When the pears are green

Chapter 159: The Joy of Hearing the Magpie

Jiang Ping closed the courtyard door gently. He first signaled Jiang Qian not to speak loudly, and then whispered to Jiang Qian: "Chong'er is a child who can be awakened by any noise. Speak more quietly. Have you eaten?"

"Dad, I get it. You go and rest for a while. I can just eat something by myself." Jiang Qian said and tiptoed to the kitchen.

Jiang Ping looked at Jiang Qian's back, but he couldn't ask, "How did you do in the exam?" He turned back to his room, sighed, and lit a stick of incense for his wife and children, asking them to bless Jiang Qian.

Jiang Qian took a steamed bun to the bedroom, and tiptoed to the bedside, where he saw Zhang Ying resting with little Jiang Zhong in her arms. He first took off the bag on his shoulders and put it on the table by the window, then sat on the stool by the bed, eating the bun while watching the sleeping mother and son.

In the yard separated by a wall, Song Li was discussing with Jiang Qingzhou whether to make dried vegetables this year.

"Let's make some so we can keep it for ourselves." Jiang Qingzhou felt that although it was troublesome to make, it was really delicious.

Song Li followed Jiang Qingzhou's words and said, "Since Qingzhou agrees, let's make some. But we don't have Zhong radishes at home, so we can only buy them this year. We can also buy some radishes, some of which can be dried, and some can be buried in the soil to eat in the winter."

"Okay, the Mid-Autumn Festival market is coming up in a few days. I see we don't have many mung beans at home, so I'll go to town to buy some tomorrow. We've always sold mung bean sprouts, so should we grow soybean sprouts this time? Also, there's less and less grass, so I'm thinking of selling the rooster and a pig." Although Jiang Qingzhou had already made up his mind, he still felt that he should discuss it with Song Li.

Song Li laughed after hearing this. Jiang Qingzhou looked at Song Li in confusion. He didn't understand why Song Li suddenly laughed.

"Qingzhou, just make the decision. You don't have to ask me about everything. People who don't know would think you are henpecked! Buy less soybeans. There are people selling soybeans in town, and we can't sell too many. As for the pigs, do you sell them to the butcher in the village?" Song Li smiled and put her arms around Jiang Qingzhou's waist. She raised her head and looked at Jiang Qingzhou's profile.

Jiang Qingzhou lowered his head and touched Song Li's hair. He told Song Li that pigs were usually sold to Wang the butcher in the village.

"Is Butcher Wang's name Wang Rong?" Song Li asked with a smile.

Jiang Qingzhou reached out and smoothed Song Li's hair that was blown by the wind. He shook his head and said, "No, Butcher Wang is called Wang Ding. Who told Xiaoli that he is called Wang Rong?"

"Don't they say selling pigs is for fame? I thought all butchers were called Mou Rong!" After Song Li finished explaining, both of them laughed.

Before the two of them finished laughing, a magpie landed on the sycamore tree behind the kitchen and started chirping.

Since Song Li had her back to the kitchen, she asked Jiang Qingzhou what kind of bird it was.

"It's a magpie. It looks like something good is going to happen recently." Jiang Qingzhou looked at Song Li's smiling face and slowly bent down.

Before Jiang Qingzhou could get close to Song Li's face, there was a knock on the door.

"Let it ring for a while." Jiang Qingzhou covered Song Li's ears and continued what he had been interrupted on.

Jiang Qingye, who was outside the door, was very puzzled. When he left home, Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou were both at home, so why didn't anyone open the door?

"Brother, sister-in-law, are you home?" Jiang Qingye shouted while clapping.

When Song Li heard that it was Jiang Qingye's voice, she hurriedly pushed Jiang Qingzhou away and asked him to go open the door.

Under Song Li's intimidating gaze, Jiang Qingzhou reluctantly let go of Song Li. He helped Song Li tidy up her clothes and then walked towards the courtyard gate.

"Brother, I thought no one was home!" Jiang Qingye complained to Jiang Qingzhou. He felt like his voice was almost hoarse.

Jiang Qingye cleared his throat and whispered to Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou what he had heard: "Brother, sister-in-law, I heard that Li Jia from the back of the village is sick. Aunt Zhang said that he has had a high fever for many days. He has tried taking medicine, burning incense, and calling his soul, but it's no use. He is almost dying."

"Who is Li Jia?" Although Song Li has been married to Jiangjia Village for almost a year, she doesn't usually interact with the villagers, so she is more familiar with the neighbors near Jiang Qingzhou's home.

Jiang Qingzhou frowned. He guessed that Li Jia should be the man who went to Jiang Yang's house at night to do bad things.

"It's behind the village, very close to Jiang Yang's home." Jiang Qingye replied quickly.

Song Li said "Oh" and stopped talking. She kept cursing this scumbag in her heart.

The sun sets and rises again, and a new day has arrived.

Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou went to the town early. They first bought 15 kilograms of mung beans and 5 kilograms of soybeans, and then went to the butcher's shop to buy 5 kilograms of pork fat and 2 kilograms of pork belly. The 200 copper coins that Song Li had with him were almost spent.

"It's easier to spend money than to make money." Song Li couldn't help but sigh.

Jiang Qingzhou took the empty purse from Song Li and comforted her with a smile: "When the Mid-Autumn Festival comes, sell the bean sprouts from these beans and fill this purse again."

"I didn't realize Qingzhou was so good at talking before." Song Li couldn't help but tease.

Seeing that there were no other pedestrians on the road, Jiang Qingzhou lowered his head and whispered in Song Li's ear: "I can tell you anything Xiaoli wants to hear."

Song Li just smiled and patted Jiang Qingzhou's arm, and the two of them walked on the path in the field, talking and laughing. The sound of corn being cracked could be heard from the field.

When the two returned home and took the things in the backpack into the kitchen, they heard the sound of gongs and drums coming from outside the courtyard gate.

Jiang Qingye, who was playing with a slingshot with Jiang Xiaoshan outside the courtyard gate, hurried into the kitchen. He happily told Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou: "Brother, sister-in-law, my second brother passed the examination and became a scholar. Someone from the government office came to announce the good news."

After Song Li closed the kitchen door, she went to Jiang Qian's house with Jiang Qingzhou and Jiang Qingye. There were already many villagers gathered in front of Jiang Qian's house.

Song Li did not see Jiang Qian, but saw Jiang Ping take out twenty or thirty copper coins and hand them to the tall yamen runner who was in the lead. The tall yamen runner glanced at them and accepted them with a smile.

"Why is only Uncle Ping here? Didn't second brother come back?" Song Li muttered curiously.

Li Caixia's mother, who was standing next to Song Li, explained with a smile: "Jiang Xiucai went to get the private seal. Just now, the people in the government office said they wanted to compare the seals."

As soon as Li Caixia's mother finished speaking, Jiang Qian came out with the seal. The tall yamen runner took the seal, and the short yamen runner quickly took the ink from the wooden tray held by the fatter yamen runner. The tall yamen runner lightly touched the seal with the paper on the wooden tray, and then stamped it on the paper.

After the tall yamen runner carefully compared them, he respectfully handed the seal and the good news to Jiang Qian. Jiang Qian took them and invited the three yamen runners into his house for a drink of water.

"Thank you, Mr. Jiang, but we have other good news to deliver, so we'll take our leave first." The tall yamen runner led the other two yamen runners away.

The onlookers came forward to congratulate Jiang Ping and Jiang Qian, father and son.