Bride Price and Gifts

"How much? How dared their family ask for so much?" Fang Lan cried out despite herself.

There were no shortage of marriages in the villages within ten miles of here.

Yet Fang Lan had scarcely heard of any family demanding such an enormous bride price when marrying off a daughter.

They were not landlords or rich men—what family had that much money and property?

Back when famine had raged in past years, three taels of silver could buy a servant girl.

"Yeah, this marriage is going to be hard to pull off."

Chen Shi felt somewhat dispirited, yet also unwilling to accept it.

She had seen the eldest girl of the Zhou family in the neighboring village. She had looks, broad hips, and a fine childbearing frame. One glance told you she could bear children.

Marrying a girl like that into the family would save them plenty of worry.

It was just that everything had been agreed upon so nicely at the start. Who knew why, at this point, they had suddenly demanded so much more in bride price?

Who could bear that? This marriage was surely going to fall through.

Still, perhaps it was for the best. The Zhou family had pulled this stunt early, letting them see their true face. Better than marrying her home and having all sorts of trouble afterward.

Thinking of it that way, the Zhou Girl was not a suitable match.

"Mother, I'm back."

Just then, a familiar voice rang out.

Chen Shi hurriedly turned around and saw her youngest son standing outside the door.

His face was weathered by wind and dust, and he seemed a little darker from the sun.

No, he even looked a little thinner.

"My Zhi'er, you've suffered."

Chen Shi hurriedly set down the netting in her hands. Taking three steps as two, she rushed to Fang Yue and grabbed him by the shoulders.

She looked him over from left to right, all but inspecting every inch of his body.

"Zhi'er, have you eaten? You must be hungry. Mother will make you something. What do you want to eat today? We still have two eggs at home—I'll boil them for you."

Then Chen Shi, looking flustered and hurried, was about to bustle off to make Fang Yue a meal.

"Mother, I've eaten."

Fang Yue stopped Chen Shi before taking off the bundles on his back.

"Mother, look what this is. We're having meat tonight."

He opened the bundle, revealing a large piece of prepared tiger meat. Fang Yue had another bundle like it on him.

The two portions of tiger meat weighed about the same, adding up to more than two hundred jin.

It was not that Fang Yue and the others had not wanted to bring back more. The flesh and blood of that young tiger alone had weighed a full two or three thousand jin.

If they had brought it all back, it would certainly have lasted them a long time.

But the same problem remained. It would have been fine in winter, when the cold temperatures would preserve the meat for a while.

But although autumn had already arrived, the temperature was still not low. Fresh meat would spoil in a day and could not be stored at all.

In this era, the most practical ways to preserve meat were salting it or drying it into jerky.

Since they had not expected to encounter a young tiger on the road this time, they had not brought much salt. They had only salted a little over three hundred jin of tiger meat, while the remaining thousand-plus jin had been roasted dry to remove the moisture.

Fang Yue had brought back more than two hundred jin. The remaining thousand jin or so of tiger meat had naturally been taken back by Fang Hu.

"What kind of meat is this? Why is there so much of it? Where did you get it?"

The moment Chen Shi saw the salted meat and jerky peeking out from Fang Yue's two bundles, she was stunned.

In all her life, the meat she had seen and eaten combined did not amount to this much.

What worldly experience could a country farmwife like Chen Shi have? She had always been cautious and timid.

At the sight of so much meat in Fang Yue's hands, she immediately panicked.

Could Zhi'er have robbed that butcher?

Would the Village Chief and Village Elder send people to arrest my Zhi'er?

Just then, Chen Shi's gaze could not help drifting toward the doorway. Several men were walking over from the distant road.

They really came to arrest Zhi'er!

"Hey, Zhi'er, run!" Chen Shi shoved at Fang Yue, urging him to flee at once.

"Mother, Mother, what are you doing now? Why should I run?" Fang Yue did not know whether to laugh or cry. He had only just returned home—why would he run?

He had not broken the law, so there was no need to flee.

"Hurry and go! You stole someone's meat—they've come looking for you!" Chen Shi pushed at Fang Yue as she spoke incoherently.

Fang Yue was instantly thrown into confusion.

Stole someone else's meat?

What was that supposed to mean? Had someone lost meat today? Could anyone in Daliushu Village slaughter this much meat at once?

"This is tiger meat. Uncle Fang Hu and I ran into a young tiger on the way back, and Uncle Fang Hu gave me my share," Fang Yue quickly explained.

"Fang Hu gave it to you? Then you should have said so earlier. Fang Hu really gave it to you? Then I can rest easy."

Chen Shi asked again and again. Only after receiving confirmation did she finally let out a long breath and relax.

Then, as if recalling something, Chen Shi hurriedly said:

"Quick, give me the meat. Take it inside and put it away. It wouldn't be good if someone saw it."

Out in the countryside, supplies were scarce, and every household lived half-hungry, half-full.

If a family ate meat once, people would envy them. If a family ate meat every day, they would invite jealousy.

Those people did not dare vent their dissatisfaction on landlords and wealthy households. They would only take out their feelings on families much like their own.

In the end, they simply could not bear to see others living better than themselves.

In short, wealth should not be flaunted.

"Mm."

Fang Yue nodded, but instead of handing the meat to Chen Shi, he carried it into the kitchen.

The two pieces did not look all that large, but they were far from light.

He had only just put them away when a voice sounded from outside.

"Fang Mu's family, is your Zhi'er home?"

"Oh my, isn't this Steward Liu? What do you need my Zhi'er for?" Hearing him, Chen Shi first called back with a question.

Steward Liu was the steward of Liu Landowner's household.

He was usually extremely imposing at Master Liu's home, keeping a close watch on people like them who worked there.

Who knew what he had come for today?

And judging by his expression, he was all smiles and pleasantness, nothing like his usual stern face, as if everyone owed him two taels of silver.

Though Chen Shi had seen little of the world, she knew that when someone like this came to the door with such an attitude, there had to be something wrong.

"I heard your Zhi'er has entered Fang Hu's school, and that he followed Fang Hu to Xiahe County Town these past few days. Is that true?" Steward Liu said with a chuckle.

"Mm, that did happen," Chen Shi replied.

"Then that's right. These things are a small token of our master's regard, sent for your Zhi'er."

Steward Liu immediately instructed the household servants behind him to carry several boxes inside.

"Ah, Steward Liu, this... this simply won't do. I can't accept these things."

Chen Shi saw box after box of gifts—silk cloth, pastries, and many things she would never have dared even dream of owning on ordinary days.

Yet now, they were laid out right before her eyes.

Hadn't her Zhi'er merely followed Fang Hu on a trip to Xiahe County Town? Why was Liu Landowner sending gifts to their home?!!

Could I ask for a few recommendation votes?!!!