stingy landlady

Chapter 35 Two Pillars Steal the Horse

On the way home, it felt like it went by incredibly fast today. Dazhu tried his best to calm himself down as he went to buy chicken and meat, and because Guizhi had mentioned that she liked ribs, he bought extra ribs.

They saw an old lady selling ducklings for three coins each, and the three sisters all wanted some. After discussing it, they bought twenty.

"Dad! When we get back, let's see which family we can buy some more corn from! Or we can just buy some rice. We can grind it ourselves at the mill, and the bran can be used to feed the chickens, ducks, and even the pigs," Guizhi said to Dazhu, looking at the many new little ones in the house.

Dazhu nodded and agreed, "Yes! We don't have this kind of rice very often; it has to be grown near water. Rice, rice, the lower the ground, the easier it is to get water, the better the harvest!"

"Dad! Let's buy some land suitable for growing rice! We should be able to grow two crops! We can plant vegetables in early spring to sell, transplant rice seedlings in June or July, and harvest them in October! Is that okay?" Guizhi asked uncertainly.

“If growing vegetables makes money, of course it’s possible. But I’m afraid it won’t work to sell vegetables in our town. In previous years, we couldn’t even sell cabbage, radishes, potatoes and the like for one cent for two pounds.” Dazhu thought seriously.

Gui Hong said, "Dad, every family grows those vegetables. Besides, no one in town grows vegetables. Every family has a few poor relatives who give them to them!"

Gui Xiang also said, "Every year when we have to store vegetables for the winter, we can only sell them. There are more sellers than buyers. It's all the same stuff, so we'll definitely buy from whoever's cheapest! Everyone is afraid of not being able to sell them, and it will be even harder to sell them once they freeze."

Dazhu nodded, "That makes sense!"

Then his eyes lit up again: "If we had land at this time of year, it would be great to grow more vegetables and sell them! Those wealthy families don't lack money and are willing to spend it on food."

"Sigh! Our vegetable garden is still a bit small."

Guizhi laughed and said, "Dad, that's why we're saying we should buy another piece of land. Let's buy a low-lying area where we can grow vegetables and rice. Buying more land won't hurt. We can sell it in the county town later!"

"Okay! I'll discuss it with your grandfather when I get home, and then we'll go take a look!" Dazhu nodded as he drove the cart.

"Big sister, second sister! What do you want to buy when you have money?"

"Me? I think when I have money in the future, I'll get my ears pierced too. I see other people wearing earrings and they look so pretty! When I have money, I'll buy a pair for Mom too! And all of us sisters can wear a pair of silver earrings!" Gui Xiang said dreamily.

Gui Hong thought for a moment and said, "I think we should buy some hair ornaments for the New Year! None of us have ever worn hair ornaments before! I'll buy Mother a silver hairpin! Ah! Then we can wear pretty clothes, hair ornaments, and earrings. We'll look like young ladies from a wealthy family! Haha!"

The three sisters laughed heartily, imagining a life of wealth. How wonderful it would be if life weren't so difficult, and were always filled with laughter!

"Third Sister, what do you want to buy when you have money in the future? It's not like you just mentioned buying land, is it? That costs a lot of money!" Gui Hong asked Gui Zhi.

"Dad! I want to build a house! A big brick house with a yard! Everyone in our family will have their own room. And I'll build a spacious house for Grandpa Zhou and the others. Oh, and a special house for growing bean sprouts and garlic shoots!"

As Guizhi was talking, a brilliant idea suddenly struck her! "Dad! Let's build a greenhouse, the kind where we can grow vegetables in the winter!"

"This child, thinking so simply! How much silver would that cost?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Dad, just treat it as a beautiful dream! Anyway, we're just thinking about it!" Gui Xiang said with a smile.

“If there really were greenhouses like that, we could have vegetables to eat in winter! They would cost one or two taels of silver per pound, right? I think only princes and nobles could afford them!” Dazhu chimed in.

Chatting and laughing, they arrived home before they knew it. Neither Guizhi nor Dazhu mentioned the three hundred taels of silver. It was as if it had never happened, or as if they had forgotten about it. Guizhi never left the wooden tub. The two sisters assumed she was still thinking about the writing implements.

After getting off the oxcart, the three sisters were stretching their arms and legs when they heard crying and cursing!

They saw that their own door was tightly closed, but the old lady's door was open, and the sound of crying and cursing came from that room!

"You wretched fool! Why did you bring a horse to our house? Huh? You can't even take good care of your own horse! My Erzhu! What are we going to do now!"

"Why wasn't it you who broke your leg? It's because of you that this family is in trouble! You're a menace! Why don't you go and cause trouble for Li Lanxin! You work for her family! You eat their food, why don't you go and cause trouble for them!" Zhao's shrill voice rang out.

Then: "I'll beat you to death! You scourge, you made my dad break his leg!"

"Da Bao! Stop! Why don't you ask what happened? You're a grown man!" It was the old man's voice!

"I'm going to kill that beast right now!" Da Bao shouted!

"That's my horse! You stole my horse! If you dare kill my horse, I'll report you to the authorities!" It was Lin Xiaoyun's voice.

"Da Bao! You can't hit people randomly!" came the fourth brother's voice.

"Calm down, all of you! Xiaoyun hasn't gone out at all! She was just helping me water the vegetables! She's only been working for a short while, and you're already taking the horse out?"

"Zhao, what are you trying to do? What did I tell you that day? This is Xiaoyun's horse! A horse recognizes its owner; no one else can ride it. Zhao Xiaofang! Was it you who instigated Erzhu?! You're a troublemaker; you've ruined my perfectly good son!"

Dazhu looked at his daughters and gestured for them to go into his room first to ask about the situation.

Guizhi whispered to Guixiang to open the door, but the door was locked from the inside.

"Mother! Mother! Open the door!" Guixiang called out softly, banging on the door.

With a creak, the door opened. Li came out.

Dazhu tied up the ox, and carrying Guizhi, he escorted the bucket containing the silver into the house.

As he put the bucket down, he asked Li, "What happened?"

"Just now, Dad, Mom, and Xiaoyun were watering the vegetable garden. Erzhu and Zhao secretly took the horse out. Erzhu must have been riding it, because he fell off and broke his leg!"

After a pause, Li continued, "I just carried Siya over, and Zhao rushed at me like a madwoman. No one could hold her back. I couldn't dodge her because I was carrying the child. Look, her face is scratched." The others looked over and saw a scratch near Li's ear from her fingernail.

"She tried to hit Xiaoyun, but Mother stopped her. Father told me to go back inside, saying she was acting like a madwoman, biting anyone she saw!"

"My fourth brother's wife is pregnant. My fourth brother was afraid that Zhao would hurt her in her madness, so he quickly told her to go back to her room as well."

Ms. Li was still a little scared, as she and her child were the only ones at home.

"Da Ya, oh! Gui Xiang, Gui Hong, quickly unload the things from the cart! I'll go take a look! If it's not working, quickly take the oxcart to get your second uncle to the town clinic."

Gui Xiang and Gui Hong followed Da Zhu out without hesitation.

"What are you still standing there for? Go too!" Li put Siya on the kang and was about to go out.

Guizhi closed the door and whispered, "Mother, open the cupboard! Hurry!"

"Why are you opening the cabinet? Don't you know what's important?"

"Mother! Look!" Guizhi took out the writing set.

Mrs. Li was surprised when she saw it, then remembered something and said angrily, "You bought this? How can you buy everything! You dare to spend so much money? Don't you know our family is struggling financially?"

The circles under his eyes turned red as he spoke.

"You child! How can you be so insensible! You..."

Before Li could finish speaking, she saw Guizhi lift up the cloth bundle underneath, revealing the silver ingots. Guizhi, certain Li had seen it, quickly wrapped it up again!

"Mom! Open the cabinet first, we can talk about it later when we have time!"

Li pursed her lips, turned around, took the key to open the cabinet, and took the bundle of silver ingots. Her hand trembled as she exclaimed, "So heavy!"

Ms. Li nearly dropped the package.

Guizhi stood firmly below, saying, "Mother! Be careful! Mother! Don't worry! My father went to check on Second Uncle in that room!"

Li didn't dare to utter a sound, but steadied herself and said, "Sanya! Your mother is so stupid! She's not even as good as you, a child!"

Guizhi watched as Li put everything away, locked the cabinet, and hid the key.

Then she picked up Siya and said, "Come here! Give me a kiss! I haven't seen you all day, did you miss me?"

Siya was also obedient, hugging Guizhi's neck: "I miss you! Third Sister! Third Sister, kiss me! Candy! Candy!"

"Third Sister didn't move today, Third Sister didn't buy candy today! Haha!"

Li scolded, "Go and do your work! Or why don't you go check on that room? I'm staying here watching Siya, I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay! Mother, when your eldest and second eldest sisters go to the east end, you stay inside and make clothes with the door locked! Cook when they come back! They don't have much work to do, they don't dig for wild vegetables, they'll be back in a little while!"

"Fourth Sister, go ask Mother for candy! Mother! Give Fourth Sister a piece of candy, she kissed me!" Guizhi let go of Siya and turned to go out to check on the old house.

As soon as I stepped outside, I saw that everyone in the old lady's house had come out.

"Second sister-in-law, hurry back and get a blanket to put in the car. So that your second brother won't get jostled around."

"Father, Mother, you don't need to go. My fourth brother and I will go!"

"Ouch! Ouch! That hurts so much! Da Bao! Go easy on me!"

The oxcart was empty. Guixiang and Guihong stood quietly under the eaves, carrying ducklings. Zhao quickly ran back to get a quilt and put it on the oxcart.

Erzhu was placed on the quilt. His pants and clothes were covered in blood. His face was also covered in mud and blood, whether smeared or smeared.

Guizhi said, "Sister Taozhi! Fetch some water and wash Second Uncle clean first! He's covered in dirt and mud, the doctor can't treat him!"

Taozhi followed her out, but kept wiping away tears behind her.

"Go quickly! What are you standing there for! You're not even as sensible as your third sister!" The old lady pushed Taozhi.

Taozhi then ran back to her own house to fetch water.

"Second Aunt! It will be dark and cold when we come back later. Please bring an extra blanket for Second Uncle."

Guizhi then asked Dazhu, "Father! Did you bring any copper coins?"

As Dazhu answered, he looked at the two elderly people: "Yes, yes! Dad, Mom, you don't need to worry too much! You're getting old, you should eat when you need to! You don't need to wait for us!"

Dazhu was worried about the elderly couple. When he first entered the house, he noticed that they both looked unwell.

Guizhi doesn't need to herd cattle; she should help the two elderly people into the house.

"Wait a minute! Wait until your father and the others have left," the old man said softly.

Dazhu was in a hurry to leave, and Zhao wanted to get on the carriage too.

"Second sister-in-law! You stay home and take care of the children! Fourth brother and I will go!"

"Uncle, I want to go too!" Da Bao said, standing next to the car.

"Sigh! Go ahead, go ahead! You're so old now, you should be more sensible! Go and see, so you won't always be thinking about hitting this or that!" Dazhu looked Dabao up and down and agreed.

"Get in the car! Fourth brother, Da Bao, help your dad in!"

"Guizhi! Have your grandparents come over for dinner tonight! Your second aunt is like this! Sigh!" Dazhu said to Guizhi again, still worried.

"Okay, Dad! Don't worry! If they sell food tonight, I'll just buy a steamed bun or something to tide me over!"

"understood!"

"Sanya, ask your sister-in-law to cook extra food tonight, and have your fourth aunt come over for dinner! Second sister-in-law, my husband is pregnant, he can't go hungry!"

This is a blatant indication that no one cares about Zhao and her children.

Erzhu was in so much pain that he couldn't bear it anymore, so he didn't have the mind to argue about so many things!

After the oxcart left, the old woman said, "Taozhi, come and get some rice. Go cook for yourself. You're so old and still can't cook. Let's see which husband will want you! You can eat by yourselves tonight! It's not like you're crippled. Go do what you're supposed to do!"