Pingshan Town is a roundabout day every Wednesday and July. Early in the morning, Jiang Huang took Jiang Anyong and Jiang Anyan to move bamboo baskets, bamboo brooms and other things to the market to occupy a place.

Today's business is good, before noon, Jiang Huang took a pair of children home with a smile on his face, and all the things he brought were sold, and he earned more than a dozen copper coins than before. Thinking that his children hadn't seen meat noodles for nearly half a year, Jiang Huang gritted his teeth and cut six pennies of pork.

The children of the poor are in charge early, Jiang Anyi knows that the rice is 20 wen, the pork is 10 wen a catty, and the cost of food and clothing for an ordinary family of five is four or five taels. Ten acres of fertile land in their own house, the yield of rice per mu is about one stone and two buckets, one is divided into taxes, four is divided into rent, and only five points are left in their own homes, and one is left for planting, leaving only more than 500 catties of grain every year.

The family exchanged the rice for cheaper millet and beans, and the vegetables were half grown and half dug wild vegetables, barely surviving the day, and even so, it cost more than 1,000 yuan a year. Two bamboo baskets, one bamboo broom, the more than 1,000 yuan of food and clothing are all earned by the mother's hands, six dollars of pork, the mother has to weave three bamboo baskets to exchange for it.

The fried meat with green onions is really fragrant, Jiang Anyong and Jiang Anyan were so smoky that they refused to leave the kitchen, they circled around the stove and swallowed saliva, Jiang Anyong added firewood to the stove from time to time. Jiang An sat at the desk reservedly, and silently recited several words of "self-cultivation and meditation", but finally he couldn't resist the fragrance, and his mind was hooked into the kitchen.

Half a child, eat poor old man, Jiang Anyi is fifteen years old this year, it is the time to be greedy for a long body, Jiang Anyong is twelve years old, and he is also the age when he can eat, Jiang Huang specially made a liter and a half of millet rice, and still ate a fine light, but the bowl of fried meat with green onions, there is still more than half a bowl left.

Even the greedy Jiang Anyan knows that the water flows for a long time, her mother and two brothers only occasionally stretch out their chopsticks, and most of them still run to the green onions in the bowl. The food is silent, and the family occasionally makes eye contact, and they are happy.

"Fifth brother and sister, are five brothers and sisters at home!" A shrill voice came from outside the courtyard, shouting.

Jiang Huang's face changed, he put down the bowl and hurriedly greeted him, and the second uncle of the same sect, Jiang Zhida and his wife, came. The Jiang family is a big surname in Pingshan Town, with more than 20 families, Jiang Zhida Xing 2, Jiang Anyi's father Jiang Zhihou Xing 5.

Jiang Anyi took his younger siblings to salute, and Jiang Zhida hummed: "The body is good, remember to be filial to your mother in the future, it is not easy for her." ”

Jiang Chen took Jiang Anyi's hand and said with a smile: "Brother Yi is very good, I heard that you had an accident, but my aunt was in a hurry, and I prayed for you in front of the gods." I should have come a long time ago, but I have been doing something at home, and I didn't come until today, so I'm really sorry. Fifth brother and sister, you see this child has clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, really like my brother, next year I will go to the house to take the exam, there will be a blessing after the catastrophe, the righteous brother is determined to come back in a show, and then the five brothers and sisters will wait to enjoy the blessings. ”

Jiang Chen's "horn horn" kept talking, and Jiang Anyi felt that his hands were cold and damp, like a snake entangled, very uncomfortable. Gently broke away, and moved a chair to invite Jiang Zhida and his wife to sit.

Jiang Zhida lifted the bamboo chair and put it under the eaves outside the door, rolled up his trousers, took off his straw sandals, and knocked mud on the stone steps. Jiang Li sat at the table, crossed his legs, his eyes quickly glanced at the dining table, and said with a smile: "My younger sister's family has a good life, my family can only eat meat during the New Year's holidays, but my younger sister's family can eat it normally." ”

Jiang Huang just wanted to open his mouth to explain, but Jiang Chen quickly continued: "In addition to coming to see Brother Yi this time, there is also something to tell my younger siblings. The third child of my family talked about family affairs a few days ago, and the woman is a big family in the county, and she is knowledgeable and courteous, but she is not like those wild girls in the town. ”

"Congratulations, congratulations, I will definitely come to the door to ask for a glass of wine when the time comes."

Jiang Chen's eyebrows were full of triumph, and he said in a tone: "This family affair is indeed rare, but the woman asks for a lot of dowry, and the bride price alone costs eight taels and eight dollars of silver." Alas, for the sake of this family business, my family tossed and emptied, and I borrowed everything I could, but it was almost there. ”

Jiang Huang lowered his head and was silent. Jiang Chen's slender eyebrows raised, and he continued: "I originally said that your family is in trouble and you shouldn't mention the matter of repaying the money, but today, I see that my younger sister's family is living a good life." In this case, can I pay it back if I borrow two taels of silver from my family, so that my sister-in-law can beg people everywhere. ”

Jiang Huang's face turned pale, and when her husband died, she had no money to bury her, so Jiang Zhida borrowed two taels of silver to handle the funeral, and said that he would pay one cent of interest a year. In the past three years, he has relied on weaving bamboo, and the interest is paid on time every year, but the bamboo basket is thin, in addition to supporting the family, after paying the interest, there are not a few left in the hands of the Jiang Huang family.

Originally, in the past few years, he had accumulated 1,223 wen in frugality, and was going to give Jiang Anyi to Fucheng to take the exam, but he didn't expect that Jiang Anyi was struck by lightning, and it took nearly 1,000 wen to ask the doctor to catch the medicine, but now he has less than 300 wen in his hand, so how can he have to pay two taels of money.

Jiang Huang made a bitter face, squeezed out a smile and said: "Sister-in-law, you know the situation of my family best, these two taels of silver are really not enough, you have a lot of adults, and then you have a grace period of two years, and when Yi'er is admitted to Xiucai, the situation of the family is better, and I will pay you back." You can rest assured, this interest will never be less. ”

Jiang Chen's skin smiled and said: "It is natural to repay debts, I was kind enough to lend you silver, but I didn't expect to rely on it." Wait for Brother Yi to be admitted to the show before paying back the money, is the show easy to take the test, to put it mildly, why can't your man pass the exam after reading all his life? If Brother Yi can't pass the Xiucai exam, my family's money will not be able to be lost? ”

Jiang Huang had tears in his eyes, and pleaded softly: "Sister-in-law, if you have two more years of grace, I will pay back the money." ”

"No, my family is in a hurry to use the money." Jiang Chen was unmoved, his crossed legs shook rapidly, and the powder on his face fell straight down as the two lips flew over.

Jiang Zhida's face was unbearable, and he wanted to open his mouth several times, but Jiang Chen glared back viciously, so he had to lower his head and sigh vigorously.

Jiang Huang was so anxious that tears rolled in his eyes, and Jiang Chen slowed down his tone and said: "Brother and sister, I have a way, not only can I pay off my debts, but I don't even have to worry about the money for my brother's exam." ”

"Oh?"

"Don't you have ten acres of land, sell a few acres of land, and you will have the money."

"Selling land? No way. ”

"No way?" Jiang Chen stood up in annoyance, sneered and pointed at Yan'er, "If you don't sell the land, do you plan to sell this little girl?" I'm afraid this little girl isn't worth a lot of money. ”

Yan'er was so frightened that she cried out with a "wow", timidly pulled the corner of her mother's clothes, and sobbed: "Mother, don't ...... Sell Yan'er, Yan'er will help when she grows up...... Mother did something. ”

Jiang Huang sat softly on the ground, hugged Yan'er, tears flowed, Jiang Anyong stood in front of his mother and sister with red eyes, panting, glaring at Jiang Chen viciously, like an angry bull.

Jiang Anyi felt that his heart was being clenched fiercely, and he squeezed out a drop of blood, each drop of blood was swollen and whistling in his body with infinite anger, and he really wanted to step forward and slap Jiang Chen twice to add some blush to her pale face.

stepped forward to help his mother and hugged his sister, Jiang Anyi said coldly to Jiang Chen's family: "Auntie, we dare not forget your family's kindness, rest assured, we will not lose the silver, isn't the third brother going to get married after the year, these two taels of silver will be paid off before the year." ”

Jiang Chen looked at Jiang Anyi with some surprise, he hadn't seen each other for two months, and the eldest son of the Jiang family, who had always been wooden and weak, actually became stiff when he spoke, as if he had changed someone. looked Jiang Anyi up and down again, his face was still the same, but his eyebrows were obliquely raised into his sideburns, adding a bit of perseverance and coldness.

Jiang Zhida hurriedly stood up and said hurriedly: "Since Brother Yi said that he would pay it back before the end of the year, he will talk about it at the end of the year." After speaking, he didn't look at Jiang Chen's face, waved his sleeves, and hurriedly went out.

Jiang Chen's called a few times, and when he saw Jiang Zhida striding away, he scolded "dead ghost" hatefully, and quickly calculated in his heart, it is August, and there are still three months to celebrate the New Year, and it is impossible to pay off the debt by relying on Jiang Huang's bamboo basket. The eldest son of the Jiang family said a big thing, and he took advantage of it, and even if a few brothers of the Jiang Huang family came forward, they would have nothing to say. The Jiang family has a lot of money, this kid will ask for money for the exam next year, and he will also need money to marry in the future, hehe, the ten acres of land will have to be returned to him sooner or later.

Thinking of this, Jiang Chen smiled with a gloomy face: "Since the eldest nephew has given the word, I, who is an aunt, will wait until the end of the year." But when it comes to the ugly words, I won't see the silver before the end of the year, don't blame me for not being emotional. ”

With a tense face, he stomped his legs and turned around to go out, and saw several braided new bamboo baskets placed under the eaves, Jiang Chen carried one in one hand, twisted his waist and left.

The room was quiet, and the sound of sobbing made the air feel depressed, Jiang Anyi wanted to comfort his mother a few words, but he didn't know where to start for a while, so he simply shook his drowsy head and went out.

There are more than 700 households in Pingshan Town, and the "ten" shaped street divides the whole town into four parts. The bluestone street is not wide, two carriages can be parallel, most of the shops on both sides of the street, the blue bricks and black tiles appear neat, and the bargaining sound is heard from the shops from time to time.

The dark clouds were lower, Jiang Anyi was walking on the street in a trance, a gust of wind came, blowing the turbans flying, the green cloth robes hunting and rolling, with a handsome face, attracting the girl who passed by to stop and look back, and the sadness between his eyebrows ached.

"The eldest son of the Jiang family has grown into an adult, but he is a talent, Si Swen is very much like his father."

"Sven has a fart, he still relies on Widow Jiang to support him when he is so old, he is simply a waste, not as good as his second boy. His sister-in-law, do you have a crush on him? Xiuling's daughter has grown up, and she is the same age as this kid. ”

"Alas, if he can pass the exam, Xiucai and Xiuling are quite a good match, but Xiucai Gong is not so easy to test, and his father is not a farmer after studying all his life. If you want to say that your kid is not young, he is a good hand at work, but no one else has it. ”

"Tsk, isn't this the kid who was struck by thunder, and he's alive again? Thunder can't be killed, it's hard enough. ”

……

Whispering and racing the sword, Jiang Anyi had already been cut all over his body along the way. It turns out that in the eyes of others, he is just a waste, and he thinks that everything is inferior, only reading is high. At the end of the year, what will you pay back? The full-bellied Zi Shiyun can't exchange it for a copper coin, does he really want to sell the land to pay back? Why is God so the poor?

"Click", a muffled thunder exploded overhead, and the bean-sized raindrops hit his face painfully, Jiang Anyi woke up from a daze and found himself standing in the bazaar, all around him empty, and he was the only one standing in the vast rain.