Chapter 36 – A Tael of Silver

Chapter 36 - A Tael of Silver

Third Uncle was the oldest and most senior elder in Dahe Village. With a long life came a wealth of experiences, making him more insightful than the average person.

Tonight's dinner was abundant. The wild chicken served on the table was hunted by Wei Dahu in the mountains. Old Man Wei had specially returned home for this occasion, knowing his son's and his own appetite. He also brought along a small sack of coarse grain, which earned him a scolding from Big Aunt.

"What bad luck, always causing trouble with these meaningless things!"

Scolding aside, the items couldn't be taken back. Every household was barely making ends meet; how could they freeload at their eldest uncle's place? However, the pheasants were secretly given, and Elder Wei wasn't an impulsive young man who didn't know his limits. If Third Uncle or Erniu were to witness this, what would they think?

It might be acceptable for Third Uncle, being a senior, to dine at a junior's home. But it would be different for Erniu. If he saw, he might bring some food over as well, and that would create an awkward situation.

Elder Wei brought two wild chickens, and Auntie, the eldest sister-in-law, was not stingy. She asked her second daughter-in-law to take down the cured meat hanging in the kitchen and cut a large slice. She also retrieved four or five eggs from her room, planning to steam an egg custard for the frightened children.

In their family, Fang Qiuyan, the eldest sister-in-law, was skilled in managing both the household and outside affairs, but her cooking skills were subpar. Under her hands, good ingredients would often be wasted. On the other hand, Sister-in-law Cao Xiuhong wasn't as proficient in outdoor work but excelled in the kitchen. Even a simple stir-fried vegetable dish she cooked tasted much better than Fang Qiuyan's meticulous attempt.

Tao Hua intended to help in the kitchen but was kindly dismissed by Auntie, who smiled and asked her to supervise the children in the courtyard instead. Soon, Second Uncle and Second Aunt arrived with Chen Sanshi. Second Uncle went to the main hall to chat, while Second Aunt directly went to assist in the kitchen. She was a reserved person and not fond of small talk.

Uncle Chen's home was genuinely bustling tonight. He even brought out the wine he had been hoarding and sparing for special occasions, keeping it hidden away in his room. Witnessing the lively scene in the kitchen and courtyard, the gloom that had settled over him during the day due to the Zhou family's visit completely dissipated. He directed Chen Sanshi to pour drinks for the elders, ostensibly as a form of training but in reality, to make use of his services.

Injured, both Chen Dashi and Chen Ershi were forbidden from indulging in alcohol, leaving them with an unbearable craving. Under the watchful eyes of their wives and mothers, any attempt to sneak a drink was impossible, thus they had no choice but to restrain themselves.

Two tables were set up in the main room, one for the men drinking wine, the other for the women who abstained. The dishes were identical, merely served separately. In their household, there was no such outdated custom where men feasted on meat and wine while women were relegated to porridge and vegetables. More often than not, it was Auntie, the eldest uncle's wife, who held the reins at home.

A hearty stew had been prepared with wild fowl, abundant beans, and cabbage, along with a platter of savory stir-fried cured meat, a pot of radish soup, and steamed eggs for the children. Although the variety wasn't extensive, the generous portions were enough to make anyone's mouth water just from the aroma.

It was truly a rarity for rural households to enjoy a meal with meat. Chen Erniu had completely abandoned any sense of composure; his Adam's apple danced up and down as his hand holding the chopsticks trembled uncontrollably. Even during the Lunar New Year, his family had never indulged in such extravagance – chicken and cured meat were uncommon treats. At most, during the festivities, they would venture to the river in hopes of catching a fish, supplementing it with two blocks of tofu for a hearty stew that would serve as their main course.

Even Third Uncle, usually reserved, held back from using his chopsticks. Seeing this, Cousin Chen hurriedly invited, "Please, Elder, go ahead. As the elders don't start, how can we juniors dare to reach for the food?" He intentionally joked to lighten the mood.

Third Uncle playfully scolded and, not being one to put on airs, he picked up his chopsticks to take a slice of thinly sliced cured meat. The fat was transparent, while the lean meat was tender; it required some effort for his aged teeth to chew, but it was incredibly delicious!

With his first bite, everyone else felt free to dig in. Chen Erniu eagerly grabbed a piece of the wild fowl that had been braised with ample spices. He could already smell its aroma when it was cooking in the kitchen – it was simply overpowering. Now that he tasted it, he realized what true flavor was!

He had never tasted such delectable chicken in his life!

In the main hall, everyone was too busy enjoying their meal to talk. They were devouring the meat, even the duck and goose eggs, leaving their usual favorite, egg custard, untouched. They tugged at their mothers' clothes, clamoring for a taste of the chicken, amusing all the adults at the table.

Auntie, the elder sister of Tao Hua's father, noticed that Tao Hua only picked at the carrots and teasingly said, "Tao Hua, you should learn from Big Hu. When he comes to eat at Auntie's house, he never knows what being polite means."

Those present at the banquet burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Tao Hua stole a glance at her man sitting at the neighboring table, who was jovially holding a wine bowl and joining in the laughter. Her cheeks slightly flushed, she whispered, "Why would I ever stand on ceremony with my aunt?"

Her uncle's wife personally picked out a slice of cured meat for her and said with a smile, "Try this cured meat. It was reserved from the pig we slaughtered during the New Year. Your second aunt smoked it; she's excellent at managing the kitchen." She gave a thumbs up.

Sister-in-law Cao Xiuhong, flattered by her mother-in-law's praise, felt a bit embarrassed. "Mother, how can you boast about yourself like that?"

Auntie laughed heartily, showing no trace of the woman who had sat on the ground wailing and pounding her legs during the day. "Shouldn't I praise my own daughter-in-law? Both you and Qiuyan are excellent in your own ways."

Fang Qiuyan and Cao Xiuhong exchanged glances, both breaking into smiles.

Tao Hua deeply admired the harmony between her sisters-in-law and the genuine affection Aunt, her eldest brother's wife, showed in praising and supporting her daughter-in-law. It inevitably reminded her of her mother, who had been exceptionally accommodating to her two sisters-in-law upon marrying into the Qian family. However, a healthy relationship cannot be cultivated solely through one-sided compromise and sacrifice, as she soon realized. Her elder sister-in-law was lazy yet shrewd, while the second was diligent but lacking in wit—one cunning, the other naive. This pairing of personalities destined them to be in constant competition.

Aunts and sisters-in-law like Auntie and the two were also a rare sight in the village.

In this world, in a household, either the mother-in-law dominates and wears down her daughter-in-law, or the daughter-in-law overshadows her mother-in-law. There's always one party holding the upper hand. How rare it is to find a relationship like that between Eldest Aunt and her two daughters-in-law, where the mother-in-law doesn't oppress her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law respects her mother-in-law. Neither side tries to outdo the other; there's no rivalry for superiority.

That's what makes it enviable.

Tao Hua relaxed and started to eat meat as well. Her restraint stemmed from habits formed in previous years, when she couldn't reach the good things in life, so she learned not to look or desire them. At home, while others ate meat, she drank soup, sometimes not even getting that.

With no one secretly glaring, no sudden chopsticks snatching food, and no sarcastic remarks...

Tao Hua smiled softly while eating. She had truly married and left that family behind.

After finishing their evening meal, the sky outside was already pitch black.

Carrying a torch, Elder Wei led the way, followed by Wei Dahu and Tao Hua, treading in the glow of the torchlight.

Passing by the burial slope, Tao Hua felt a chilly breeze all around, causing her to tightly grip onto Wei Dahu's clothes in fear. Overjoyed, he pulled Tao Hua in front of him to shield her with his strong, muscular chest: "Father is leading the way, I'm protecting you from behind, and you walk in the middle. No malevolent spirit can harm you."

"T... don't say such things!" Tao Hua wished she could cover his mouth. She was genuinely scared. The wind made the branches rustle, as if creatures lurked in the darkness, silently watching them with dark eyes, ready to pounce and devour them at any moment.

Fortunately, Wei Dahu was unaware of her thoughts, or he might have said that only he was waiting for prey to come to him, not the other way around...

Before they reached the courtyard gate, Wei Dahu heard the faint barking of a puppy.

Elder Wei pushed open the courtyard gate, and a small puppy, blending seamlessly with the night, scampered out on its four legs. It first circled around Elder Wei's legs, barked twice, then rushed over to Tao Hua, wagging its tiny tail joyfully.

Tao Hua, fearing she might step on it, couldn't clearly see her feet in the darkness. She gently nudged the puppy's small body with the tip of her foot, saying, "Stay away from me a bit, I don't want to accidentally step on you."

"Yip!" The puppy froze on the ground.

With poor eyesight, Tao Hua couldn't see in the dark, but Wei Dahu could. He bent down, grabbed the puppy by the nape of its neck, and held it up to inspect under the moonlight. The sudden capture startled the puppy, causing it to squirm frantically and whine pitifully. Elder Wei's heart ached at the sound, scolding his son, "You always have to meddle! Don't scare it, put it down right now!"

Being tall already, he raised his arm high, which frightened the puppy even more, causing it to continue its mournful cries. Tao Hua couldn't bear to see this, repeatedly tapping Wei Dahu's solid biceps and stretching on tiptoes, trying to snatch the puppy away, "Put it down, you're scaring it!"

Wei Dahu found himself under the scrutiny of two disapproving gazes at home. He placed the puppy on the ground, and it crouched down on all fours, barking twice at him before dashing into the courtyard. It swiftly squeezed through the narrow gap of the kitchen door and disappeared from sight in a blink, clearly terrified.

Seeing that the puppy still dared to bark at him, Wei Dahu was unsure whether to praise or criticize its bravery: "Dad, where did you find it?"

"From the same place you'd usually find something!" Old Man Wei was still fuming and didn't bother to hide his displeasure.

Wei Dahu rubbed his nose, not daring to ask further. Noticing his wife staring at him angrily, he promptly took her hand and led her back inside. Reaching into his chest, he pulled out a pouch and handed it to her, saying, "There, don't be angry anymore."

Tao Hua felt the pouch in her hand. The texture didn't feel like broken silver, but rather like small ingots... and there were more than one! Her eyelids flickered; what had he hunted to sell for such a large sum of money??

"Here you go." He pulled out two horn-like objects wrapped in scraps of cloth from his chest, their surfaces furry. "Today, I was lucky enough to come across a male deer with antlers. I cut them off – they're valuable, so I kept them for myself. Live deer fetch a higher price, but this one was small, and the meat of a male isn't as tender as that of a female. I sold it to a wealthy family. Their master might not be the brightest, as he gave me twenty-five taels of silver."

With wars raging previously, prices had been chaotic for over a decade or so. Due to the rarity and novelty, a one-horned male deer fetching twenty-five taels was a sign of the noble's foolishness.

Wei Dahu adored such naive nobles. When he sold Little Long last time, he targeted that noble's household. He decided to sell all future treasures to them, hoping to nourish the noble and prolong his life.

Tao Hua's hands trembled as she poured the purse's contents onto the table – three small ingots, plump and round, a delightful sight. She looked up at Wei Dahu, who placed her hand on his chest. Tao Hua instinctively pressed down; it felt firm, causing her eyes to widen.

Wei Dahu laughed heartily, producing three strings of copper coins and some silver fragments.

Her money vault-like retrieval stunned Tao Hua. "There's more?"

Wei Dahu chuckled, laying the exchanged coins and silver on the table, his gaze wandering. "I'm keeping five taels for other uses. Don't worry about it."

...In reality, there were only three taels left; he spent two on a hemostatic powder.

Seeing him nonchalantly mention keeping five taels as if they were mere copper coins, Tao Hua felt a lump in her throat. Yet, the sight of the three small ingots on the table made her unable to suppress her joy. She caressed them repeatedly, never having seen such wealth before.

How could she have imagined this? Fifteen taels, fifteen! There were also several strings of copper coins and silver fragments. How did he carry all that? Wouldn't it be uncomfortable?

She gazed at Wei Dahu, who returned her gaze, both of them sharing a moment of joy as a couple.

"Is it just because you love silver so much?" Wei Dahu asked her with a smile.

Tao Hua nodded. "Everyone loves silver. It can buy food, cloth, land, and build houses. It can even pay for medical treatment." It could also be used to marry a wife, support a family, and give one confidence when strolling through the town with money in their pocket, even if they didn't intend to purchase anything. They wouldn't fear entering a shop anymore.

Silver brought a sense of security.

Tao Hua smiled, lowering her eyelashes as she spoke softly, "Once, I went to the town with my mother, but without a single copper coin on me. I didn't dare step into a store that sold needles and thread."

Wei Dahu's heart ached upon hearing this. He held her hand gently and consoled her, "All the silver in our home belongs to you. In the future, you'll manage it, and you can use it however you wish."

Tao Hua looked straight at him for a long while. Then, she got up, went to the cupboard, and retrieved the only bundle she had brought with her when she married. Unfolding it in front of him, she dug out a small purse from among the neatly folded clothes.

Wei Dahu watched her attentively.

Tao Hua emptied the purse, revealing roughly four taels of silver. She placed these four taels on the table, next to the three small ingots. "This is what my mother secretly gave me before I was married. It was from the sale of our fields at a low price after my father passed away."

When her father's body was still warm, Li family's uncles had already come knocking, demanding to seize their lands. Zhao Sufen was not an ignorant woman; if they made the first move, she would retaliate. While her uncles were arguing over the ownership of their lands, she quietly sold two mu of land to a village family with many sons, along with other worthless household items, for a total of four taels of silver.

Then, she took the silver and, with Little Tao Hua in tow, promptly married into the Zhou family.

She hadn't mentioned those four taels of silver to anyone. On the night before Tao Hua's wedding, she secretly gave them to her daughter as a means for her to secure a livelihood – it was the last gift she, as a mother, could offer her daughter.

However, Tao Hua's life after marriage turned out to be entirely different from what she had envisioned. The Wei family still lived in that one thatched cottage with only a few acres of thin fields, remaining a poor household.

Nonetheless, this dilapidated family didn't lack food; they ate meat at every meal. The man of the house could go into the mountains for a brief while and return with twenty taels of silver, not resembling the poverty she had anticipated in the slightest.

In response to Wei Dahu's openness, Tao Hua felt no need to hide anything from him either.

"Author's Note"

Hello everyone, here's the second chapter for today. It's the end of the month, so I'm requesting nutrient solutions -3-