Chapter 160 - 156: Brown-noser_1

Translator: 549690339

Clan Leader Chen looked at his younger brother, Chen Sanyou and said, “Sanyou, your house has been burnt down too. When we return to the village, your family can stay at my place.”

Chen Sanyou had no objection, but his wife, Mrs. Zhang, from the Zhang Family, said: “Thank you for your kindness, uncle, but my son Xiaoxiao and I will not be coming.”

Their house was also being built on the South Slope, it was not completed either. She had already checked early in the morning, all the bricks, tiles, wood, and bamboo were still neatly piled up there, untouched.

Moreover, they had built two small cottages made of thatch next to their house, intended for the builders to rest. This place was just right for her and her son, Chen Xiao, to live in now.

The South Slope had access to water supplies and they had even opened up a small piece of vegetable garden next to their house. There was still turnip left in the garden, enough for mother and son to eat for a few days.

“Where will you live?” Mrs. Tang asked.

Mrs. Zhang replied, “There are two thatched cottages on the South Slope, Xiaoxiao and I will live there.”

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Tang had an idea. Her son, Chen Zhu, also built a house on the South Slope, right next to Chen Yin’s house. Although it was not completed, there was one thatched room already built. Perhaps she could move there with her daughter-in-law and grandchild as well.

But on second thought, it wouldn’t work. Chen Zhu hadn’t separated from his brothers yet. If she moved, wouldn’t that be what all those people wanted?

Snorted! She should wait until Chen Zhu returned to separate from them, then she would move. By then, she would stay with Chen Zhu and let that old man enjoy himself alone

Chen Sanyou’s eldest and fourth sons knew that their own houses were burnt down, but their second uncle’s house remained unscathed, which really rankled them.

When Chen Yin wanted to build a house on the South Slope, a lot of conflicts occurred with his brothers. Then, their father, Chen Sanyou, intended to separate his three sons, letting them live their own lives, and spend each their own money.

Chen Shu, naturally agreed, as the eldest son, the father’s land would be his in the future, and the family old house must also be his.

However, the fourth son did not agree to separation. Because once separated, he would have to farm his own land, pay his own taxes, and do everything himself, which wouldn’t be as comfortable as living under his parents.

In the end, Chen Yin was the only one who separated. Chen Sanyou supplemented him with thirty taels of silver.

Chen Yin then took that money, along with his own earnings to build a house on the South Slope.

But who would have guessed, before the house was completed, the bandits came.

Now, the bandits had burnt down most of the houses in the main compound. If the eldest son, Chen Shu, and the fourth son, Chen Ting, could balance things in their hearts, that would be surprising.

Chen Sanyou frowned, wanted to say something but didn’t. He could only nod at his daughter-in-law to agree with her decision.

Chen Sanyou’s wife sighed, touched her grandson Chen Xiao’s head and asked her daughter-in-law, “Do you have any food here? Do you have all the necessary bedding?”

Mrs. Zhang replied, “I have checked, there is still a little rice and flour in the house, and there is bedding too. The pots, bowls, ladles, and basins are all intact.”

The place was originally built for the builders. The food was stored in a pottery jar under the bed, and although the bedding was a little dirty, it was still usable.

“That’s good then, you and your son can stay here for now, I’ll come and check on you in a a couple of days.”

She looked at her husband, “Anyway, your father still has to come for acupuncture treatment, I will bring over some clothes for you to change into then.”

Mrs. Zhang said, “Thank you, mother.”

After having breakfast at the Jiang family’s place, the villagers gradually left. Clan Leader Chen, and Chen Sanyou, also took their families back to the village.

Xiu Zhenniang and her servants also returned, because Wang Dashan said that the school there had not been damaged.

When Mrs. Lin saw her four younger sisters leaving, it didn’t feel right to continue staying at the Jiang’s, so she also left with her daughter and servants.

The Jiang Family’s home immediately became quiet. Old man Jiang walked round and round his eldest and second son’s houses for a long time, then sighed and returned to his third son’s home.

The biggest problem at the moment was not the house, nor the money. His deepest concern was the lack of food in their home.

They only had half a bag of rice and less than half a bag of flour left, barely enough for about ten people for seven or eight days.

But what would they do after seven or eight days?

The grain that his eldest and second sons had hidden in the cellar was all gone. A lot of cotton and sacks were scattered around the fields, drenched by the rain, it was a pitiful sight.

Jiang Liu and her three daughters-in-law, two granddaughters picked up the cotton and seeds one by one. The dirty ones were washed by the pond before being dried in the courtyard.

Old man Jiang stood in his third son’s yard for a while and took a walk around the vegetable garden. All the radishes and cabbages planted in the garden were gone, even the leeks were completely cut off.

However, when they fled that day, he had driven two of the family’s fat pigs and a dozen chickens deep into the bamboo forest, and scattered a lot of wheat and rice in the bamboo forest. He wondered if the sow and the chickens were still alive.

“Dacheng!” Jiang’s old man saw his eldest grandson coming out of the bamboo forest and immediately asked, “Have you found the pigs?”

Jiang Cheng shook his head: “No, just found two chickens.”

The two chickens seemed to be accustomed to living in the bamboo forest. As soon as they saw a person, they would scurry into the forest and stubbornly refuse to show themselves.

“Could they have run into the bamboo forest?” Jiang’s old man was persistent, looking at his eldest grandson with a hopeful face.

Jiang Cheng shook his head: “No, I guess they were eaten by bandits.”

There were so many pig bones thrown inside and outside their courtyard, yet the old man was stubborn and insisted on having him look into the bamboo forest, but nothing was found in the end.

Upon hearing this, Jiang’s old man was heartbroken to the point of tears.

The two pigs were originally planned to be kept for the New Year to be killed for meat. Who would’ve thought that the bandits would take the advantage.

The damned butchers not only ate his pigs but also set fire to his house.

Jiang’s old man was practically driven mad with fury.

If he had those sons of bitches in front of him right now, he would not hesitate to risk his life to kill a few of them to vent his anger!

“What about the gold ear mushrooms?” Jiang’s elder man asked again.

“Gold ear mushrooms are fine. Unfortunately, some got wet from the rain, so they won’t look good once they grow.”

The Jiang family had moved the spawn of gold ear and snow ear mushrooms into the bamboo forest and covered them with straw. The bandits probably didn’t see any use of it and didn’t bother much about it.

Jiang’s old man heaved a sigh of relief, “That’s good, that’s good!”

Alas it’s a blessing in disguise.

Fortunately, bandits did not recognize the gold ear mushrooms. If they had, it would have been tough for their family to make it through.

By the edge of the bamboo forest.

Yingbao led Youyou and told her younger brother, Wei Zhan, Yuanbao, and Huzi: “Don’t follow me. Wait for me here, I’ll be out soon.”

Jiang Wu clung to his sister’s sleeve, “I want to go as well.”

Jiang Jie: “I also want to find Lady Bamboo for melons.”

Wei Zhan and Huzi raise their hands: “And me!”

Yingbao had no patience left for these little tag alongs. She finally placated them: “You wait here, afterwards I will take you to the pond to pick lotus roots.”

Jiang Jie hesitated.

Jiang Wu pouted his lips, clearly unhappy.

He wanted to look for melons with his sister, he had no interest in picking lotus roots.

Yuanbao, Wei Zhan, and Huzi’s eyes lit up as they immediately agreed: “Okay! You must honor your words!”

Jiang Liu and Zhou family did not allow the children to play near the pond. A smack for each time they were caught there, even Wei Zhan was not let off.

So when Yingbao said she would take them to pick lotus roots, the three mischievous kids instantly agreed.

If granny found out about the punishment, Yingbao would take the blame. After all, granny could not bear to punish her.

Yingbao led Little Deer inside, occasionally looking back to see if they were following.

Luckily, they were well-behaved this time and did not follow her in.

After walking a dozen steps further in, when the outside could not be seen clearly, Yingbao quickly took out a few melon vines and cabbages from the cave dwelling and stuffed them into the basket on Youyou’s back.

Little Deer had two baskets on her back, one left and one right. The left one was filled with melons and the right with cucumbers and cabbages.

With a basket of eggs in her hand, Yingbao led Youyou out of the bamboo forest.