandma Qiu shouted at Aunt Xie, who turned to look at Soong Xintong. She had never heard of an ear-breaking root, and to be able to sell it at such a high price must have been a secret and unusual occurrence. If she told them everything, what would Xintong rely on in the future?

"I know you're a good girl, but I can't do anything about it. You can keep it to yourself."

Soong Xintong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She held Grandma Qiu's rough hands and said, "Grandma Qiu, I know that you're doing this for my own good, but every two days, you'll have to give me a hundred pounds. There might be even more later on, I can't dig it out by myself."

Grandma Qiu said, "Then we'll help you dig it up. Why are you still being asked for money?"

Aunt Xie stood to the side, anxious. She wanted to say something, but was afraid that it would make her mother-in-law unhappy.

"Grandma Qiu, if it was just one or two days, I wouldn't bring up the money. This job might take one or two months, could it be that mother-in-law is doing it for nothing?" What do you think, Aunt Xie? "

Of course, Aunt Xie agreed, but she still had to act based on her mother-in-law's expression.

Soong Xintong didn't wait for them to retort and directly said, "Grandma Qiu, it's a deal."

Grandma Qiu pondered for a moment and said, "But the price is too high. One gold coin a catty is enough. This is a business deal you found, how can you not earn a single cent?"

"To tell you the truth, Grandma Qiu, I've managed to get a bit of profit from this." Soong Xintong said, embarrassed.

"Really?" Grandma Qiu didn't quite believe him, thinking that Soong Xintong was trying to coax her into feeling at ease.

"Really." Soong Xintong looked at Aunt Xie. She knew that Grandma Qiu was really good to her, but their relationship was even further apart, so she didn't know what she was thinking. She didn't want to make the two families unhappy because of the money, so she said, "It's a deal, four taels of gold a catty. Aunt Xie, what do you think?"

"Good, good, good. Four pieces of silver is way more worth it than selling vegetables." Aunt Xie was extremely happy. "Xintong, I'll go pick them now."

"No rush, no rush. When I take you there tomorrow, I know a place that has a lot of people. I estimate that you can dig a hundred Jin in two hours. At that time, it will not affect your work in the fields."

"Aiyo, it's so light. That's great." Aunt Xie was extremely happy. "What time are you going?"

"It won't continue like this, right?" It won't continue like this, right? Soong Xintong knew that the family usually went out to work early in the summer. He didn't return home until noon, and after the end of the afternoon, when the weather had cooled down a little, he didn't go out until the end of the day, when it was dark.

Both Grandma Qiu and Aunt Xie knew Xintong was thinking for them, and they were so touched that they agreed, "Sure."

"Then it's a deal, I'll go back first, Grandma Qiu." Soong Xintong bid her farewell and headed outside.

"Sophora Flower, send Xintong off." Grandma Qiu said to Aunt Xie.

"There's no need. It's just a small path, I can still return even if I were to discredit it." With that, Soong Xintong ran back to her house.

"Be careful on the road, don't fall."

"It's only a hundred catties, how could she not dig it up? She clearly wants to find a way to earn money for us." Grandma Qiu thought of Song Dashan. He was just as loyal as Chu Tianjiao. No matter what good fortune he had, he would never forget his family's Da Niu.

Grandma Qiu said, "I'll have to do my best to help Xintong dig out that and that tomorrow …"

Aunt Xie said, "Mom, it's the root of his ear."

"You better keep your mouth shut. Xintong needs to earn silver from this."

"I know, Mother. You're still worried about my words." Aunt Xie supported Grandma Qiu inside the kitchen, "Mother, Xintong is getting more and more ideas, how can she still be like before."

"Yeah, I don't know how it changed."

"It's a good thing that she changed. At the very least, mother, you don't have to worry about her anymore."

Grandma Qiu's eyelids drooped as she looked at the fire in the hall. After a long while, she nodded. "At least I didn't disappoint Mountain's entrustment."

Mom, I calculated that if it was really as Xintong said, we would be able to earn four taels of silver per month and eight taels of silver per month. At that time, it wouldn't hurt to buy meat for Goudan every day. Aunt Xie could feel the sweetness in her heart as she cut the vegetables faster and faster.

"It's just money for your eyes, am I eating less or drinking less?" Grandma Qiu snorted, "Keep away from this greedy look of yours. If you break Xintong's food, I'll skin you alive."