Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Getting married is one of life's biggest milestones, so it naturally cannot be taken lightly.

Chen Xi had saved up some money. Earlier, before Er Shun left, the master had given him ten silver taels. Later, when Er Shun returned, he brought back over ten more silver taels—all rewards he had earned.

Er Shun lived and ate at Wang Ying's house and was frugal by nature. This time, he only spent a string of cash on two bolts of patterned cloth in the county town; the rest of the money was given to his father.

With Wang Ying's family also present, Chen Xi decided the wedding feast couldn't be skimped. He had the village men inquire where they could buy whole pigs.

Due to the flood, there were no pigs left in Chen Village. The few pigs that had been driven up the mountain earlier had all been eaten by everyone—after all, when people had nothing to eat, how could there be food to feed the pigs?

A few days ago, they found out that Baishu Town, about forty li (around 13 miles) away from the village, had pigs for sale, though the prices were quite high. Pork that used to cost over twenty wen per jin (Chinese pound) had now risen to forty wen. Even buying a live pig would cost thirty wen.

After discussing it with his wife, Chen Xi gritted his teeth and decided to buy a fat one for the feast. It wouldn't be right for his son’s wedding to lack even a single meat dish.

Early the next morning, the pig was delivered—a live one weighing over 170 jin, costing five strings of cash (about 5,000 wen). It was certainly not cheap!

Besides pork, they also bought more than sixty eggs at three wen each, spending less than two strings of cash.

Early spring offered few edible vegetables, and Wang Ying couldn’t take any from the experimental fields. In the end, they made do with stewed cabbage, radishes, and various dried vegetables.

On the morning of the wedding, everyone got up early.

The village women came to help with preparations, while the men gathered to slaughter the pig.

Yuan Bao followed Mu Tou to watch but was frightened by the pig's squeals. Afraid the child would be too frightened, Mu Tou quickly carried him back inside.

Chen Qingyan served as the bookkeeper, responsible for recording gifts. When his son came in, he grabbed some candy pieces from the table and handed them to the children.

"Eat these quietly, don’t let your father see."

Wang Ying was strict and never allowed Yuan Bao to eat candy, fearing it would rot his teeth.

Wang Ying happened to witness this and coughed from the doorway, scaring the children into running off.

After Yuan Bao left, he stepped inside and glared at Chen Qingyan. "You’re spoiling him. Spoiling a child does them no favors."

Chen Qingyan chuckled. "It’s just a piece of candy. It’s not as serious as you say."

"You’re good at playing the nice one. Now our son is closer to you than to me."

Chen Qingyan quickly stood up to apologize. "It’s my fault. A Ying, don’t be angry. You’re his father—no one can replace you."

Wang Ying snorted and took a silver ingot from his pocket. "Write it down in the gift ledger. Since we’re here, we can’t come empty-handed. Other gifts would be hard to manage, so giving silver is more practical."

"Should I record all of this?"

"After Er Shun gets married, he’ll come with us to the prefectural city. It’s like we’re taking their son away. Leaving more silver can count as support money for Uncle Chen Xi."

"True. Then I’ll write it all down." Chen Qingyan took the silver, placed it in the money box, and neatly wrote on the paper: "Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan—ten silver taels."

Soon, more people came to give gifts. Villagers typically gave a few dozen wen, with the most generous offering no more than a hundred wen. After the gifts were recorded, everyone gathered to wait for the feast.

Two large stoves were set up in the yard, with pots of meat stewing. Soon, the aroma wafted through the air.

It made everyone’s mouths water. After all, due to the flood, most families hadn’t tasted oil or meat in half a year. With such cravings, how could they not be tempted?

Soon, the food was ready, and the bride arrived at the house.

Er Shun’s wife was surnamed Qin, called Qin Xiaofeng, a round-faced girl. She wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, but her smile was charming, with two dimples on her cheeks that made her look kind and amiable.

When the time was right, the master of ceremonies shouted, "Let the feast begin!"

Bowls of meat dishes were served, and everyone ate like they were in a competition. The stewed meat was so tender it fell apart at the touch of chopsticks, melted in the mouth with such flavor that one could hardly resist licking the bowl clean.

Li Shi and the others didn’t sit outside. Chen Xi, worried the villagers’ table manners might alarm Wang Ying's family, set up two separate tables indoors.

Although Wang Ying's family often ate meat, the village-style large-pot cooking had a unique flavor that was especially delicious.

Even Fourth Aunt, who usually didn’t care much for meat, ate several extra mouthfuls and repeatedly praised the taste.

After the meal, the wedding was essentially over. Except for those staying to help clean up, everyone else returned home.

Wang Ying and his group also prepared to return to town. They would rest for a day and head back to the prefectural city the day after.

When leaving, Wang Ying initially planned to slip away quietly without disturbing the villagers.

Unexpectedly, everyone found out. Young and old alike came out of their homes voluntarily and followed the carriage to bid them farewell.

An elderly man suddenly recited a rhyme: "Young Master Wang of Chen Village, with Shennong's skill and courage/Led us through the flood waters, sowing life and earning praise!"

"Young master—may your journey be smooth!"

"Young master—may you live a hundred years!"

Sitting in the carriage, Wang Ying was moved to tears and quickly hid his face with his sleeve. How could he deserve such praise from the villagers?

*

Back in town, everyone rested well for a day. The past few days in the village had been cramped and uncomfortable.

Early the next morning, Er Shun arrived with his wife, accompanied by Da Shun and his wife, who had already come to town a few days earlier to clean the shop inside and out.

Fearful of future disputes, Wang Ying made sure to bring the property deed to the government office to clarify the situation and wrote a contract to prevent others from claiming the shop.

By the twentieth of February, everything was arranged. The group set off for the prefectural city under the bright sun.

Returning meant preparing for the Prefectural Exam, usually held in early April each year, followed directly by the Academy Exam. If one could achieve the top rank in all three exams—county, prefectural, and academy—it would be a "Xiao Sanyuan."

The Provincial Exam, Metropolitan Exam, and Palace Exam would constitute the "Da Sanyuan" if one topped all three. Throughout history, many have achieved the Xiao Sanyuan, but those with the Da Sanyuan are rare. As for achieving all six top ranks, it has never been heard of to this day.

After over half a month of travel, the group finally arrived at the prefectural city.

Lin Sui was visiting such a distant place for the first time and felt uneasy. Chen Qingyun noticed his discomfort and stayed by his side these past few days.

Entering the city still required strict inspection. Fortunately, they had their documents, and Uncle Chen, familiar with the guards from earlier vegetable deliveries, gave the guards two strings of cash to smooth their entry.

Inside the city, the air filled with various hawkers’ cries. A small market south of the gate was bustling.

Vendors sold food, wild game, eggs from domestic chickens, ducks, and geese, and even little rabbits—gray-white babies no bigger than a fist.

Yuan Bao leaned out the carriage window and immediately took a liking to the rabbits. "Father, I want to raise a bunny."

Wang Ying asked Er Shun to stop and inquire about the price. One rabbit cost ten wen; a pair was two wen cheaper.

"Buy a pair. You three will be responsible for taking care of them at home."

The three children nodded eagerly like chicks pecking at rice.

The carriage eventually stopped in front of their home. Uncle Chen took out the keys and unlocked the gate. The yard was still covered in a layer of snow, with only sparrow footprints marking the surface.

Upon entering the courtyard, Wang Ying first had Qing Yun take Lin Sui to her room to rest, while she figured out the living arrangements.

The lease still had six months left, and breaking the lease now won’t get a refund. Although they had enough silver on hand to rent a larger place, buying a houseyard was tough for now. They had no choice but to squeeze in together for the time being—earning money was the top priority!

Chen Qinghuai cleaned up and continued sharing a room with Chen Qingsong, giving up their room for Lin Sui.

The two brothers hadn’t any complaints; after all, they were used to each other’s company and enjoyed having someone to talk to at night. They were both quite pleased with the arrangement.

Lin Sui settled in just like that. Once lively, he had become more introverted after what happened, but he also grew more sensible. As soon as they returned home, he stuck close to Wang Ying, helping pack and tidy things.

Once everything was in order, Aunt Chen went out to buy salt. Wang Ying took the opportunity to bring Lin Sui to the shop to show him the way.

After more than two months away, the room was covered in a layer of dust. The two quickly grabbed brooms and rags to clean up.

Before long, the neighbor shopkeeper came over to say hello, "Shopkeeper Wang, you’re back! I thought this veggie stall was closed for good."

"Of course not! I was just accompanying my husband back to his hometown for the county-level exam."

"Oh my, I had no idea Shopkeeper Wang’s husband was a scholar! Did he pass?"

Wang Ying replied cheerfully, "Yes, he topped the county exam. My cousin and younger brother also took it—all three passed."

This was even more impressive. Three examinees from one household, all achieving notable success—the visitor’s expression shifted, and his tone grew more respectful.

After the man left, Wang Ying whispered to Lin Sui, "Do you know why I made a point of boasting about your cousins’ success?"

Lin Sui shook his head. "No."

"It’s to send a message to these people, to let them know our family has influence, so they won’t try to take advantage of us."

Previously, she had relied on Deputy Prefect Wang’s status to sell vegetables, but that was a false pretense. If it were ever exposed, she needed another layer of protection.

Lin Sui nodded, though he only half-understood. His sister-in-law always had a method to her actions, and he figured it was best to follow her lead.

"In the summer, we’ll also be selling ice sticks. If we sell too many, it might attract envy."

Ice was different from vegetables. Anyone could grow vegetables—they weren’t particularly rare. Although less common in winter, wealthy families could still enjoy fresh produce from heated greenhouses.

But ice was another matter. It was controlled by the court. Every year, ice harvesting began during the coldest days of winter. Ice workers would cut blocks from the river—each measuring three feet long, three feet wide, and five inches thick—then transport and store them in ice cellars.

By spring and summer, much of the ice had melted, and the remaining supply was prioritized for officials.

According to Wu Dynasty customs, officials of the fifth rank and above received three feet of ice monthly, while those below fifth rank received only one foot. Only officials of the fourth rank and above could purchase additional ice to enjoy the coolness of ice containers in summer.

Stealing ice was a serious crime: one foot stolen meant ten lashes; three feet stolen meant thirty strokes and exile to a place 100 li away. This reflected how highly valued ice was.

Of course, some privately harvested and stored ice for summer sales, but the prices were exorbitant. A single foot of ice could sell for a guan, making it unaffordable for ordinary families—only the most affluent merchants could indulge.

Before, when Wang Ying sold ice sticks in the village and town, people found it novel but didn’t pay much attention.

But here in the prefecture city, it was different. Eyes were everywhere, and if she couldn’t provide evidence of how she obtained or made the ice, she could end up in legal trouble.

Wang Ying dared not reveal the method of making ice with saltpeter. Although it could fool people, actually making that much ice daily was too hard to pull off convincingly. Anyone who looked closely would realize something was amiss.

That’s why Wang Ying brought up the three scholars in the family—to make those eyeing the shop think twice and to prepare for potential challenges ahead.

By the time they returned from the shop, it was already late. Everyone ate dinner and retired to their rooms, worn out from the long trip. They planned to rest thoroughly over the next few days.

After two days of rest, Chen Qingyan brought his two younger brothers to visit old friends in the prefecture city.