Font Size:
“There’s an old cow, too old now. It’s already been reported to the authorities; they’ve allowed us to slaughter it for the New Year. Each household here will get a share of the meat. We’ll divide it according to the number of people…”
The implication was clear—although the head tax had to be paid, the meat distribution might make up for it a little bit.
Erya couldn’t help but interject, “A cow, and so many people to divide it among, everyone will only get less than a pound of meat. A pound of meat is worth just a few coins, and the head tax is five hundred wen…”
Lu Qiniang quickly interrupted, “Adults are speaking, children shouldn’t interrupt. Li Zheng, thank you for the reminder. I’ll hurry up and find the money to pay. When it’s time to slaughter the cow, I’ll go and help early.”
“The twenty-seventh of the twelfth lunar month, that’s the day after tomorrow. If you don’t pay the head tax by then, you won’t get any meat. And remember, you can’t avoid the tax later either. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
“Understood.”
“Alright.”
Lu Qiniang politely sent him off.
Erya stomped her foot and said, “Now it’s all ruined. Not only did I lose my new clothes, but where am I going to get five hundred coins? We won’t even be able to celebrate the New Year!”
“Shut up, go back to sleep,” Lu Qiniang said irritably. “I’ll find the money; you don’t need to worry.”
Daya then said, “Mother, I have twenty-four coins here…”
Sanya added, “Mother, I have four!”
Erya grumbled, “…I only have thirty coins.”
“Second sister is lying, she has a lot more, I saw it,” Sanya exposed her.
Lu Qiniang’s head was already throbbing from their noise.
“You don’t need to use your coins, children. Be obedient and go to bed early, don’t waste the lamp oil.”
After ushering the three girls out, Lu Qiniang began scratching the door.
A string of corn hung on the door, and the wood showed the marks of time, pitted and worn, like it had been inscribed with ancient characters and rustic paintings.
From Xiao Yan’s angle, it just looked like she was scratching the door.
While scratching the door, Lu Qiniang let out a long sigh.
Xiao Yan finally spoke up: “I—”
“It’s none of your business,” Lu Qiniang interrupted him. “You go to sleep too. I’ll figure out a way. Since I brought you back, I’ll make sure to feed you. Don’t worry, just take care of your health.”
Xiao Yan fell silent.
He had once been a commander who could command thousands of soldiers, yet now he was subdued by one sentence from Lu Qiniang.
After scratching the door for a while, Lu Qiniang sighed again and went to sleep.
The next morning, Lu Qiniang changed into a fresh outfit, using a comb dampened with water to neatly arrange her hair.
“Mother, where are you going?” Erya asked.
“To borrow money.”
When Erya asked where she was going to borrow money, Lu Qiniang refused to answer, only instructing her three daughters to look after the house.
As soon as Lu Qiniang stepped out, the biting north wind made her shiver.
She didn’t stop, adjusting her collar and striding northward.
She crossed through the bustling streets and arrived at the back gate of the Zhou residence.
It had been some time since she’d last been here…
The old gatekeeper, Zhao, recognized her and greeted her to come inside for tea. “Qiniang, what brings you here?”
“Uncle Zhao,” Lu Qiniang thanked him, “You’re still as strong as ever. To be honest, I’m looking for Song Yan. Could you have someone help me find him?”
Song Yan was a servant who worked alongside the Fifth Young Master of the Zhou family and was someone Lu Qiniang had known for a while.
“Why are you looking for Song Yan? The Fifth Young Master… he’s already gone to Zhili to apprentice. He’s preparing for the imperial exams next spring and won’t be coming back for the New Year…”
Lu Qiniang smiled awkwardly, “Why would I look for someone like the Fifth Young Master, who’s like a celestial being? I’m just looking for Song Yan.”
Old Zhao seemed to relax a little, letting out a sigh. “Wait here, I’ll find someone to go inside and call him for you.”
“Ah, okay, thank you, Uncle Zhao,” Lu Qiniang said sweetly.
While waiting for Song Yan, Old Zhao poured out the coins from his pouch, which amounted to about seventy or eighty coins.
“Qiniang, take this.” He handed the money to her without giving her a chance to refuse. “This is what I earned today. Take it. My wife, that tigress, searches through my things every day, so this is all I have. Don’t complain that it’s too little.”
Lu Qiniang quickly declined, “No, no need, Uncle Zhao. You’re so old, how could I take your money? I’d be cursed!”
He knocked his smoking pipe against the wall. “I know you, child. You wouldn’t come to the Zhou family unless things were really bad.”
Lu Qiniang turned her face away. “That’s not the case. You’re mistaken. I’m doing just fine!”
Old Zhao firmly pushed the money into her hands. “Child, live well. Your luck is still to come. In this life, I’ve never misjudged a person.”
“Alright, I’ll take your good wishes. When my luck comes, I’ll buy you the best pear blossoms every day!”
She accepted the money.
Old Zhao’s wife was actually a very good person. The only issue was that Old Zhao secretly spent any money he had on alcohol, and his wife, fearing it would ruin his health, kept a tight rein on him.
While they were talking, Song Yan arrived.
Upon seeing Lu Qiniang, Song Yan didn’t bother with pleasantries and asked directly, “What are you here for?”
Lu Qiniang smiled. “No good deed goes unpunished. Song Yan, could you lend me half a tael of silver?”
“No.” Song Yan refused outright.
He was only eighteen this year, tall and yet still carrying the air of a child, puffing up like a pufferfish when upset.
“Just help me out for now. I’ll repay you as soon as I make some money.”
Song Yan wanted to scold her, but when he saw Old Zhao still present, he angrily swallowed his words.
“Alright, Song Yan, just help me this once.”
“If I help you now, will you help me in the future?” Song Yan asked sharply.
Lu Qiniang was silent for a moment. “As long as it’s something of yours, I will definitely help.”
“You remember what you said!” Song Yan took a small piece of silver from his waist and tossed it to her.
Lu Qiniang weighed it in her hand; it should be more than a tael.
Seeing Song Yan about to leave, she hurriedly called, “Song Yan, wait a moment! Let me find a balance scale to weigh it!”
Song Yan ignored her and walked off in a huff.
Lu Qiniang held the silver, feeling it burn her hand. She silently vowed to earn money quickly to repay Song Yan.
But the immediate priority was to get through the New Year.
Lu Qiniang thought for a moment and then went to the market, purchasing fifty pounds of rough rice, fifty pounds of flour, and one pound of pork.
With someone sick at home and the New Year approaching, she couldn’t let the children go without a meal of dumplings with meat.
When she returned with the items, her daughters were all very happy.
“We haven’t had any yet, but I borrowed some.”
The smile on Erya’s face immediately froze. “Who did you borrow from? Did you go and put on a smile for someone again?”
“I don’t smile when I borrow money, I cry and let them see my tears!” Lu Qiniang laughed and scolded. “I bought a pound of pork, hung it up, and we’ll make dumplings for the New Year.”
“Mother,” Da Ya smiled as she took the meat, “Did you forget? We’re supposed to divide the beef too!”
“I remember,” Lu Qiniang replied, “But I have my own plans.”
After purchasing rice, flour, and meat, the whole family was in high spirits. At last, there was some semblance of a festive atmosphere for the New Year.
Xiao Yan didn’t know why, but he too felt a small surge of joy in his heart.
However, unexpectedly, that joy didn’t last long.
After Lu Qiniang had gone to Li Zheng’s house to pay the head tax with great fanfare, she returned only to find an uninvited guest at home.