Chapter 447: The Zheng Family's New Year's Gift

em back to give Xiao Cui something to eat.When everyone wasn't paying attention, Jia Yin secretly teased the two chubby children. She stealthily nibbled on their tender, lotus-like legs several times...Jia Yin nodded readily, agreeing happily, "Okay, Grandma. I prepared some for my stepfather too, so he can give it to Uncle Huang."

In recent days, Jia Yin has been playing during the day but hasn't slacked off at night. She's been busy in her own space.

She was afraid of overworking the seedling nursery, which would drain the soil's fertility, so she planted most of the vegetables in those few acres of ordinary fields.

It was just a craving that led me to hasten the growth of dozens of watermelons and muskmelons in the nursery.

Now the fields are plentiful, in a few days it will be harvest time.

Not only was there enough to give as gifts at home, but she also prepared a present for her stepfather. She even planned to sell some of it and exchange it for some white and plump cute silver ornaments!

Wenjuan sat on one side, listening to her grandmother and aunts discuss matters. She would only smile and respond when they asked her a question.

Seeing that everyone was seeking the younger sister's opinion, she couldn't help but be curious, a few traces of it appearing on her face.

Zhao Yuru saw this and explained to her daughter-in-law, "Before, the Marquis sent Fu Niang a manor, which had skilled craftsmen. Even in winter, vegetables and fruits would often be delivered. These things were quite novel, so the family was preparing them as New Year's gifts."

"Then Wenjuan understood and replied, “Thank you, Mother. I understand.”

"Don't worry, just ask if you don't understand anything. From now on, we're all family, so don't be shy." Zhao Yuru took the opportunity to advise her daughter-in-law, "Our family doesn't have any complicated rules, there's only one thing you must remember. That is, keep family matters to yourself and don't tell anyone, even your father, understand"

Wenjuan quickly nodded, "Mother, rest assured, I'm marrying into this family and will be one of you. Our family is more important than anything else."

My father has concubines and a younger half-brother. He will continue to take another wife in the future, and perhaps have more children. As for me, I am just an unmarried daughter. I have done nothing wrong, and all I need to do is be filial.

Everyone present felt a pang of sympathy upon hearing this. Li Lao Tai patted Wen Juan's shoulder comfortingly and said, "You're right, she's a good child."

Tao Hongying also said, "We're making steamed red date buns and braised pork ribs with pickled vegetables for lunch. If you're not too tired, come lend a hand."

Wén Juān, her eyes red from crying, smiled and replied, "Good, Fourth Aunt, please teach me. I'll get up to make breakfast after this."

"As you've just gotten married, this is the time for sleeping in. You don't have to get up early to cook; just lend a hand at lunchtime and dinner." Tao Hongying said casually, causing Wenjuan's face to flush red. She quickly stood up and said, "I'll go make some tea!"

Everyone saw her shyness and ran away laughing.

Jiayin held two candied fruits, her cheeks puffed out, moving up and down, occasionally spitting out a fruit pit. She laughed, her big eyes squinting, truly like a squirrel.

Tao Hongying couldn't help but tap her daughter's forehead, "Before the New Year, I let you enjoy yourself for a few more days, but after the New Year, you stopped eating snacks and candied fruits. You're not afraid of becoming a ball, be careful of getting cavities!"

Jia Yin quickly grinned, showing her mother her one little white tooth.

Although she was unfamiliar with the willow branches and salt used here, she diligently brushed her teeth every night in the space.

She definitely doesn't want to experience this world's primitive tooth extraction methods!

Unfortunately, Tao Hongying wouldn't fall for it. She was determined to cut off her daughter's "source of happiness"!

In a blink of an eye, seven or eight days passed. It was the eve of the Chinese New Year, and every household's rooftops were filled with wisps of smoke. The stove fires in kitchens burned continuously throughout the day.

Steamed red date buns, frozen dumplings, glutinous rice cakes, fried sesame balls and oil cakes, fried meatballs, steamed bean curd...

Women hated having to sleep, tossing and turning day and night with various foods.

Life was tough before, even if I wanted to try something new, I didn't have the chance.

Now that our household is well-stocked with food and we've received the year-end bonuses, our wallets are bulging!

It's simply a waste not to make something delicious when you're in such a good mood!

The academy at Suijin Beach finally had its break, and the mischievous boys went wild, reveling both in and out of the village.

Mr. Chiang had no family, so he still stayed in the new village during the Chinese New Year.

But Li's family had already made arrangements for him to spend the New Year at their large courtyard, without needing to prepare anything.

Each household scrambled to send things to the school.

Your family made meatballs and sent over a plate for us, so my family steamed some date cakes and sent you some as well!

Mr. Chiang brought the young attendant Gu Li with him, and they truly ate a mountain every day.

Thus, the once tall and handsome gentleman, in just a few days, was forced to lean towards the word "greasy."

Luckily, Mr. Jiang woke up quickly and rushed to the Onsen Valley to practice "dog paddling" every day.

This way, he finally managed to preserve his image...

Similarly, it's not just Mr. Chiang who needs to protect his image, but also little Jia Yin.

Recently, every day, she sends seven or eight baskets of vegetables and one basket of fruit to her uncle's wine shop.

Even if Uncle was incredibly busy and couldn't return home in the evenings, he always made sure that his newlywed nephew, Jiahuan, could come back.

Thus, Jia Yin could earn a sum of silver almost every day.

With the red envelopes from the village and her godfather's share, she was so happy that even her sleep came with smiles.

During the day, she almost couldn't hold back a laugh. If she wasn't constantly keeping her mouth tightly shut, she was afraid she would burst into laughter and become a lunatic.

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, pigs were slaughtered in the village.

The large white pigs in the pigsty have contributed countless offspring to surrounding villages within a radius of ten miles for generations. The sows have given birth to over twenty piglets each, and now they are all grown up enough to be slaughtered.

The village head and the others discussed it and decided to send offerings to both sides. They would send gifts to the Peng family and the Liu family, of course, but they would also give a pig leg to the Marquis, along with some vegetables and fruits from the Li family, and send them all into the palace.

So, this morning, two plump pigs were held down on the chopping block, and their lives ended swiftly.

Before the children could swarm and fight over the pig bladder, Yeshan and Dongmei drove back from Zhengjiazhuang.

Last night, they sent Shuiyun and Shuiling back. Jia Yin, this little mistress of the house, naturally had to show some courtesy to the Zhuang household. So, she took out her gifts and brought them along in the car.

Jia Yin had never been to Zhengjiazhuang, so she didn't know what they lacked there. But life ultimately boils down to the four basic necessities: food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.

So, she packed the fine cotton cloth she had previously purchased into sixteen pieces.

A fat pig, raised with hard work in space, was also caught.

In addition, seafood brought back from the wine shop was also packed into two barrels. There was also an extra 200 taels of silver reward.

These things aren't much, but they come from the heart.

Suiyun and Suiling carried the roast duck, wore new embroidered dresses, and had brand new silver-winged butterflies on their heads as they happily went home to celebrate the New Year.

It was evident that the Zheng Family Estate was deeply grateful, as the two carriages brought back by Ye Shan and Dong Mei were nearly overflowing.

One crate of colorful furs, two moose, two wild boars, two pairs of bear paws, six pairs of pheasants, six pairs of rabbits, one cage of hens, one cage of red roosters, one cage of ducks, one cage of geese, and two buckets of live fish!

Two buckets of chicken eggs, one bucket of duck eggs, and one bucket of goose eggs!

And there are two bags of various dried mushrooms and two bags of peanuts and melon seeds.

Red beans, green beans, yellow beans, and rice beans, each one bag.

Besides these there were a few account books and a small box one foot square…

Everyone in the village came to help slaughter the pig. Seeing it, I was truly envious.

"The village head chuckled, 'Funiu's homestead is truly excellent. Everyone here is hardworking. They plant in the fields, swim in the water, and raise livestock – everything is well-organized!"

"Indeed," Uncle Zhao replied, "There are still good hunters in this manor. Look at the deer and wild boars; their eyes have all been shot through."

Old Li didn't want too much attention on Zheng Jiazhuang, so she hurried to get Luo to move things into the courtyard.an't let Grandma hear a word of it.Li Zhensheng was afraid that, besides the external threat from the barbarians in Jiangbei, there might be internal troubles. That's why he spoke to the Marquis a few...