Chapter 58 - 58: Scheming
Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Heng Yi was easily coaxed by Han Qiao.
Han Qiao told him to eat and not starve.
“I’m not hungry. I’ve eaten snacks before.” Heng Yi shook his head.
Now that they had the permission of their parents and had the matchmaker’s words, it was perfectly justifiable for them to be together.
The Heng family members were upset. They ate quickly, like hungry ghosts reincarnated.
The children almost started fighting over food.
They even ran to other tables to get food.
It was an eye-opener for the Han family, as well as the people who drove the carriages and mule carts.
This kind of in-law should never be seen again.
Heng Yi remained silent.
After lunch, they were going back to Ninghe Town.
Heng Yi didn’t want to leave.
Father Han could tell what was going on, so he urged him to stay. “Heng Yi, you stay here. We’ll invite the village chief and Li Zheng to come over and survey the wasteland. We’ll open up the wasteland before the autumn harvest.”
“Okay!” Heng Yi’s face didn’t change, but he was overjoyed.
Old Woman Heng wanted to say something, but Old Man Heng told her to get into the carriage.
He had to go back and think of a countermeasure to ruin this marriage.
Otherwise-
One tael of silver a year, what could he buy?
After the Heng family left, Third Brother Hu had to go back to Ninghe Town to help with some follow-up matters, so he left first.
He Hong saw Heng Yi relax. “Big brother Heng, I’m going back to the county city. Rest well. I’ll take care of the tavern.”
“I can rest assured that I’ll leave the tavern to you.”
White Tea sent Hong back to Puyi County.
Han Qiao wanted to stay behind to help clean up, but Han Yuanshi called her to the central room.
Her three brothers, uncles, grandparents, and Heng Yi were all there.
“We’ll keep the calf. You can come and fetch it whenever you want in the future. The pork is too hot today, so we can’t keep it. Save the rest for when you get married.”
“The silver for this betrothal gift…”
“Father, this is Heng Yi’s gift to you and mother. Just take it.”
“You don’t have to pay for the wasteland. Heng Yi and I will pay for it. We need you, big brother, second brother, and youngest brother to help us open up the wasteland.”
Han Qiao then looked at her uncles. “We’ll have to trouble First Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Youngest Uncle, as well as all of our cousins.”
Uncle Yao smiled. “It’s a small matter, a small matter. You guys can discuss it. I’m going to take a look at the calf!”
For a family with a farm in the countryside, having a cow was a joyous thing.
Uncle Yao was in a hurry to see the cow. Father Han and the others also wanted to build a shed for the cow and cut the grass. There were many things to do.
“Alright, tell your mother what you want. She’ll get it for you.”
Han Qiao only wanted the clothes of the four seasons and the gold and silver bracelet. Heng Yi had pointed them out to her, so she couldn’t reject them.
After taking the things, Han Qiao went home first.
Han Xiang stood under the eaves and looked at her with a dark face.
Han Qiao smiled at her first.
She was grateful that Han Xiang did not cause any trouble today.
“Humph!” Han Xiang snorted coldly and walked back into the house.
Han Qiao took the things, called her three daughters and Heng Yi, and slowly walked home.
The three children ran ahead quickly and deliberately left the two of them behind.
Han Qiao and Heng Yi looked at each other and smiled.
When they got home, Sun Xiu and Sun Yi boiled water and made tea.
He had gone to the mountains to pick the Kuding tea and let it cool. There was no other herbal tea that could quench his thirst like this.
Han Qiao let Heng Yi lie down and gave him a cup of pear paste water. It was sweet and refreshing.
Heng Yi had never tasted anything so delicious before.
“So sweet!”
“You should rest. I’ll go clean up the chicken coop!”
There were more than ten chickens in the house, and they pooped a lot every day. They had to clean up, or they wouldn’t be able to put their feet down.
Han Qiao cleaned the chicken coop, changed the water for the chicken, and moved the rice bran to feed the chicken.
She washed her hands and sat on the chair, thinking about the future.
“Mother, what are you thinking about?” Sun Xiu sat down next to Han Qiao.
“I was thinking that when the osmanthus blossoms, we should get some osmanthus to dry and make osmanthus cakes.”
“When the chrysanthemums bloom, I can pick some chrysanthemums and dry them to make tea or make a chrysanthemum pillow.”
Han Qiao rubbed Sun Xiu’s head. “Ah Xiu, it might be tough in the future!”
“I’m not afraid of hard work. These days have been the happiest, happiest, and most comfortable days in my memory. Mother, we support all your choices. As long as you’re happy, it’s fine.”
Sun Xiu gently leaned into Han Qiao’s arms.
Han Qiao patted her shoulder. “Mother will be happy.”
Perhaps as children, Sun Xiu and Sun Yi were well aware of her change.
They had thought about many things, but they had never thought that their mother would be beaten to death by that scumbag Sun Yiming that day.
After going to the Han family’s place for dinner, she returned and boiled water for a bath.
No one would say anything if Heng Yi stayed with Han Qiao.
Rich families were the ones who paid attention to rules. They wanted to be decent, dignified, and famous. They used all kinds of rituals to prove their status.
As for the poor families in the countryside, there were too many people who lived together without any ceremony.
They couldn’t even eat and live out their days, so how could they have so many thoughts?
After taking a shower, she sat in the yard and cut the fabric while waiting for her hair to dry.
Heng Yi didn’t talk much, so he helped with the fabric.
The bigger ones were usually placed together. When it was time to make the purse, she could just sew it directly.
Under the afterglow of the setting sun, they were all focused on their work.
They were not a family, but they were more like a family.
Heng Yi’s hands were very rough, so he had to be extra careful when he held the cloth, or else he would hook the thread out of the cloth.
Han Qiao lowered her eyes and smiled as she watched him work clumsily.
The three children also looked at Heng Yi from time to time.
They didn’t say anything, but they were still carefully testing him, accepting him as their father.
Ning River Town Heng Family
It was said that taking a step back would only make one lose out, but enduring it would only make one angrier.
When Old Woman Heng returned home, she cried out in pain.
Thinking about how so much silver had become the Han family’s, she couldn’t take it lying down.
“Aiyo, aiyo.”
Other than the children exclaiming that they had eaten so well today and that they were really full, they shouted that they would eat like this again at night and that they would go to the Han family’s house tomorrow.
The adults sat together, calculating how much money Heng Yi had spent on today.
“At least forty to fifty taels!”
“Where did he get the silver?”
This was what the Heng family cared about the most.
That’s right, where did that much silver come from?
According to their thinking, the silver Heng Yi earned should belong to the Heng Family. Why should he take it for himself?
He shouldn’t have married, he should have worked for the Heng family for the rest of his life.
The brothers had dark expressions, and the sisters-in-law didn’t look good either.
Such a large family was crammed into a small courtyard. It was very aggrieved, and their parents-in-law refused to separate no matter what.
Now that Heng Yi didn’t even return to Ninghe Town, what could one tael of silver a year do?
When Zhen Niang knocked on the door with her people, all the Heng family members looked over.
He quickly ordered the child to open the door.
Eldest Sister-in-law Heng forced a smile and went up to greet her. “It’s Mother
Zhen.. Why are you here?”