Chapter 41 Rules

　　Dashan didn’t necessarily ask for the actual price, he mentioned it casually, judging from Li Feng’s attitude, he could guess something.

　　Li Feng fooled Dashan’s family, but the village head knew the truth because he was the one who went with Li Feng to pick the foal, and the price that was finally agreed upon scared him. Seeing Li Feng taking out the silver quickly, he couldn’t stop him.

　　After returning home and waiting for the villagers to disperse, he told his husband, “I didn’t expect that Feng Xiaozi had made a fortune out there. Li Conggen’s family is too short-sighted. If they hadn’t done something outrageous to Feng Xiaozi, how could he have mistreated his eldest uncle’s family now that he had money? It’s annoying that they haven’t figured out the root of the problem yet, and they’re still thinking about getting the money out of Feng Xiaozi.”

　　Upon hearing this, Shen Fulang shouted “Good boy” and patted his chest. Feng Xiaozi spent dozens of taels of silver to buy a foal without blinking an eye.

 On the one hand, it showed that Boy Feng really doted on A-Lin; on the other hand, it also showed that he was rich and didn’t care about the dozens of taels of silver. Some families were considered wealthy in the village, but none was as generous as Boy Feng.

　　”Look at Feng Xiaozi he spent five hundred taels of silver for a barren mountain and he even wants to register it under Ming’ger’s name,”

 “I advised him, but this stubborn boy just refused to change his mind. How much can you do with five hundred taels of silver? He just spends it on a barren mountain that is not his own. What if Ming’ger…”

 The village head felt that he had worried enough. It was already late, and he tossed and turned on the Kang, unable to fall asleep.

　　”Bah!” Shen Fulang was also shocked when he heard about Li Feng spending five hundred taels of silver, but he didn’t want to hear the latter. He directly lifted the quilt and sat up from the Kang, “I know you don’t like Ming’ger and still want to find an unmarried young ger for  Li Feng, but didn’t you see their attitude before.”

 “Before, those people thought Feng Xiaozi was poor and disliked his fierce appearance, but now that they see he is rich, they all come over. Do you think those people are attracted to Feng Xiazi as a person or the money in his pockets? Can such people live together harmoniously?”

　　”Alright, alright,” the village head surrendered quickly. He shouldn’t have said anything about Ming Ger. His husband had already been partial to Ming Ger. “I was just talking, besides, Feng Xiaozi is so stubborn that he won’t change his mind. Am I not worried that he will suffer a loss?”

　　 Shen Fulang glanced at him, why was he not sleeping in the middle of the night still worrying about others?

 “Aren’t you afraid that Feng Xiaozi will suffer if you find someone else? But Ming Ge’er has never disliked Feng’s appearance from the beginning.”

　　The village head sighed, he was also conflicted in his heart. Just like what his husband said, if he found another ger, who knew if he was only after the money instead of living a good life?

 If they couldn’t live harmoniously, wouldn’t it be his fault as the uncle? Besides, Feng  Xiaozi was a man with his ideas and he couldn’t influence him.

　　Shen Fulang lay down again and said to the man with his back to him: “Go to sleep, you are tired after tossing and turning for most of the night. Tomorrow the people from the clan and the Zhao family will come to bother you.”

“As for Boy Feng and Brother Ming, I am optimistic about them. You will see, their future life will be better than any other family.” 

  Humph, he was aware of the fact that Brother Ming had helped Brother A Xiu and A Mo make money. Such a generous ger willing to care for other people instead of benefiting alone is better than many men.

　　The village head had to turn around and face the wall, his husband’s temper was getting worse. He was thinking of telling him how high a position Feng had held outside.

   Although it seemed that he had been dismissed and was at home now, that was not the case. It was possible that the entire Li family and Pingshan Village would depend on Boy Feng in the future. As for Zhao Laosan from the Zhao family, the village head shook his head regretfully.

   He had not yet become successful and had done such a thing. What he said about prospering together with the people in Pingshan Village when he became rich in the future was just nonsense in his opinion.

 He did not have much respect for him, as the village head before he even passed the examination to become a scholar. How could he expect anything in the future? It would be better to hope that one of his two sons could pass the examination.

　　After tossing and turning for most of the night, he fell asleep. In his dream, he seemed to see the Boy Feng wearing armor and riding a big horse to kill barbarians. Then he saw that both of his sons passed the imperial examinations and he and his husband set up a buffet at their courtyard. People from all over the village came to congratulate them…

　　The three children kept chattering around their Uncle Feng, which gave Tang Chunming a headache. He drove all of them out of the house before he could have a quiet nap, even Li Feng was driven away by him.

　　After waking up, he still had a sullen face. Even A Lin was a little afraid to approach his mother. His mother was angry, Tang Chunming smiled when he saw the three children being apologetic.

   He was in a bad mood after waking up. Only after Li Feng served him a glass of goat milk did he become more energetic, he patted the Kang beside him, pointed at the three children, and said, “Come and sit down. I must set some rules for you.”

　　Seeing that his mother was smiling, A-Lin came up again and hugged his arm: “Mom, what are the rules ?” He blinked his black eyes curiously.

 Li Feng couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows and looked at Ming Ger, it was indeed the ger he chose. He also thought that pampering children is not without bound. 

    He originally wanted to talk about it by taking advantage of the matter of the foal, but Brother Ming considered it more thoroughly than him.

　　”Just like the task I assigned to Da Mao and Er Mao before, they had to write a few pages of caligraphy daily. If they didn’t finish, I would punish them by not allowing them to go out to play or making them write twice as many the next day. In the past, A Lin didn’t follow the rules, but now A Lin has to do the same as Da Mao and Er Mao, understand?”

　　Da Mao was fine, but Er Mao was still young and wanted to slack off when the task was heavy, so he was punished by Ming Amo and he still remembered it clearly. 

  So now Er Mao thinks that although Ming Amo is the most kind-hearted in the family, he is actually the most powerful, even more powerful than Uncle Feng. That time when he made a mistake, his hands were sore from writing, but Ming Amo still didn’t let him go.

  So now when he heard what Ming Amo said, his scalp tightened, he sat up straight, blinked his eyes, and hoped that Ming Amo would not be too strict.

　　”Oh, I get it. It’s just like Brother Er Mao.” A’ Lin said, clapping his hands. He had an impression of when Er Mao was punished.

　　”Please bring me some paper and brush, AFeng.” Tang Chunming was sitting there assigning orders to people. How could Li Feng disobey? He also wanted to see how Brother Ming trained and taught the children.

　　After grinding the ink and unfolding the paper, Tang Chunming said to Li Feng, “You tell me and I’ll write, you can’t miss anything that needs to be done to raise the foal.

  “When to feed it with hay, when to give it water, when to clean the stable, when to bathe it, and when to take it out for a walk. I’ll list them all for you.”

  From now on, the foal will be handed over to you to raise. If you break the rules and don’t follow them, you won’t play with the foal for a certain period.”

   “After making multiple mistakes, the horse will have nothing to do with you. At the same time, you are not allowed to be lazy about the work assigned by your uncle Feng and me, and you are still not allowed to approach the foal if you fail to complete it.”

　　Li Feng had nothing to say. He felt that Ming Ger was doing it for the good of the children, to cultivate their sense of responsibility and perseverance.

    He had not thought so much before buying the horses, so he worked with Ming Ger to carefully explain the key points and listed them. Of course, it did not mean that Ming Ger would completely hand over the foal to the children.

   Li Feng also had to act as a supervisor, regularly checking the status of the foals to see if they had completed their tasks well, especially at the beginning, he had to lead them to do it together.

　　Er Mao didn’t quite understand what he heard, but it seemed quite serious. However, there was good news: Ming Amo wanted them to raise the foal themselves, he was so happy that he almost jumped up from the Kang.

　　Seeing that Ming Amo was writing and didn’t pay attention to them, He    held his brother’s arm and whispered, “Brother, do you think Ming Amo really wants us to raise the chicken ourselves?”

 Is it good? Their mother thinks they are clumsy and is afraid that they will scare the chickens and stop them from laying eggs.

　　But Da Mao felt that it was not that simple. He listened to the requirements that Uncle Feng said. After listening to them, he did not think it was that difficult to do.

   Moreover, even if it was difficult, he would persist for the foal. In response to Er Mao’s question, he replied, “What Ming Amo said always counts.”

 This is different from their mother. For example, if they did their homework well, Ming Amo would always fulfill the reward he said. “But don’t be lazy in the future, otherwise Ming Amo won’t let you touch the foal.” Da Mao educated his younger brother.

　　”Well, I will definitely listen to what Ming Amo says.” Er Mao clenched his fist and promised, otherwise, he would not be allowed to touch the foal. Not only would he be sad, but he would also be laughed at by the other children. Knowing that he could raise a foal, the children in the village would envy him, Damao, and A-Lin so much.

　　Tang Chunming and Li Feng both listened, looked at each other and smiled. In fact, they could definitely do it well at the beginning. What was important was to persist every day, it was not clear whether they could do it for the time being. It depended on their future performance.

　　Tang Chunming filled a whole sheet of paper, read it to the three children, and copied it again, posting one in the stable and keeping one as a copy.

   Da Mao understood most words now, so Tang Chunming circled the new words for him. When he figured out these words, he should be able to recognize them. With him taking the lead, the two children would also remember the words written well.

　　After the ink dried, Tang Chunming handed it to Li Feng: “Okay, stick it in the stable. You have to supervise them from now on, don’t help them secretly, otherwise… hmph, you will be punished too.”

　　Li Feng smiled secretly, he really wanted to know how Brother Ming would punish him. However, it was not easy to ask directly with the children present, so he could only take the children out: “Come on, follow me to the stable and learn a little for the next two days. Once you have learned it, I will let you raise it by yourselves.”

　　”Okay!” The three children cheered and followed him out.

　　After finishing his work outside, Li Feng went back into the house. Seeing his ger sitting there lazily, he felt a little distressed. He walked up to him and touched his forehead. Tang Chunming tilted his head and replied, “It’s okay, I’m just being lazy.”

　　”That’s good. I’ll go catch two more fish later and cook them for dinner.” Li Feng felt relieved, he sat next to his ger and took his hand. Because he often had to do farm work, his ger’s hands were a little rough. Of course, Li Feng didn’t dislike it at all. He felt that he could hold his ger’s hand for a whole day without getting bored.

　　Tang Chunming also played with Li Feng’s big palm. His body was thin and even his palm was smaller than Li Feng’s, it was really enviable. He smiled and said, “As long as it’s not too much trouble, just be careful when you go down to the river. What did you want to say to me? I’m listening.”

　　Li Feng felt a little embarrassed, but he didn’t show it on his face. He looked up at his ger and then looked away.

   He looked serious, but what he said made Tang Chunming laugh: “I thought about taking some things to Zhenshan Village early tomorrow morning. I want to settle our affairs first. It would be bad if we don’t inform the people from the Tang family.”

　　After saying this, he was nervous, not knowing whether his ger would agree or not. Ever since the matchmaker came, he had regarded this ger as his own. 

     Of course, there was still a key step missing, but he still didn’t know how to bring it up. His ger had told Uncle Shen that he would consider being together, and he didn’t know whether A-Lin would agree or not, but what the village head said made sense.

　　On the way back yesterday, his Uncle mentioned to him that since he had chosen Ming Ge’er, he should quickly invite a matchmaker to avoid any unexpected events, especially now that the barren mountain had been bought.

    Once the news spread back to the village, everyone would know that Li Feng had money. He was afraid that by then, people including the Li family would become interested and try to interfere by opposing his marriage to Ming Ger.

　　He was not afraid of those people from the Li family, nor would he take a fancy to anyone other than Ming Ger, but he was afraid that these people troubling Ming Ger. Ming Ger was pregnant and could not stand being disturbed. He did not want anything to happen that would make him regret it.

　　Therefore, he was quick to make the relationship official so that those people would not be able to say anything. Of course, he also hoped that the relationship between him and Ming Ger would be more legitimate so as not to ruin Ming’ger’s reputation.

　　Although it was possible to invite a matchmaker as long as Mingge’r agreed, he had heard that Ming’ger had a strained relationship with his stepmother before, but since he came back, he saw that Ming’ger had a good relationship with his younger brother

    His stepmother also spoke for him that day, which showed that the relationship was not as bad as it was said before. Inviting people from the Tang family was also to save Ming’ger’s face and increase his confidence.

  In the eyes of others, without the mother’s family, a ger would lack confidence and would be looked down upon. Maybe Ming’ger himself didn’t care, but Li Feng was willing to create a good reputation for Ming’ger.

　　Tang Chunming has been very happy these days. Although he doesn’t know what happened in the past, he does not regret choosing this man now.

   Seeing that he is willing to help him build a good relationship with his stepmother, how could he not agree? Besides, this matter will always reach that side. Instead of waiting for his brother A Rong to rush over and question him, Li Feng should go there in person and let his stepmother take a look at the man.

 Although his biological father has a good eye for choosing people, he is not as good as his stepmother in choosing men, otherwise, how could he have chosen someone like Zhao Dahu?

　　Seeing Li Feng’s nervousness and discomfort, Tang Chunming pulled his hand, looked at him, and said with a smile: “Okay, please help me go and see how Mother and A-Rong are doing now. 

      Mother has not had an easy life, although he was not close to me before, he never mistreated me. A-Rong even cares about me as a brother. I originally wanted to help Mother and A-Rong after my life got better.” Tang Chunming told Li Feng his thoughts frankly. He said it in advance to avoid any knot in his heart when they got along in the future.

　　”He-he!” Li Feng grinned. Did Brother Ming agree?! He agreed to marry him. Li Feng was so happy that he wanted to hug him if he didn’t care about Brother Ming’s situation. As for helping him, he would do whatever Brother Ming said. “I’ll listen to you, I’ll go there early tomorrow morning.”

　　”How stupid!”

　　”hehe……”

　　Tang Chunming: …

　　As Tang Chunming thought, the gossip had already spread to Zhenshan Village. Wang Ying was a strong-willed person, both inside and outside the house, and he had brought up his son very well, but some people just disliked him. 

     As soon as they heard about Wang Ying’s stepson marrying someone from another village, regardless of whether it was true or not, those people made up a story and exaggerated it.

      They said that Tang Chunming was not filial. The matchmakers who came to his house were kicked out. Wang Ying didn’t care about his stepson,  but if his reputation was ruined, who knows what the people from the neighboring villages would say about Gers from Zhenshan Village.

　　Wang Ying was in a dilemma, he didn’t know what to say about his stepson. He had noticed something different about him before, and now it was even worse.

     His temperament was becoming less docile like the ger he used to be at home. Things happened one after another, which ger would be so restless while still mourning and pregnant like him?

　　His silly son was still thinking about his brother all the time. After hearing the rumors, he wanted to rush to Pingshan Village to find out what was going on.

   In his opinion,  his brother was not wrong, it must be that the people in Pingshan Village bullied his brother again. Fortunately, Wang Ying persuaded him to stay calm and go to Pingshan Village to see his brother when school breaks.

　　After pulling the weeds in the field and bringing back a bunch of pig grass, Wang Ying wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was not afraid of the hard all year round. As long as his son had a promising future, it would be worth it. 

         He was also moved by the agreement proposed by his son. After all, it was his son who proposed it. If failed the exam and went home to the farm, he wouldn’t blame him. Seeing that his son wanted to make a name for himself, his heart as a mother softened, everything he did was for his son.

　　”Wang Amo, you’re back so soon?”

　　”Hey, A Rong is going to school, I have to hurry up and make breakfast for him.” Wang Ying answered cheerfully.

　　”Your boy is sensible. While you are busy outside, he is not idle at home either.” Everyone knows that A Rong does a lot of housework. He is not like some people who think they are great after learning a little and refuse to do housework.

　　”No, A’ Rong is just feeling sorry for me as a mother.” Wang Ying was of course very happy when others praised his son.

　”Wang Amo, don’t just focus on one and forget the other. After all, the child was the one left behind by the previous husband. Now that he has done these things, you don’t take good care of him. It will be too late to do anything when his reputation is ruined.”

 However, someone sang a different tune and deliberately poked Wang Ying’s sore spot. Everyone knew that A Rong’s father liked the previous husband more than Wang Amo.

　　”Hmph, let’s wait until we figure out what’s going on. No matter what, the child I raised is not the kind of person you say. Even in Pingshan Village, every family praises him for being filial.”

 Wang Ying replied unhappily. He was not afraid to respond to others’ criticism. No matter what, his stepson was still a member of the Tang family, it wasn’t others’ turn to judge him.

　　Besides, who dares to say that Ming Ger is not filial? Once the account book is released, anyone who dares to say such things will be contradicting himself. Whose son can do better than Ming Ger?

　　”That’s right, who didn’t praise Ming’ger before he got married? I think there must be some misunderstanding here, It will be fine if we talk it out.” Someone acted as a peacemaker.

　　Wang Ying continued to stride home, not arguing with the chatterbox. While he was still on the ridge of the field, someone ran towards him, shouting, “Wang Amo, go home quickly, there are guests at your house. They came on a big horse and brought a lot of things.”

　　Wang Ying had sharp eyes and realized that the person calling him was his neighbor. He quickly walked up to ask what was going on. Who would come to his house so early in the morning? He didn’t have any wealthy relatives.

　　Not only was Wang Ying confused, but even the villagers who heard it were very curious. After Wang Ying walked away, everyone started talking about it again.

　　”When did the Tang family have a relative who rides a horse?”

　　”Could it be someone his family’s head knew in his early years?”

　　”They only said that there were guests, but didn’t say they were relatives. Are you really so impatient to curry favor with Wang Ying?” 

    The person who had rudely spoken earlier on just couldn’t stand to see Wang Ying do well.

　　”You think we are fawning on you just for watching the fun? Then I can’t talk to your family anymore, or people will say I am fawning on you.”

   “Oh, I’d better stay away from you when I see you in the future so that I won’t be accused of taking advantage of your family.”

　　The man was so angry that he was going around, disturbing the people working in the fields early in the morning.

 After being ridiculed by others, he stopped talking and concentrated on his work. As for the guest from the Tang family, someone would definitely spread the news after he returned.

　　”Wang Ying said Ming’ger was good. Everyone knows that Ming’ger stopped interacting with his stepmother after he got married. Everyone knows about the things in their family. If Wang Ying treated Ming’ger better, would Ming’ger not come back to see his mother?”

　　But no one paid any attention to him. It is difficult for stepmothers and stepsons to get along with each other. Moreover, it is not Wang Ying’s sole responsibility that the two have a bad relationship.

   Wang Ying did not treat Ming’ger badly when he got married. If all the stepmothers in the village could treat their children left behind like this, the village would be much more peaceful.

　　Wang Ying hurried home, and sure enough, he saw a tall and majestic horse at the door, surrounded by many children watching the fun. But the person was no longer at the door. Seemingly, his son A Rong had welcomed the person in. 

   Wang Ying became even more anxious, A Rong did not even ask before he dared to welcome the person into the house. He did not know what to say about this stupid son.

   In his opinion, there was nothing wrong with his son, except that he was too soft-hearted, not like him at all, and not like the head of the family as well.