The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl

Chapter 27

After passing the county-level imperial examination, the County Government Office would distribute a certain quota of rice, flour and silver coins every month. Liu Yizhu was just taking this opportunity during his monthly break to deliver things and left the next day.

In addition, Wu Dong’s matter was even more explosive, so many people’s attention was drawn there. His affair with Li Mingwei was talked about for a while before eventually dying down.

Li Mingwei hid at home for a good number of days. Whenever someone came to see her, she would pretend to lie in bed sick. When no one was around, she could walk around freely in the house.

She had originally planned to take this opportunity to earnestly practice her copying skills and increase her speed. So she had Dong Lei bring back the books she needed to copy from the village school. But she had underestimated the chill of winter. After just a short while, her hands would become numb.

Mr. Jin was getting on in years and could not tolerate the cold well, so he had long ago prepared a stove. Whenever Li Mingwei felt cold copying books at the school, she would go borrow his stove and warm herself. The Dong family did have a stove, but no charcoal.

“Sister Chunhua, where can I buy coal around here? Let me go buy some.”

Wang Chunhua refused, “No, coal is expensive. The price goes up as soon as it turns cold. It’s several pennies per catty now. Burning five or six catties a day, how much would that cost for the whole winter!”

She led Li Mingwei into the kitchen, added some water to the pot, lit some firewood, and had Li Mingwei sit in the fire-warming spot.

“Warm yourself here when you’re cold. When the water boils later you can also soak your hands in hot water.”

Li Mingwei's expression was somewhat reluctant. This spot was warm but she couldn’t copy books here. There were piles of firewood around her feet and hands, without even room for a table.

Wang Chunhua would also be cooking here later. She really didn’t want the children asking her next semester why the new books smelled like food.

“Sister, why don’t I just go buy some coal after all. We can move the stove into the room, it’ll be more comfortable and warmer.”

Wang Chunhua firmly shook her head, “If you put the stove in the room, won’t you have to open the windows? Let me tell you, the family in front was afraid of the cold so they put the stove inside and sealed off all the doors and windows. The whole family suffocated to death.”

“Let’s just use firewood, it doesn’t cost anything.” She pointed at the neatly stacked firewood under the courtyard wall, “Your brother-in-law has prepared so much, it’s enough.”

Li Mingwei could not persuade Wang Chunhua otherwise, so she gave up her copying plans for the next few days. She really was cold too, so she stayed in the kitchen the whole time.

Wang Chunhua came to accompany her, holding Little Yan. The three of them crowded together.

Looking at the falling snowflakes outside, Li Mingwei felt somewhat worried, "Did Big Brother Dong go up the mountain again? It's snowing again, won't it be too cold?"

"It's fine, he's been hunting for so many years, he knows his limits. If it gets too difficult he'll come back, don't worry."

When Wang Chunhua had just married over, she worried like Li Mingwei did too, and even demanded to join Dong Shan up the mountain. In the end, she realized she would only slow him down on the mountain so she gave up and obediently waited for him at home.

In these past few years, regardless of Dong Shan's hunting gains or losses, he himself had never run into any problems after going up the mountain. So she was no longer worried.

"Hunting is quite tough work. Sister Chunhua, have you ever considered buying some land?"

"I’ve thought about it before."

Dong Shan was skilled at his craft, and their household was frugal, so they could still save quite a bit every year. Buying some land wouldn't be an issue.

"Your brother-in-law’s family originally had land too. His mother passed away early, leaving just him and his dad. Later his dad also fell ill and borrowed money for treatment without getting better. Your brother-in-law was just over ten then, how could he pay back so much debt by himself? So he sold all the land to pay debts."

"At that time, just because of this my dad was fiercely against me marrying over. Later when we were able to save up some money, the first thing we wanted to do was buy land."

But before they could, by bad luck at that time Liu Yizhu had passed the county-level imperial exam. Government officials came happily over beating gongs and drums to deliver the good news. Seeing Old Lady Wang’s blooming smile, she no longer wanted to buy land.

Old Lady Wang had it so hard, yet was still able to support her son to this point. Though the two of them were still young and able-bodied, why not try?

Wang Chunhua made up her mind and told Dong Shan, "Let's give it a try, see if we can also support our child to move up and out."

Dong Shan nodded.

The two of them then took the money they had saved up to buy land, went to the village school to ask Teacher Shu, and signed up Dong Lei, buying him books, paper, brush pens, and an ink stone.

Of course they didn’t spend all of that money at once, the rest was saved up as Dong Lei’s future education fund.

“Every year your brother-in-law goes to help out with the spring planting and autumn harvests at my parents’ home and at his uncle’s place. After the harvest they also gift us with some grains and vegetables. Add in that plot of land in the back courtyard for vegetables, and occasional extra purchases, even without land we can scrape by.”

Talking about these things made Wang Chunhua somewhat sad. She lowered her head, thinking as long as Dong Lei could test up and out, her efforts would be worth it.

She probed, “Is little Lei well behaved at school?”

“Very well behaved. His writing is now among the top one or two of children his age. We’ll have to see about his other studies. After the new year he should start learning interpretation principles.”

“Good, keep an extra eye on him.”

“Mm, sister don’t worry. I’ll be watching him.”

Having received her guarantee, Wang Chunhua was fully satisfied. She handed the child to Li Mingwei to hold and got up, lifting the pot lid. The water inside had long boiled.

“Let’s cook some rice porridge for lunch?”

“Sure.”

Wang Chunhua first ladled out some hot water, poured the rinsed rice into the pot, stirred it, then added a bit of cool water to the hot water she had just taken out to moderate the temperature. She washed two radishes that would be cooked to eat along with the porridge.

With just one vegetable dish, it was plenty for the three of them.

Looking at the radishes, Li Mingwei thought of the mutton soup Wang Chunhua had stewed last time. The radishes in there were also delicious, making her somewhat drool in anticipation. She tentatively asked, "Sister Chunhua, do you all only eat lamb soup when the first snow falls?"

"No, we can eat it at other times too. Eating it when the first snow falls is for good luck." Sensing what was up, Wang Chunhua quickly replied with a smile, "What, are you wanting to eat lamb soup now?"

With her little wish seen through, Li Mingwei felt somewhat embarrassed, "Just a tiny bit."

"Now with the cold weather, there should be more people selling lamb meat. Let me go take a look after our rice porridge if there's still any for sale. We'll drink the porridge first for now."

"I'll go, I'll go."

Since she was the one with cravings, how could she let Wang Chunhua go buy? And if Wang Chunhua went she certainly wouldn't accept Li Mingwei's money.

Li Mingwei put down the child, having her lean against the wall and sit properly. She then hurriedly went back to grab some money before trotting off with a clip clop clip clop out the doorway. Wang Chunhua quickly called out upon seeing, "Your foot is still injured!"

"It's fine, I'll just limp when going out."

She limped towards the marketplace. On the way some kind-hearted sisters-in-law wanted to help prop her, but Li Mingwei waved them off, "It's fine, it's fine. I can walk slowly."

The enthusiastic sisters-in-law also advised her, "Alright, since you've come from the south you may not know snow paths well. Pay more attention next time, and choose appropriate shoes too."

"Thanks, I'll remember. Much appreciated for the reminder, sisters."

That night, Li Mingwei finally got to drink her desired lamb soup. After lightly finishing a bowl, she complained that only allowing lamb soup on the first snowfall was a silly custom. There should be lamb soup arrangements following every snowfall, that would make life better.