If Liu Er's two boys were decent, or had some ability, Wang Li would have been willing to help them out when he had the chance.
But they all lived in the same place; everyone knew everyone else's business.
There was nothing really wrong with the two boys, but Uncle Liu's wife had spoiled them rotten. They weren't the type who could handle hard work.
More and more people gradually arrived to ride the ox cart, so Liu Er stopped pestering Wang Li with questions.
Instead, the empty fish baskets and the joyful expressions on everyone's faces filled the small ox cart with a happy atmosphere.
"This fresh seafood sells so much better than the dried stuff." An old woman with a headscarf clutched the copper coins in her tunic, satisfied. 'If I work hard for another six months,' she thought, 'my son will be able to afford a wife.'
"This is all thanks to the Lord Prefect's wisdom in getting these terrible, rugged roads of ours repaired. Now we can send our fresh catch out every day."
