"You just bullied my second sister, and now you’re here to bully my mother too," Xiao Qi said angrily. "My mother won’t go with you."

"His second aunt, I know nothing about your affairs. I’m actually quite busy, so I won’t be seeing you out," Lady Zhang replied.

She was essentially shoving Lady He out.

Seeing the unhappy expressions on both Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang’s faces and how Lian Manman and the younger ones seemed eager to drive her out immediately, Lady He, who had always been kind and easy to talk to, suddenly became difficult. In a mix of anxiety and anger, she wanted to lash out, but in her heart, she had already lost courage against this family and could only muster a forced smile.

"That’s not what I meant," Lady He’s smile was uglier than crying, "Old Fourth’s wife, didn’t I tell you last time that my brother’s wine sold for one coin silver and five parts per jin? I was boasting, actually it only sold for one coin silver. Old Fourth’s wife, please, I’m asking you as your sister-in-law, go with me to the Upper Room and just say that my brother’s wine sells for one coin silver per jin. Just this one sentence is all I need... Father and mother, they both trust you."

First, it was three coin silver, then one coin and five parts, and now it’s down to one coin silver; where was Lady He’s credibility in what she said?

Lian Manman shook her head at Lady Zhang from the side, urging her not to get involved in this bothersome matter. Whether it ended well or badly, they would end up being blamed; there was nothing good in it for them.

"His second aunt, I’ve made myself clear. You handle the selling of the wine, and I’m not by your side. Just explain it well to father and mother, they are sensible people, what can’t be cleared up?" Lady Zhang said.

This time Lady Zhang was quite firm in her resolve not to agree, no matter what Lady He said. In the end, Lady He had no choice but to leave.

Lian Manman followed and listened by the doorway to the noises from the Upper Room, where Lian Shouyi was swearing and making pledges, Lady He was crying and wailing, and Lady Zhou was not showing any weakness either. The commotion continued until the lighting of the lamps and nearly lasted until midnight when Lian Shouyi finally gave in and coughed up thirty taels of silver.

With the Upper Room quieting down, the family of Lian Shouxin in the West Wing Room finally eased up and prepared to go to bed.

"Now the days in the Upper Room should improve, at least the money for the New Year and the money for Erlang to get a wife are all sorted out," said Lady Zhang as she lay on the kang.

"Why have the second brother and his wife started arguing again?" Lian Shouxin said, somewhat puzzled. The sound of Lian Shouyi and Lady He bickering came from the East Wing Room. After listening for a while, Lian Shouxin heard Lady He accusing Lian Shouyi of visiting prostitutes.

Lian Manman lay in her bed trying to stifle her laughter. Lian Shouyi and his wife had just united against Lady Zhou, and now they were starting to deal with their internal problems. She hoped they would learn a lesson and not bother her again, thought Lian Manman to herself.

"Ahem." Lian Shouxin gave an embarrassed cough and said to the children, "It’s getting late, hurry up and sleep, plug your ears."

...

Busy, meaningful days always flew by quickly. The weather had turned colder, the trees had long lost their leaves, leaving behind bare branches swaying in the north wind; the small river by the village had also formed ice. Lian Manman had already switched to wearing cotton-padded jackets, pants, and shoes.

One early morning, Lian Manman woke to find it gloomy outside.

"Second sister, come quick, it’s snowing," Xiao Qi shouted from outside.

Lian Manman hurried outside and sure enough, it was snowing. It wasn’t a flurry of snowflakes, but fine grains of snow. The fine grains quickly covered the ground with a thin layer.

Old Master Lian and Lian Shouxin, Lian Shouli, and Lian Shouyi walked in from the main gate, each carrying a manure basket filled with fresh animal dung. The baskets of Old Master Lian, Lian Shouxin, and Lian Shouli were all half-full, only Lian Shouyi’s had a thin layer at the bottom.

This had been a habit of Old Master Lian for many years, getting up before dawn to gather dung by the main road. This animal manure, once fermented, is excellent fertilizer, to be spread in the fields or in the front and back gardens to enrich the soil.

"It’s snowing!" Old Master announced joyously upon entering the courtyard and setting his manure basket down.

This was the first snow of the winter, and according to Lady Zhang, it was somewhat late. A timely snow promises a good harvest; if the winter snow is plentiful, it will melt into the ground in spring, giving a great start to that year’s farming.

"Today, we’ll make steamed buns," said Old Master, raising his hand as if issuing a command.

"We’re making steamed buns," Lady Zhang, getting up from below the stove, walked over to the door and shook her apron, also full of joy.

Making steamed buns is an important event in the winter for rural families. The buns mentioned here refer to sticky buns, namely, bean paste buns. Don’t underestimate these buns; they are an important food staple for rural families, generally consumed from now until the next spring.

Two days ago, the Lian Family had already ground the millet flour, yellow millet flour, and sorghum flour needed for the buns, just waiting for Old Master’s command.

During breakfast, Lady Zhang discussed with Lian Shouxin.

"After breakfast, let’s ask father for millet flour and red beans," said Lady Zhang, "Let’s aim to finish it all in one day, to avoid having to light the lamp and use oil... How many pounds of flour do we need?"

She and Lian Shouxin began to calculate how much flour, how many red beans they would need, and how many steamed buns to make to last the whole family through the winter.

"When I go to the Upper Room later, let’s not say how much we want; let’s see how much father gives us. Father has surely already planned it all out for us," Lian Shouxin said. "Father wouldn’t shortchange us."

After breakfast, the whole family headed to the Upper Room.

"What’s there to divide," Old Master tapped his dry tobacco pipe, "We’ll make the buns together."

*****...******

Second watch, begging for pink.

Bean paste buns, oh how I crave them, with sweet red bean paste filling, super delicious.

...********......

Recommending Ruoyan’s completed book: "The Brocade Screen Chronicles," a light house fight farmland tale amidst the domestic intricacies and grudges within a large mansion.

Book Number: 1771214

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