Pingshan Town is a 3rd day, and it is a storm. Early in the morning, Jiang Huang took Jiang Anyong and Jiang Anyan to move bamboo baskets, bamboo brooms and other items to the market to take a seat. Jiang Anyi never used this job because he was a scholar.

The business is good today. Before noon, Jiang Huang took his children home with a smile on his face. He sold out all the things he brought, earning about ten more copper coins than before. Thinking that his children hadn't seen meat noodles for almost half a year, Jiang Huang gritted his teeth and cut off six cents of pork.

The poor children were in charge of their family. Jiang Anyi knew that the rice was twenty cents and pork was ten cents per pound. The average family of five spent four or five taels of food and clothing. Their 10 acres of fertile land, and the rice yielded about one stone and two dou of pounds per mu was taxed and rented. Only five cents remained in his family, and another one was left as seeds, leaving only more than five hundred kilograms of grain each year.

The family exchanged rice for cheaper millet, beans, and half planted vegetables by themselves and half digging wild vegetables. Even so, it would cost more than a thousand yuan a year. Two bamboo baskets and one bamboo broom. The food and clothing cost of more than a thousand yuan depends on my mother's hands. I had to weave three bamboo baskets for three bamboo baskets to exchange for the pork for six cents.

The fried pork with scallions is so fragrant. Jiang Anyong and Jiang Anyan were so smoky that they were crying and refused to leave the kitchen. They circled around the stove and swallowed their saliva. Jiang Anyong often added firewood to the stove. Jiang Anyi sat at the desk reservedly and silently recited several words "cultivate oneself and cultivate one's nature and calmness", but he could not resist the fragrance, and his mind was also hooked into the kitchen.

I am half a young man, I am poor. Jiang Anyi is fifteen years old this year. He is greedy and growing up. Jiang Anyong is twelve years old, and he is also able to eat. Jiang Huang specially made a liter of half a liter of millet and ate it all. However, the bowl of fried pork with green onions was left with half a bowl.

Even the greedy Jiang Anyan knew that the water was flowing. Her mother and her two brothers only occasionally stretched out their chopsticks, and most of them went to the green onions in the bowl. The sensible child knew that he could follow the same thing, and the rice was sweet when he ate. He didn't speak, and the family occasionally exchanged eyes and was having fun.

"Fifth brother and sister, are you at home?" A sharp voice came from outside the courtyard and shouted.

Jiang Huang's face changed, and he put down his bowl and hurriedly greeted him. Jiang Zhida and his wife, the second brother of the same clan, came. Jiang is a big family in Pingshan Town, with more than 20 families, Jiang Zhida Xing 2, and Jiang Anyi's father Jiang Zhihouxing 5.

Jiang Anyi saluted with his younger brother and sister. Jiang Zhida buzzed and said, "You're well, remember to be filial to your mother in the future. It's not easy for her to be filial to her."

Jiang Chen took Jiang Anyi's hand and smiled and said, "Brother Yi is so great. I heard that something happened to you, but my aunt was so anxious. I have been praying for you many times in front of the gods. I should have come long ago, but I have been at home for a long time, but I'm sorry. Fifth brother and sister, look at this child's beautiful eyes and looks like my brother. I will go to the mansion to take the exam next year. If I survive the disaster, I will definitely win a scholar and come back. Then the fifth brother and sister will be waiting to enjoy the happiness."

Jiang Chen kept talking nonstop. Jiang Anyi felt cold and wet in his hands, like a snake wrapped around him, and it was very uncomfortable. He broke away gently and brought a chair to invite Jiang Zhida and his wife to sit on it.

Jiang Zhida lifted up the bamboo chair and placed it under the eaves of the door, rolled up his trousers, took off his straw sandals, and knocked against the mud on the stone steps. Jiang Li sat at the table with his legs raised, and glanced at the dining table quickly, and smiled "Gugu" and said, "My brother and sister-in-law's family is doing well. My family can eat meat during festivals, but my brother and sister-in-law's family can eat it normally."

Jiang Huang was about to explain, but Jiang Chen continued quickly, "This time, in addition to visiting Brother Yi, there is something else to tell his brother and sister. My third brother talked about the marriage a few days ago. The woman is a wealthy family in the county, and she is well-educated and well-polite, but she is not like the wild girls in the town."

"Congratulations, congratulations, I will definitely come to the door to ask for a wedding wine."

Jiang Chen's eyebrows were lustful and said in a tone: "This marriage is indeed rare, but the woman asked for a lot of brides, and the betrothal money alone cost 8 taels and 80 cents of silver. Alas, for this marriage, my family has lost all the money and borrowed everything they can, but it's almost done."

Jiang Huang bowed his head and said nothing. Jiang Chen raised his slender eyebrows and continued, "It was said that your family had difficulties and shouldn't mention paying back the money, but today I saw that my brother and sister-in-law's life was doing well. Since this is the case, can I borrow two taels of silver from my family be able to repay it, so that my sister-in-law can't ask for help everywhere."

Jiang Huang's face turned pale. When her husband died, he had no money to be buried. Jiang Zhida borrowed two taels of silver to organize the funeral and agreed to pay interest every year. In the past three years, he has been relying on weaving bamboo tools and paying interest on time every year. However, the profit of the bamboo basket is low. Apart from supporting the family, Jiang Huang's hands are not left.

Originally, he had saved up 1,223 cents in recent years and was preparing to go to the city for the exam. However, he expected that Jiang Anyi was struck by lightning and spent nearly a thousand cents to ask the doctor to get medicine. Now he has less than 300 cents in his hand, so he still has to pay two taels of money.

Jiang Huangshi had a bitter face and squeezed out a smile and said, "Sister-in-law, you know the situation of my family best. You really can't pay back the money. You are a lot of money. You will be given a lot of grace for two years. When Yi'er gets into the scholar, the family will be in better condition. I will definitely pay you back the money. Don't worry, you will never dare to lose the interest."

Jiang Chen said with a slight smile: "It is natural to repay the debt. I borrowed money from you kindly, but I didn't expect that I would have to pay it back. When Brother Yi was admitted to the scholar and paid the money, wouldn't it be easier to take the scholar? To put it unpleasantly, why can't your man fail to get into the school for a lifetime? If Brother Yi was not admitted to the scholar, would my family's money be wasted?"

Jiang Huang's eyes were filled with tears and begged softly: "Sister-in-law, you will be given another two years of grace, and I will pay back the money once."

"No, my family is waiting for money." Jiang Chen was not moved at all, his raised legs trembled quickly, and the powder on his face "squeaked" as his lips flew.

Jiang Zhida looked unbearable. He wanted to speak several times but was stared back fiercely by Jiang Chen, so he had to lower his head and sigh.

Jiang Huang was so anxious that tears rolled up. Jiang Chen slowed down and said, "My brother and sister, I have a way to not only pay off the debt, but also don't have to worry about the money for Brother Yi to take the exam."

"oh?"

"Don't your family have ten acres of land? If you sell a few acres of land, won't you have the money?"

"Selling the land? No."

"No?" Jiang Chen stood up in anger and angrily, pointed at Yan'er and said, "If you don't sell the land, are you planning to sell this little girl? I'm afraid this little girl is not worth much money."

Yan'er cried out in fear, and timidly pulled the corner of her mother's clothes and sobbed: "Mom, don't... sell Yan'er. Yan'er has grown up and will help... mother do things."

Jiang Huang sat softly on the ground, hugging Yan'er, tears flowing. Jiang Anyong's eyes were red, standing in front of his mother and sister, panting, and staring at Jiang Chen fiercely, like an angry bull.

Jiang Anyi felt that his heart was clenched tightly, and he squeezed out a drop of his heart. Every drop of blood was swelling in his body with endless hostility, whistling. He really wanted to step forward and slap Jiang Chen twice and add some blush to her pale face.

Going forward to help my mother up and picking up her sister, Jiang Anyi said coldly to Jiang Chen, "Auntie, we dare not forget your kindness. Don't worry, we will not be able to lose the money. Isn't the third brother going to get married after the New Year? These two taels of silver will definitely be paid off before the New Year."

Jiang Chen looked at Jiang Anyi in surprise. After not seeing each other for two months, the eldest son of the Jiang family, who had always been dull and weak, became tough and said, as if he had changed his body. He looked Jiang Anyi again, but his eyebrows were raised to his temples, adding a bit of determination and coldness.

Jiang Zhida quickly stood up and said hurriedly: "Since Brother Yi said he would return it before the end of the year, I will talk about it at the end of the year." After saying that, without looking at Jiang Chen's resentment, he waved his sleeves and hurried out.

Jiang Chen called out a few times, and saw Jiang Zhida strode away, cursing "dead ghost" hatefully. He thought quickly that it was August now, and there were three months to celebrate the New Year, and it would be impossible to pay off the debt by relying on Jiang Huang's bamboo basket. The eldest son of the Jiang family spoke loudly and took the blame. Even if the Jiang Huang's brothers came forward, there would be nothing to say. The Jiang family has a lot of money for land. This kid takes money to take the exam next year and gets money to marry in the future. Haha, the ten acres of land will be back sooner or later.

Thinking of this, Jiang Chen smiled with a dark face and said, "Since my eldest nephew has given me, I am the aunt, and I will wait until the end of the year. However, when it comes to ugly words, I will not see money before the end of the year, so don't blame me for being merciless."

He stomped his legs and turned around and went out. Seeing a few woven Hsinchu baskets under the eaves, Jiang Chen carried one of them with one hand and twisted his waist and left.

The room calmed down, and the sobs of melodious air felt depressed. Jiang Anyi wanted to comfort his mother, but for a moment he didn't know where to start, so he shook his dizzy head and went out.

There are more than 700 families in Pingshan Town. The "Ten"-shaped street divides the entire town into four pieces. The bluestone street is not wide, and two carriages are barely in parallel. Most of the streets are shops on both sides. The blue bricks and black tiles look neat, and bargaining sounds are heard from the shops from time to time.

The dark clouds drooped, and Jiang Anyi walked on the street in a daze. A gust of wind blew, making the headscarf fly, and the green cloth gown rolled up, and his handsome face attracted the girl passing by to stop and look back, feeling sad about the sadness between his eyebrows.

"The eldest son of the Jiang family has grown up to be an adult, but he is a handsome man, and he is very gentle and looks quite like his father."

"Single is useless. He is so old that he still relies on Widow Jiang to support him. He is simply a waste. He is not as good as his second boy. His sister-in-law, have you fallen in love with him? Xiuling's daughter has grown up and is about the same age as this boy."

"Oh, if he could pass the exam, the scholar and Xiuling would be quite compatible, but the scholar was not that easy to take the exam. His father has been studying all his life and is not a farmer. If you say your kid is not young anymore, he is good at working, but he said he doesn't have it."

"Tsk tsk, isn't this a boy struck by lightning? He's alive again? Even if it's hard to hit the lightning, it's hard."

...

He was so whispering that he was better than a sword. Jiang Anyi had already been cut and covered in bruises along the way. It turned out that in the eyes of others, he was just a waste, and he thought that everything was inferior, but he was studying. What should he pay for the money at the end of the year? The poem full of Zi said that he could not exchange for a copper coin. Do you really have to sell the land to pay back the money? Why did God be so hard for the poor?

"Crack", a muffled thunder exploded above the head, and the raindrops as big as beans hit their faces, causing pain. Jiang Anyi woke up from his confusion and found himself standing in the market, with the empty surroundings, and he was the only one standing in the vast rain.
Chapter completed!