At the end of the year, there was a light snowfall, and it was cold for three or two days. There were only a handful of cloudy and rainy days afterwards. The whole winter was sunny, and it was a rare warm winter.

The common people are happy that the winter is warm, and they spend a lot of money on charcoal fires and heavy cotton cloths. They just feel sorry for the vendors who do ice drinks business in summer. The weather is warm and they can’t store ice in advance, so next year’s business will not be easy.

Zhang's ice storage cellar has not come in handy this year either.

When he was young, Zhang Shixin came to his house and told Zhang Fangyuan that he wanted to eat this year's New Year's Eve dinner in their mansion, so that Zhang's family would also gather together.

Zhang Fangyuan knew that his uncles were pointing fingers at him now. After all, he was a member of the clan, and he couldn’t abandon the clan even if his family prospered, so he didn’t touch his uncle’s face, and agreed to have the New Year’s Eve dinner here. .

I don't know whether his uncle or the fourth uncle went to inform the sixth uncle. During the New Year's Eve dinner, his sixth uncle also came, but this time he didn't bring his wife and children back.

Zhang's brothers, descendants, daughter-in-law, and the whole family set up three tables. Although there were some small frictions, Zhang Fangyuan was afraid of Zhang Fangyuan, and it could be regarded as a lively year with Hemeimei.

Years later, Zhang Fangyuan and Xu He took their two children to several relatives to pay New Year's greetings. The two children were very happy to get some small red envelopes.

On the seventh and eighth day of the lunar new year, Zhang Fangyuan hosted a banquet in the city and invited some business friends in the city to have a meal. The idle days passed quickly without doing anything, but it was after the fifteenth day in a blink of an eye.

At the end of the first lunar month, Xiao'e and Ji, Zhang Fangyuan set up a small table again, and Xu He took a few bolts of good cloth from the city, and when making silver bracelets for the two children, he also gave Xiao'e a pair of silver jewelry along the way. Do Jiji ceremony.

After the banquet, the Zhang family was bustling, and a matchmaker would come to the door every now and then to offer a kiss, and the threshold was almost broken.

Xu He often received these matchmakers at home, and he had no choice but to be in charge. Later, the matchmakers were also shrewd, and went directly to Zhang Shiyue at the other end of the tea shed.

"There are always people coming, first disturbing the cleanliness of you two, and then going to the inn to disrupt the business, I feel really sorry."

After so many times, Zhang Shiyue was very embarrassed to talk about it with Xu He.

"What's the matter? The most important thing in life is the most important thing. There are a lot of people on the other side. The second aunt doesn't have to be so busy. Just pay attention to Xiao'e's husband and son-in-law. Now the most important thing."

There are hundreds of daughters in the family, not to mention the bright eyes and bright teeth that Xiao'e has raised in Zhang's family all these years, and has studied in Fei Lian's village school. Girls are eager to learn. Although they enter school late, they are not as good as the ladies in the city who can recite poems and compose Fu, but there is no problem with writing and reading.

On the other floor, no one knows that Xiao'e and his mother live with Zhang Fangyuan and his wife. With Zhang Fangyuan as a backer, a wealthy landlord cousin, many people are interested in the behind-the-scenes With wealth, the family who proposes marriage not only breaks the threshold, but also has a high lintel.

It seems that ordinary poor people are too embarrassed to ask matchmakers to come, who are all the people who come? Landlords, village chiefs, scholars from decent families... the people who come here are all in good condition, and they envy the people in the village who are waiting to be married.

Even Xiaomao, who was younger than Xiao'e, was very envious. Sometimes they would chat and laugh at Zhang Fangyuan's side for dinner.

"Second Aunt, if you have a good eye, you can tell A Yuan, don't just listen to the matchmaker, the matchmaker only picks the good ones, the big problem is that you don't speak a word, if you fancy a candidate, let A Yuan go and inquire first. A look at this person's family background and character."

Seeing the couple think so much about their family Xiao'e, Zhang Shiyue was very grateful. If she hadn't followed Zhang Fangyuan all these years, if she was still begging for a living in Yuan County, then Xiao'e would definitely not have a good life today, saying She wiped her eyes: "It's nothing else, as long as you have a good character and treat Xiao'e well. There is another thing, it's better not to marry far away."

Xu He nodded. It is not easy for the family to decide if something happens to a distant marriage, but fortunately, most of the people who come to propose marriage are nearby.

The family didn't settle down too early, thinking that Xiao'e was only old enough, she was not very old, even if she was raised for another three to five years, her cousin would still be able to pay the late marriage money.

Things have not been settled, but Xiao'e has become the second Xu Shaochun in the village. The young man always brings gifts and is often stopped by people on the way from school, but Xiao'e has an iron face, never Not accepting other people's things will make the men in the village useless.

After the whole family is stable and not in a hurry, it is easier to see who is the most sincere.

Knowing that girls don’t want to marry so early, the Tang family, the landlord of Tangjiaba, has been persevering, always looking for opportunities to come to visit. First, he said bluntly that he wanted to visit Zhang Shiyue, but after being rejected, he simply said that he wanted to do business with Zhang Fangyuan. Talking about marriage is not a business, but it has won Zhang Fangyuan's favor.

After a long time, Zhang Shiyue couldn't help asking Zhang Fangyuan at the dinner table: "What about the Tang family?"

Although Zhang Fangyuan was in contact with the Tang family, it was really a business relationship, like taking fruits from the Tang family’s orchard at a low price and selling them in the guest house, and introducing merchants to the Tang family to get goods, etc. Speaking of the marriage, he didn't tell Zhang Shiyue what happened to the Tang family, which would influence her second aunt's judgment.

Since Zhang Shiyue took the initiative to ask, he also said: "It is the master of the Tang family that I usually deal with. The Tang family has three sons. The eldest and the second are already married, and the children are four or five years older than Ruijin Ruili. , the youngest son of their family is eighteen this year, and he hasn't been optimistic about a suitable family yet."

"Then Ah Yuan has seen this young master?"

Xiao'e silently picked up the rice, and when she heard such an argument, her face turned red, she gently put down the bowl and chopsticks and went back to the house.

Seeing this, Xu He couldn't help chuckling.

Zhang Fangyuan looked up at the girl, pinched Xu He's face: "What are you laughing at?"

"Xiao'e is too embarrassing." Back then, his marriage partner was so thick-skinned that he went directly to the table at home for dinner, and even discussed the dowry in person.

Zhang Fangyuan can probably guess that what he was thinking about was when the two were just about to get married. Although the family conditions in those years were not as good as they are now, there were not so many rules and regulations. Now the lintel is higher and I feel much more comfortable.

"Go ahead." Xu He turned around and urged Zhang Fangyuan again.

"Oh, Mr. Tang also took Young Master Tang out a few times before. He is a reserved and quiet person, unlike his elder brother who is good at managing the family property and managing the fields, but he is good at reading, and now he has the reputation of being a child."

To be honest, because of Fei Lian, Zhang Fangyuan was subconsciously aroused when he heard about the scholars. For this reason, he carefully considered this young master of the Tang family.

Zhang Shiyue nodded silently: "That sounds good."

Xu He said: "There is also a scholar at the other end of Pingye Village who also seeks Xiao'e, or a scholar. His fame is higher than that of the Tang family's young master, but his family background is not a landlord's family. In the end, it depends on Xiao'e's intentions, whether she is happy or not. What's up."

Zhang Fangyuan said again: "Then how about I invite all the suitable ones through the banquet, and Xiao'e will have a look at each other through the screen at home?"

Zhang Shiyue thinks this is a good idea. Although the big family pays attention to many things, they can't marry blindly and arrange marriage without even seeing each other.

"Xiao'e, what do you think?"

He Ge'er yelled in a decent voice, but in fact the girl's house hadn't gone far, and she was listening behind the dining hall.

Hearing Xu He's shout, she Shi Shiran went out again, hesitated a little and said: "There is no need for a banquet."

Zhang Fangyuan's eyebrows twitched slightly: "Is there not a single one who is satisfied?"

He groped for a moment, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Fortunately, Xu's family was in a normal family back then, otherwise Xu He would have had countless people come to propose marriage. By that time, he would have been lined up eight hundred miles away, and everyone's eyes were full of picks. How could he be chosen? A butcher.

Then Xiao'e's words surprised everyone at the table: "It's just, it's just the Tang family's."

Hearing this, Zhang Fangyuan and Xu He looked at each other: "Why is it the Tang family? Because your cousin said the Tang family is not bad?"

Xu He asked with a smile, speaking of it, all those who came to propose marriage are worth mentioning, and the conditions of the Tang family are not the best among those who come to propose marriage.

Zhang Shiyue works in the guest house and has contacted old merchants in the city. There are also people from the city who come to propose marriage this morning.

Although Xiao'e was shy in her heart, her family did not hide it, especially after her cousin said that the Tang family was not bad, so she said honestly: "I saw it when I went to the city."

Xu He narrowed his eyebrows and smiled brightly, he had seen it long ago, but he still asked cautiously: "Then did you meet before or after you reached Ji?"

"Before I reach Ji."

"Why do you ask this?" Zhang Fangyuan was puzzled.

"Are you a fool? The Tang family came to propose marriage early, and Xiao'e and Ji came to the door within a few days. If they met after Jiji, it doesn't mean that they met after the marriage proposal was rejected. If we meet again, we will know which family it is." There are many people in the Tang family who are determined to deceive Xiao'e with clever words and tricks. I have seen this before Ji, so it shows that the mind is pure."

Zhang Fangyuan laughed: "You are still thoughtful."

"Thinking about it this way, it's no wonder that the young master of the Tang family has not found a suitable family for so long. It's not that he couldn't find it, but he deliberately didn't want to find one."

The more you say it, the more satisfying it is.

With the permission of the girl and the old lady, Zhang Fangyuan also disclosed the news to Mr. Tang. The Tang family was very happy and acted quickly. After a few days, they invited the matchmaker again. Now they knew that the matter would definitely come true. The dowry was carried in a big box, and a long line of beaming people could be seen from a long distance away.

The villagers happened to see the bustle in the field during the spring plowing. Seeing the talented young master of the Tang family and the many betrothal gifts, everyone was jealous.

But the jealousy is the jealousy. In the final analysis, it is a combination of strong and strong, and ordinary people can't envy it.

The Zhang family started late, not as deep as the Tang family, and it is a bit like the Zhang family's high-ranking Tang family, but since ancient times there has been a saying that high marriage is low, and this marriage is very suitable.

The marriage was scheduled for Nianxia, ​​and the family was satisfied before and after, and it was also a big event.

Now that she was about to get married, Xiao'e didn't go to the school anymore, but stayed at home and concentrated on doing some needlework, and started her dowry.

Zhang Fangyuan and the elders of his fourth uncle's family saw Xiao'e's marriage so well, and felt happy for the girl, but also worried, wondering what their family Xiaomao was going to do.

The two children are not too far apart in age, and they should reach the age next year.

Zhang Fangyuan knew that his fourth uncle was worried about this, and promised: "When the time comes, I, a cousin, will definitely find a good marriage for Xiaomao."

Zhang Shicheng just wanted to hear such a sentence, so that he would be psychologically stable, but through the strength of wine, he still revealed his innermost thoughts to Zhang Fangyuan: "I don't want to marry as well as Xiao'e, your fourth aunt is reluctant to just be like this Son, I want to recruit a son-in-law."

Thinking about the situation in his fourth uncle's family, Zhang Fangyuan thought it would be more suitable to recruit a son-in-law, but it was hard to find a son-in-law, so many families without sons had to marry off their children.

But now that Zhang's family is supported by him, it is still easy to find a son-in-law, but there are definitely no ones who require good conditions.

"I'm watching."

Zhang Shicheng was very happy when he heard the words: "Okay, okay!"

At the end of spring, more than half of the land bought by Zhangjiazhi was open. The villagers were busy with spring plowing, and fewer people went to Zhangjia to reclaim the land. However, Zhang Fangyuan was not in a hurry. To grow crops, as long as they are reclaimed this year, the manure from the other side of the poultry shed is used to fertilize the soil.

When summer came, Song Yongcai was belatedly harvesting the silkworm cocoons.

It was originally planned that he would come to collect the cocoons in spring, but since he never came, Xu He couldn't help but feel a little anxious, fearing that Song Yong would break the contract and not come to get the cocoons after taking the secret recipe of Yaxiang chips.

Not to mention that hundreds of catties of silkworm cocoons have already been piled up in the warehouse, and the mulberry leaves are coming in a hurry. Now the first batch of silkworms raised by the villagers in the spring will be ready to spin. big hair.

"I came from Kangjian City this year, and I was delayed for a long time by the flash floods. It's too late. I'm really sorry."

Song Yong is full of apologies. The Song family has a wide range of businesses, but most of them are in various prefectures and counties. All apologizing.

In fact, Zhang Fangyuan has been in business for so long. Zhang Fangyuan is still at ease with Song Yong's character. He took a step back and said that the two parties had signed and signed papers at the beginning. Sure, after all, the Song family also has a name.

Zhang Fangyuan also prepared a letter and was going to send it to Suzhou to ask what was going on. Before the letter could be sent out, the guy from the shop in the city who specialized in road goods came to the village first to tell him that Song Yong had arrived in Siyang, and handed over the letter. Er Rang sent the cocoons to the city.

At this moment, Zhang Fangyuan immediately called someone, moved out all the silkworm cocoons accumulated in the warehouse, loaded them into two or three carts and transported them to the city.

"It's okay, Boss Song is exhausted, why don't you rest in Siyang for a few more days."

Song Yong, who was obviously tired from the journey, waved his hand: "Too much time has been delayed on the road. Except for Siyang, there are still many places to travel, and the rest of the merchants are still waiting to stock up. Seeing that it has already entered summer, this year is hot early, and the cloth is not early. If some are delivered, I'm afraid it will miss everyone's business."

Song Yongchang sighed: "This year's day is strange. Siyang is still good. There has never been any disaster. I came all the way from Suzhou. I met people with mountain torrents, and there were also people with signs of drought. I'm afraid this year is not a good season." , those of us who are merchants are also in trouble."

Zhang Fang has lived in Siyang for a long time, so his keen and intuitive understanding of the weather is naturally not as good as that of a businessman who travels north and south and sees all living beings.

But he didn't think it was strange, the weather was not fixed, and the weather in the past two years was good, especially last year.

People say that after a good year, the road will go downhill for a while, just like the melons and fruits in the land. This year the fruits are full and sweet, but next year the trees will have to rest, and the fruits produced will be sparse and sour.

Song Yongjian looked at the results of the truckloads of last year, and looked at the plump and large cocoons, and his mood improved a lot: "This batch of goods is really good, Siyang didn't go in vain."

"Everyone said last year's silkworm cocoons were good."

Song Yong held the silkworm cocoons as if they were treasures, and received so many silkworm cocoons at one time, but there was nothing wrong with it.

What he counted for Zhang Fangyuan was one hundred Wen per catty, which meant that Zhang Fangyuan could earn forty Wen from every catty of silkworm cocoons in the hands of the villagers, not much more per catty, but three or four hundred catties of silkworm cocoons were still You can earn more than 10,000 Wen at one time.

"Now that it's summer, I would come to Siyang once in autumn, but there are still many places I haven't visited this year. If it takes longer, I may not come to Siyang in the second half of the year."

Song Yongdao: "At that time, I will only come again next year. Let's first say that I will give Boss Zhang peace of mind. If I really can't come by then, I will definitely send a letter."

Zhang Fangyuan responded: "Success, everything depends on the letter."

After Song Yong was busy loading the new cloth brought this summer to the cloth shops that ordered it, he was anxious to go to the next county, so Zhang Fangyuan sent some local vegetables that were very popular among merchants in the tea shed to him. Song Yong, those dishes made by Xu He.

It is most useful for traveling long distances.

Song Yong thanked Zhang Fangyuan and set off again.

Xu He also heaved a sigh of relief after vacating the warehouse for silkworm cocoons, and relieved a burden that was weighing on his heart.

In this way, he devoted himself to Xiao'e's marriage. Although it was marrying a girl, the husband's family was the main busy one, but the natal family still had to celebrate and entertain guests, and banquets were unavoidable.

Xu He decided to cook the chef's banquet with his own hands. At the end of June, Zhang's family was very lively again. Most of the day was filled with the sound of crackling firecrackers.

The welcoming team lined up, and it was very lively.

Rui Li sat on his father's shoulder and looked at many people in red clothes. He didn't know what celebration was, but he could see that everyone was very happy.

His elder brother was still the same, he didn't like very lively scenes, so he ran into Xiao'e's room with his short legs.

Xiao'e asked him if he was reluctant to let his aunt get married, and came to see her for the last time, and she was so moved that even after wearing powder, she couldn't help crying.

Ruijin said seriously, "I came here because the room is the quietest, little aunt."

"..."

Xiao'e wiped away her tears, grabbed Ruijin and spanked her buttocks: "Auntie didn't hug you less, she didn't have any conscience at all."

Ruijin said: "My aunt's new home is very close, in Tangjiaba where there are a lot of big watermelons. Brother Li likes big watermelons. Brother Li and I will often go to see aunt."

Xiao'e laughed again.

Looking at Ruijin's rosy and round peach-like face, he is obviously cute, but his expression is like a little adult, making people laugh, so he couldn't help but kissed on both sides, and if he wants to kiss in the future, he can It's not that easy to get close.

Ruijin ran out of Xiao'e's house with the two smears on his face, he thought it was good to be noisy outside, at least he didn't have an aunt who wanted to treat his loved ones with embarrassment.

Xiao'e was sent to the bridal sedan chair with beating of gongs and drums, and the Zhang family started to eat without reducing the excitement.

A lively event in Xia Shi started from the Zhang family, and unexpectedly ended from the Zhang family. After Xia Sheng, the villagers fell into anxiety, and no one was interested in doing things.

Many families in the village made money last year, and they were very happy to pay taxes after the spring plowing this year. The people in the county government quickly collected all the money and left their village without anyone borrowing money.

After everyone was busy, they returned to Zhang's land and opened up the remaining wasteland.

The land of the Zhang family was fully opened during the dog days, and the weather was so hot that it was already unbearable, and the newly dug land was dry and sticky before noon.

Ruijin and Ruili like to go outside to play. Since the beginning of summer this year, the weather will be as hot as the dog days of previous years. When it comes to the dog days, the surface of the earth is like being burned by a raging fire. Get sunburned on your face.

The two cubs had delicate skin, Xu He didn't let them go out to play, but this year they were obedient, the most mischievous Rui carp didn't go out, just stayed in the room with the big windows open, lying on the mat with his brother to enjoy the cool air .

Xu He wanted to give his children some iced drinks, but last year the weather was warm, and there were very few households that stored ice in winter. It is to enlarge the basin of well water in the window, just thinking that it can be cooler.

When Zhang Fangyuan came home, he was sweating profusely, and he felt cool when he entered the child's room, as if he had entered a deep well of cool wind, but the two cubs who had been staying in the cool room felt that the father was like a big fireball, separated by The heat could be felt from afar, and when the father stretched out his hand, the two children ran to the edge of the mat with bare feet, neither of them willing to give in.

Xu He brought a bowl of herbal tea, Zhang Fangyuan didn't insist on bullying Zai'er, he drank the tea in one gulp, wiped the sweat off his brow, sat down on the cool chair beside him, and said, "The village The rice fields here are all dry, and the villagers are pouring water from the river into the fields and fishponds. If it doesn’t rain, the crops will die. I watched the excitement for a while and gave my hand.”

"I'm afraid there will be a drought this year."

Zhang Fangyuan said: "If it is really dry, it will be bad. The days are tight, and the business at our tea shed is not easy to do. Although the river is not as abundant as in previous years, it will not stop flowing. It should be able to save the village. It takes a lot of manpower to irrigate the paddy fields. In the high fields, the water cannot flow up, so we can only rely on carrying water, which is also a pain."

As he said that, he was a little rejoicing: "Fortunately, we didn't rush to plant crops in the field this year. Otherwise, we planted in a hurry, and the land is not fertile. If we catch up with this kind of weather, the crops will definitely be ruined."

Xu He thought so too.

Zhang Fangyuan took a look at the two children who were not as hot as before, and said: "I will go to the medicine hall in the city early tomorrow morning to get some heat-clearing herbs, and I will make some soup for Ruijinrui carp." , don’t let the child suffer from heat stroke.”

"it is good."

Zhang Fangyuan went to the city and got a lot of news from other counties.

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