A few days later, second Aunt Qin suddenly realized something; she hadn't seen Qin Siya and Qin Shoucheng for several days. After dinner that day, they family sat under the eaves to rest. Although they had separated, the yard was still shared. Second Aunt Qin asked, " sister in law,I haven't seen Siya and Shoucheng for several days. Where have they gone?"
Mother Qin had never had the luxury of show off, but when Aunt Qin mentioned this, she had something to say: " Siya and Shoucheng went to the border with Afang and his wife".
"What" This was the answer that Second Aunt Qin couldn't think of.
Even when others in the yard we're looking at Qin's mother.
As someone who knew the situation, Grandma Qin sighed. AFang and his wife took Siya and Shoucheng with them for their own good. Siya, with Afang's wife, could learn to read and write and even learn needlework and then learn the rules and etiquette of wealthy family. It was all good. As for shoucheng, according to her daughter in law,Afang's wife planned to seen him to school. It has to said that such elder sister in law who cared about her younger sister and brother in law was truly kind.
Grandma Qin knew why they hadn't disclosed it in advance. Afang's wife was caring for Siya and Shoucheng out of kindness. If the second wife found out, Niudan would have to go to school with them, it else, with the third wife,Erya and Sanya would have to go too. But the eldest grandson and his wife didn't earn their money out of thin air; they couldn't afford to support their younger siblings, especially since second and third Qin uncles were still alive.
Even so, Grandma Qin knew that the gap between the first, second and third wives was getting bigger and bigger.
Mother Qin said, " it's because of those two stubborn kids, Siya and Shoucheng. They took the ride on the carriage and refused to get off. The insisted on staying in it. As a result,Afang and Yanyan had no choice to but to take them to the border."
Aunt Qin was no fool, she knew what Mother Qin had said. Qin Siya and Shoucheng followed Qin Fang and his wife to the border to enjoy life. Although border was dangerous,Afang's wife is a wealthy woman, having bought three acres of wasteland, large horse and large carriage. So, how could they're not enjoy the life?
Aunt Qin pursed her lips. What could she say? Even if Afang and his wife were still here, she couldn't force her niece in law to raise Erya and Niudan, not to mention that they were gone.
Father Qin called second and third uncle Qin aside and said: " We've finished all the work today. I'm planning to build a house on Afang's wife wasteland. Would you like to come and help? Meals are not included and the wages is ten cents a day."
Second and third Qin uncle were stunned, then second Uncle Qin said: " No wages." His nephew was building a house and they were helping his uncle, so why should they be paid?
Aunt Qin was angry and thought her husband was a fool. The eldest family was willing to to pay wages, but he still didn't know how do it. But her husband was already married, what could she do?
Father Qin said: " Well, this house is not small. It will take some time. Otherwise, you can go to town to work and get paid. How can I let you work for nothing? It's okay for a day it two, but for a long time, it's better to pay you".
Aunt Qin took the opportunity to say, " That's right big brother".
Father Qin: " I'll get the blue prints out for you to see. Before building a house, the wood, bricks, etc. must be prepared first".
After Qin's father took the blueprints and showed the scale to second Uncle and third uncle Qin, second and third uncle Qin knew that this would indeed take time, so they did not refused the wages.
Aunt Qin stood by and said, " Brother, it's still a vacant? All my brothers are capable of working".
Mother Qin said: " No need, there are only two people in the clan who can help and my brothers from my mother's side are enough". If there is money to be made, then of course she will focus on her brothers.
According to get husband's estimate, they cost of building the house this time would be about fifty taels of silver, but her daughter in law generously gave her one hundred taels of silver. However, even If the money was enough, they could not spend it carelessly. The had to return the money to their son and daughter in law when they came back.
While the Qin family chatted animatedly about building their house, Qin Fang and his group, after a long day journey, arrived at a village they had stayed in earlier this month on their way back home. It wasn't that they didn't want to find an inn, but they were running out of time to find one in the next town, forcing them to travel at night. If they stayed in the previous town, they would have wasted half a day. The two towns on this road were quite far apart.
The carriage stopped in front of the house where they had stayed. Since Qin Fang was in front row, he dismounted and knocked on the door: " Excuse me, is anyone there?"
There was a knocked on the door and it opened. A young girl, the daughter of this family,whose surname was Ren, came in. Miss Ren remembered Qin Fang because they had stayed at her house about twenty days ago and had given her a considerable amount of money for three night. Seeing them now, she greeted them warmly, " Officer, are you staying here for the night?" The last time they stayed, Qin Fang has mentioned that they were from Yongzhou military camp, returning home after completing their military service and staying here for three night. He also called him "Master Qin", so the Ren family called him " Officer".
Qin Fang said: " Yes."
Miss Ren: " Please come in. You've just returned from your hometown. Have you returned to the military camp?"
Qin Fang: " Yeah". It wasn't military secret, so it didn't matter if they revealed it. Besides, they were here to bother someone, so hiding their identities wouldn't be appropriate. Besides, they weren't people of high status.
Yang Haiyan, KunZang and others got off the carriage. Miss Ren found that there were more people this time than the last time, but there extra people seemed to be family members.
" My dear, who's here?" Ren's parents came out of the room and saw Yang Haiyan and three others. " Oh, it's three officer and his wife".
Yang Haiyan: " Old man, I'm here to bother your family again."
Ren's mother: " No.. no please come in. You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"
Yang Haiyan: " We haven't eaten yet. We brought some flour. Please make some for us. Old madam, do you have vegetables and eggs at home?"
Ren's mother: " Yes…yes, I'll give you some noodles right away". She took the flour. It was the same as last time. They gave the noodles, and the vegetables and eggs were from their family, but they paid for it, so this time Ren's mother didn't say much. "My daughter, take it to the guest's house".
Miss Ren: " Hey… sir, madam, do still want to stayed the room you take last time?"
Last time, Yang Haiyan and Qin Fang shared a room, and Kunshi take the other room. But this time, it was no longer possible, as the women had to share a room, three men had to share room as well.
Yang Haiyan: " Sure. ..Siya and sister Kun will share a room with me, my husband will take Shoucheng and Captain Kun and his son into one."
Qin Fang: " Yeah.. " It was only was.
By the time Miss Ren had made their beds, her mother had prepared their vegetables and egg noodles. Knowing how generous these people were, she'd fried an egg before cooking. This added oil and water to the noodles soup, making it more delicious.
While Yang Haiyan and the others were eating noodles, Ren's mother took miss Ren to boil water for the guest to wash up. Ren's father hadn't appeared since the first time, because there were women among the guests, so he had to stay out of the way.
Kun Zhang face the poached egg in her bowl to Kun Daying. She had been following them all the way here, and while she was initially reserved, she was now somewhat used to it. Especially during their first meal together, they had whole bunch of dishes at the inn , dishes that better than what they had eaten back home. So much so that Kun Zhang didn't know how to pick up her chopsticks. Even when madam asked her to, she was too embarrassed to do so.
Seeing her like this, Yang Haiyan stopped eating. Either everyone had a bowl of noodles or the food was divided into two tables.
After eating noodles and washing up, everyone went to rest.
The next day, after breakfast, everyone gave the Ren family fifty coins and set off on their journey. In the evening of the next day , they finally returned to the military family compound.
Looking at the family quarter that caught his eye, Kunshi said, "it's finally here."
Yang Haiyan lifted the carriage curtains and saw that it was indeed dark. Perhaps because she had just entered the book from this place, she was more accustomed to it than old Qin'ss house and felt that this place was home.
Qin Siya squeezed her little head out to look outside: "Sister in law, it's just like a town here ".
Yang Haiyan said: "This is the town. Look at the neat rows of courtyard over there. Those are the barracks family housing. Many soldiers and their families lived there."
Qin Siya: "Wow, it's different from the town over there".
Yang Haiyan: " We will be home soon".
It was indeed about to arrive. Because no one was at home, the door to Qin's courtyard was closed. Uncle Hong heard someone knocking on the door. When her opened the door and saw Qin Fang and others, he was a little excited. "Sir, you are finally back". Then here shoute into the house: "Sir, you are back".
The house was so small that when Uncle Hong called out, Nanny Lian and the others in the inner courtyard noticed the situation and hurried out.
As soon as Aunt Lian saw her, she bowed and said, " Madam, you are finally back".
Yang Haiyan went over to help her. " Thank you for your hard work this month. Has anything happened?".
Nanny Lian said: " Everything is fine in the shop and at home, except.." Then she glanced to towards the servant's yard.
Yang Haiyan looked over and saw two women looking over there. She said: " Siya,Shoucheng, come here. Mammy, this is Qin Siya, pronounced as Ya, meaning sprouting. This is Qin Shoucheng, meaning punctual and successful. From now on, call them Miss Ya and Brother Cheng. Arrange rooms in the east wing for them. Tomorrow, go to the pawnshop and buy a maid to look after Siya and Soucheng.
Aunt Lian: " Yes".
Yang Haiyan then said to Siya and Qin Shoucheng. " Siya, Shoucheng, this is nanny Lian. Nanny Lian, will teach you etiquette and manners from now on. If you can't find your sister in law and you encounter any problems, please find Nanny Lian ".
Qin SiyA and Qin Shoucheng: " I understand, sister-in-law in law".
"Madam…madam, you're finally back". Aunt Fan said as she ran. " Madam, you haven't eaten yet, right?"
Yang Haiyan saw that Aunt Fan was being very friendly. She used to the food she cooked she missed it a lot when she was at the Qin family.
"Not yet. You can make some. Oh, captain Kun is back with his wife and ten years old son. Make some more food for them once it's ready ".
Aunt Fan: " Yes".
Yang Haiyan: " Madam Lian, go prepare Siya and Shoucheng's rooms first. I will take them back to the main courtyard".
Aunt Lian: " Yes.."