It had been snowing for a few days, and the sun was shining. Today was the New Year.
In the past, the New Year was difficult, but Fu Shun in the 44th year of the Wanli calendar was different. Especially in the west of the city, there were more than a dozen laborers shoveling snow on the streets early in the morning. A few rich families even hung up lanterns. The peddlers were walking the streets. Although it was the New Year, they still had to make the best use of their time to do business and earn more money.
A group of children were running along the streets, making the atmosphere more lively. A few small shops were still open, and there were many people going in and out. Sang Carpenter stopped in front of a candy shop for a long time, but he still shook his head and left. He turned around and bought a few cheap sugar figurines from a roadside peddler.
The peddler was very enthusiastic, and he called out 'Sir, Sir', which made people feel comfortable. Sang Carpenter asked casually, "It's the New Year, and you're still out to do business?"
The peddler's cotton-padded clothes were not enough, and he was shivering from the cold. Seeing the joy on his face, he smiled and said, "I live outside the city, and my house is broken. How can I celebrate the New Year? I'm hoping to do more business today, earn some money, and eat my fill. Recently, business in the west of the city has been good, and it's very comfortable. "
There were many people spending money, and the bailiffs didn't come to collect taxes, and the troublemakers were nowhere to be seen. That was very comfortable. The peddler saw that the money in his hands had increased, and he was already planning to buy a few catties of mixed grain noodles later, so that the whole family could have a good meal at night. Perhaps the leftovers could be eaten tomorrow.
Sang Carpenter smiled and nodded. He walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, and entered a large courtyard by the side of the road. The peddler watched from the side, and said in a low voice, "Oh, this is a rich family."
When Sang Carpenter heard this, the moment he pushed the door open, his back straightened a little, and the smile on his face became even wider. As soon as he entered the door, his two grandsons hurriedly ran up and snatched the sugar figurines, and the eldest daughter-in-law chased after them and scolded them.
"Father." The eldest daughter-in-law chased after Sang Carpenter and greeted him politely. She also smiled so widely that a flower could grow on her face. "Father, you bought sugar figurines randomly again. The two kids grabbed it and ran around. It didn't take long for it to break. What a pity. "
"It's fine, it's fine. It's not worth much." Sang Carpenter waved his hand, feeling elated. A young woman walked out from the side room of the courtyard. When she saw him return, she quickly brought out a rocking chair from the main room and shouted, "Father, sit here and bask in the sun. The sun is very good today."
Carpenter Sang laughed heartily and lay down on the rocking chair. The young woman even squatted down and massaged his legs. Her service was so beautiful that it made people want to bubble. This woman was his second daughter-in-law. She had just married into the family a few days ago. The in-laws were eager to marry her over, saying that they wanted her to come to Sang Carpenter's house to enjoy a happy life.
The Sang clan had always been poor, but they had a large family. It wasn't easy for him to find a wife for his eldest son, but his family was already destitute and in debt. Sang Carpenter came to Fushun in the first month of the lunar year to look for a carpenter's job. He thought he could earn two or three taels of silver to buy some oil and salt before the New Year. He didn't expect to earn a family business.
A few days ago, the neighborhood committee was established. The first thing they did was to organize a group blind date. All the sons of the Sang clan went. Once they went, they were in high demand. In the past, no one thought highly of Sang Carpenter's sons. Now, all of them were in high demand.
After the second daughter-in-law's maiden family inquired about Sang Carpenter's family background, they immediately decided to marry him. They were afraid that if they were a step late, they wouldn't be able to get anything. In the end, before they could even discuss the dowry, the second daughter-in-law was sent over by her maiden family in a bridal sedan. This happy wedding was all thanks to this courtyard.
"Father, our courtyard is really good." The second daughter-in-law praised with a smile as she massaged Sang Carpenter's legs.
"It's really good. It's spacious, decent, and comfortable to live in." Sang Carpenter laughed. But it wasn't like this before he bought the house. At that time, his eldest son insisted on buying the house. He even cried and scolded his sons for being wastrels. He even shouted that he wanted to go back to his old house in the Sang Family Village. But now? He couldn't be chased away.
Sang Carpenter's wife came back from outside with a lot of meat and vegetables in her hands. Her two daughters followed her. When she saw Sang Carpenter lying on the rocking chair, she laughed and scolded him, "You old thing. You've only been comfortable for a few days and you're already acting like a master. Hurry up and sweep the courtyard. What if you tire my second daughter-in-law out? I still want her to give me a big fat grandson. "
His second daughter-in-law blushed. After a while, she said, "I'm not tired, I'm not tired." She grabbed a broom and went to sweep the courtyard. Sang Carpenter laughed. Then, he heard a loud voice outside the courtyard, "Sang Carpenter, is Sang Carpenter home?"
As soon as he heard the voice, Sang Carpenter's face darkened. But he had no choice but to stand up from the rocking chair. He saw a middle-aged woman barge in from the door and shouted loudly, "Sang Carpenter, you're home. I called you, but you didn't respond."
Sang Carpenter hurriedly smiled and tried to please her. His wife also moved a chair and invited her to sit down. But the woman waved her hand and refused, "I won't sit. Just because of one thing. When are your two daughters going to night school? If you continue to delay, I won't be happy. Don't say that I didn't give you face during the New Year. If you, old thing, cause my bonus to be deducted, I'll tear you apart. "
The woman who came in was very shrewish. Her spittle sprayed all over Sang Carpenter's face. Sang Carpenter couldn't afford to offend her. He nodded and bowed, promising to send his two daughters to night school immediately.
The middle-aged woman scolded for a long time and only left after she stopped showing off her power.
Sang Carpenter's two daughters had originally happily followed their mother back from outside. But they saw their father being scolded by the middle-aged woman from the neighborhood committee. Sang Carpenter's face was also conflicted. He lay back on the rocking chair and didn't speak for a long time.
Sang Carpenter's wife came forward and asked, "Father of the children, what's your idea?"
Sang Carpenter sighed, "This boss is good at everything, but he has too many rules. We ordinary people live our lives, but he has to manage everything. Sigh … "
Speaking of the boss having too many rules, the family members all nodded in agreement. If this person spat on the street, the boss would send people to deal with him. Not only did they have to deal with him, but they also had to fine him. They even said that if a member of the system knowingly violated the rules, the penalty would be doubled. Sang Carpenter had been punished several times. Other people were fined five coins, but he was fined ten coins. It really hurt!
Managing people's spitting, managing people's feces and urine, managing people's cursing on the street, and now he had to manage people's family. Not long ago, the boss hired a lot of poor scholars and finally had enough teachers. In the blink of an eye, he had to start a night school. He also had to test everyone in the system's cultural level and carry out literacy tests.
Sang Carpenter was old, so he was given a way out. His youngest son took the initiative to study and was even praised. But his two daughters were also asked to go to night school. This made him feel uncomfortable.
"Why are these girls studying? They're old, and I'm looking for a good husband for them. It's better for them to work at home and earn some dowry money. "This was what Sang Carpenter thought. In the past, his family was too poor. They couldn't even afford their daughters' dowry. Now was different, so they naturally had to be picky.
Sang Carpenter sighed. His wife said calmly, "Father of the children, I advise you not to think so much. Who in the west of the city doesn't know what kind of person the boss is? If you go against him, he will turn around and punish you. "
These words scared Sang Carpenter. He immediately remembered that not long ago, the village head of the Sang Family Village brought a lot of people to take advantage of the boss, but they were killed on the spot by the boss. That ruthless decisiveness in killing was not something a small carpenter like him could handle. He sighed and unwillingly nodded, "Okay, okay, I'll send it. Isn't it good to send it?"
His two daughters were standing behind Sang Carpenter, massaging his shoulders. When they heard what he said, they immediately became happy. Sang Carpenter's wife was not happy to hear what he said, so she smiled and persuaded him, "Father of the children, I don't want to criticize you, but your taste is not as good as those children. If the boss didn't insist on buying this courtyard, do you think you can live so comfortably? "
"One hundred and eighty taels. Our family is still carrying a lot of debt." Sang Carpenter's heart was comfortable, but he still stubbornly said a few words.
"What's wrong with carrying a lot of debt? The interest is not high. The children are right. The boss doesn't want our money. He just wants us to work for him. The boss has a lot of rules, but the money he gives us is enough. Do you want to go back to the broken house in the Sang Family Village and continue to make furniture for those stingy rich people? "
Sang Carpenter immediately sat up and shook his head, then said, "I don't want to go back to the Sang Family Village. I am now a citizen of Fushun City."
His wife smiled and said, "Do you still hate the boss for killing the village head?"
"That bastard died well. I don't have to pay back the eight silver coins I owe him." When he said this, Sang Carpenter was very happy. His two daughters stood behind him and carefully asked, "Father, we went to the night school to ask …"
Why does this sound so familiar?
Sang Carpenter sat up from the rocking chair and shouted, "Did you two learn from your older brothers? Go ask them yourself, and then tell me when you are done. You don't put me in your eyes? "
His two daughters waved their hands and hurriedly said, "Father, we just went to ask."
"What did you ask?"
"The people in the night school said that the people who can go to the class are the boss's men. They also said that we are not young, so when we see someone we like, we …. "
"What?" Sang Carpenter's eyes widened.
"I'll ask Father and Mother to propose the marriage." The two girls were bashful and finally finished what they wanted to say.
"You two girls, you actually went to ask this kind of thing?" Sang Carpenter took off his shoes again. But his wife on the side was angry and shouted, "Sang Youshen, do you have the guts to hit my daughters?"
"Even you want to rebel?" Sang Carpenter clenched the soles of his shoes and stared at his wife.
But his wife was not afraid. She protected her two daughters and shouted, "Our family is not the same as before. My two daughters are sensible. It's not good to let the neighbors hear the noise. If you hit people with the soles of your shoes again, I will fight with you. What my daughters said is right, those who can go to the night school are good people. Will they lose out if they marry them? "
"But I am the one who took the lead and made the decision. These two children didn't even ask and came up with their own ideas. " Sang Carpenter felt that his life was better now, but his authority in the family was greatly reduced. No one listened to him.
But his wife shouted, "No wonder the neighbors are saying strange things, saying that you are a donkey and will only leave when you are hit. The boss said that you want to go to the night school, but you are still making excuses. These children have a good future, but you are the one saying strange things. If it wasn't for the New Year, I would have talked to you. "
Carpenter Sang was at a loss for words and was speechless.
That night, during the New Year's Eve dinner, there were a few more meat dishes on the table. Even eating was enough to fill one's stomach. The family was harmonious and happy. Although Carpenter Sang had a bellyful of anger during the day, he still laughed heartily after drinking a little wine.
That night, he went to bed and sighed to his wife, "To be able to turn a poor family like us around overnight, the boss is really good. I am convinced."
"You should be convinced." His wife was making the bed and casually replied.
Sang Carpenter was drunk, but his courage was stronger than before. He suddenly said happily, "Our family's situation is getting better and better. Our children are getting married and getting married. When can we get a concubine? "
"Sang, what did you say?" Sang Carpenter's wife suddenly turned her head and asked like a tigress, "Say it again if you have the guts. You want to marry a concubine today. Are you going to divorce me tomorrow? You want to rebel too! "
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