"Year 15 of Qing'an, Qing Feng Prefecture suffered the Red Dragon Turnover. In Qingmu County, there were countless people selling their sons and daughters."
"Six years ago, the Li Family gave me a mouthful of food and let me survive. I have always remembered that kindness."
Upon hearing this, Wei Tu looked astonished. He lowered his head even farther than when he had entered, deliberated for a moment, then spoke these words.
What he said was not false.
During the famine years, Li Residence had given him a mouthful of food. That alone was a kindness.
The kindness of saving his life!
Compared to staying alive, becoming a servant was secondary.
When the granaries were full, one knew propriety.
When one had enough food and clothing, one knew honor and shame.
For country folk, selling themselves to a great household was not some humiliation.
Hearing this, Madam Li nodded, a trace of satisfaction appearing in her eyes.
Although Wei Tu had not spoken those broad, empty words about swearing loyalty to the Li Family, she could still hear the gratitude in his words.
And that was enough.
"Xinghua entered the Li Family two years before you and is three years older than you. I watched her grow up..."
Just as Chun Lan had said, Madam Li began discussing the marriage between Wei Tu and Xinghua.
"As the saying goes, if the woman is one year older, you will hold a golden rooster; two years older, your coffers will overflow with gold; three years older, you will hold golden bricks."
"Xinghua's parents passed away early. I can be considered half her maternal family, so I approve this marriage between you and her..."
Madam Li spoke slowly.
As her words fell, the maids standing behind Madam Li immediately broke into smiles and held out their hands toward Wei Tu, asking for wedding money.
"Cai Xia, go to my room, take out the red silk beneath the dowry chests, and send it to Xinghua's room. Let it count as my wedding gift as the mistress of this household."
"Also, tidy up a room for Wei Tu and Xinghua to use as their wedding chamber."
"Yes, First Mistress." Chun Lan gave a slight curtsy and left the main hall.
The next day.
Inside a hall in the outer courtyard of Li Residence.
Wei Tu, slightly drunk, stood beneath the eaves, rubbing his brow to clear his head.
Then.
He glanced at the red silk flower nailed above the doorframe, straightened his back, and forcefully pushed open the unbarred wooden door before him.
With a creak.
Wei Tu entered the room and immediately noticed the bride sitting half-reclined at the edge of the bed.
Through the half-lifted red veil, Wei Tu felt that Xinghua's features were more refined than usual, transformed from plain to delicate.
Wei Tu turned his head and looked around the rest of the hall. This new room had changed from the dilapidated place in his memory into something far more neat and orderly.
A lattice window.
Freshly pasted window paper.
A wooden table propped up on two long benches, holding a small bronze mirror and a sewing box used by women.
In one corner of the hall stood two solid wooden chests.
Half the lacquer on the chests had peeled away.
Wei Tu guessed they held bedding and clothes.
"Wei..." Seeing Wei Tu standing dumbly in the new room, Xinghua could not help feeling a little proud. She had cleaned and redecorated this room herself.
She called out to Wei Tu, but when she saw that he still had not come to his senses, she shyly found it difficult to call him a second time.
She secretly complained that Wei Tu usually teased her so much. Why was he being so scrupulous about propriety now that they were truly married?
Nothing was said throughout the night.
Morning light filtered through the window paper into the hall. Wei Tu lay on the bed with Xinghua in his arms.
Logically, as newlyweds who had married only yesterday, they could take a day off from their duties at Li Residence and sleep until the sun stood high in the sky.
But Wei Tu and Xinghua had long been used to rising early. Even if they wanted to be lazy now, they could not fall asleep.
"Wei, in a few days, let's ask First Mistress for a few days' leave and go back to your home to take a look. Since we've married, we should tell Father too..."
Xinghua said softly.
Having sold themselves into the Li Family, they naturally did not need to heed matchmakers' words or parental orders when marrying. The master of the Li Family and First Mistress could make the decision, and no one could find fault with it.
Still, no matter what, they had to notify Wei Bao and tell him the good news.
"Mm." Wei Tu nodded.
His old home was some distance from Qingmu County's county seat, requiring one or two days of travel. That was why he had not notified Wei Bao beforehand.
Besides the distance, there was another reason he had not told Wei Bao about the marriage.
This marriage had been arranged by Li Residence. Wei Bao was an outsider, and it would not be very appropriate for him to come to Li Residence.
Nor could Li Residence spare a room for Wei Bao to stay in temporarily.
"Besides seeing Father, there's also..."
As she spoke, Xinghua got out of bed, took the sewing box from the table, and patiently began mending the old robe Wei Tu had worn through before.
As she worked, she chatted with Wei Tu and discussed the many matters that would come after their marriage.
Requesting leave.
Visiting relatives and friends.
Renting land to grow grain.
And a whole series of other matters.
The hall had only been lent to them by the Li Family out of pity for these two servants. Though the Li Family had not said when they wanted it returned, they themselves would inevitably feel it improper to stay too long.
It would be better to save money and buy a room near Li Residence.
Besides, it was one thing for the two of them to have fallen into servitude. They could not let their children follow in their footsteps, bowing and scraping to others from childhood.
And all of that required money.
For now.
The way to earn money was for Wei Tu to work hard, rent Li Residence's land, and become a tenant farmer while serving as a stableman.
That way, they could save some silver every year.
"I'll listen to you."
Wei Tu nodded, agreeing to the plans his new wife had made for their little household.
"With that, in five or six years, buying a room won't be difficult..."
"Once we have children, we'll send them to a private school. If they study well, we'll support them in pursuing scholarly honors. If they're ordinary, we'll have them become an accountant..."
Xinghua smiled.
With a generous and understanding master, and a steady, capable husband, she felt that this life was already enough.
"Studying at a private school..."
Hearing those four words, Wei Tu fell silent for a moment. He picked up the dry tobacco pipe at his waist, lit it, and took several hard puffs.
Studying.
Changing one's fate!
It was a memory carved into his bones.
With the Health Cultivation Technique and the Late Bloomer destiny, although Wei Tu could not be certain that he would definitely set foot upon the immortal path, become an immortal ancestor, and roam free without dying, he was certain that in his generation, he would absolutely rise above the crowd.
"Continue practicing the Health Cultivation Technique."
Wei Tu no longer wasted time in bed. After swiftly dressing, he raised his hands and began practicing the Stance Training of the Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique.
Again and again.
After getting married.
It seemed he now had even more to strive for in his heart.
Seeing this, Xinghua was surprised, but she did not ask further.
The martial spirit in Qing Feng Prefecture was not weak. Because many farming men were poor, they mounted their horses as bandits and dismounted as civilians, living as blade-wielders to support themselves.
It was no strange tale for her husband to know a few martial moves.
Xinghua withdrew her gaze and continued with her sewing, though after some thought, she altered Wei Tu's clothes to make them a little looser.
Many thanks to Learning Three-Legged Cat for the reward of 1,500 Qidian coins, Kong Gao for the reward of 500 Qidian coins, and Book Friend 20220317121509785 for the reward of 100 Qidian coins.
I want to write this book with a warmer tone, a story of climbing step by step from the bottom to the world of immortals. I hope everyone will like it.
Before you continue