After Yue Zhongyao left, the chatter and laughter in Qiao Mingjin's courtyard continued.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the Lu family and the Su family did not come over today.
He and Xia's mother and daughter came here almost every day because of the close proximity. Cousin He and cousin Yun Jin also lived in Qiao Mingjin's house.
Sister Xiu brought her two children over because her husband, Yue Dalei, had to go to the workshop to catch up on work. She felt that her home was not as cool as here, and she also felt that the in-laws' family next door was always noisy.
Tonight was a full moon, the moon was shining like water, and the courtyard was brightly lit. Several women each occupied a wicker chair and lay down chatting.
Qiao Mingjin only had two wicker chairs at home, so every night after finishing her work in the workshop, Xia would put a big cattail leaf fan on her waist and carry a wicker chair over her shoulder when she came to Qiao's house.
Mrs. He will also follow her mother and carry a wicker chair.
At noon, the couple had to take a wicker chair to take a break, so after enjoying the cool air every night, Mrs. Xia still carried the wicker chair back to the workshop. On the other hand, when Mrs. He went out to the workshop early in the morning, she asked Yun Jin to carry it.
Went back.
Fortunately, the wicker chair doesn't weigh much.
But every time Qiao Mingjin saw the couple carrying rattan chairs to her home, she would think of the time in her previous life when the village invited a troupe to sing a big opera. The villagers and nearby villagers would drag their children with them, carrying them by hand or on their shoulders.
The appearance of straw mats, chairs, benches, etc.
It made her laugh non-stop every time.
There were only four cane chairs in her home including the workshop. Later, when Ms. Lu, Mr. Su and other people from the village came to enjoy the cool air, they could only sit on stools.
Every time people came to her house to enjoy the cool air, they would not come alone, but would bring their companions or bring their children with them. After more people came, there were not enough stools at home.
Qiao Mingjin asked the old man in the village who was good at weaving bamboo mats to help weave two large bamboo mats. He cleaned the courtyard every night and spread the bamboo mats on the ground. Adults and children sat around and ate roasted melon seeds.
Chat and joke.
Fortunately, the yard of Qiao Mingjin's house is paved with bluestone slabs. Otherwise, if it were covered with rammed earth like other houses in the village, the bamboo mats would have to be cleaned every time they were used, which would be really troublesome.
As for the bamboo mat spread on the clean bluestone slab, after the people left, she and Mingqi just had to stand it up, dust it with a feather duster, wipe it with a damp cloth, and dry it in the sun during the day. That would be fine.
It saves trouble.
In fact, she would rather set up a couch in the courtyard.
It is two to three feet high and seven to eight feet wide. It is supported by several pillars at the bottom. It is covered with smooth wooden boards or bamboo strips, or straw mats are spread or not. It is ventilated on all sides, and it is better than sitting on the green grass that still retains the heat.
The stone floor is comfortable.
Every night when we enjoy the cool weather, we sit on it together. Whether we sit, lie down or lean on it, we can still see the black starry sky when we look up and enjoy the twinkling stars.
In the evening, when the sky is dusk, a small table is set up above, and the family sits on it to eat, with the evening breeze blowing, how comfortable it is.
It's just that this kind of daybed is mostly built by people with a leisurely and elegant temperament. It is built among flowers, or in plum or peach groves. You can taste the flower dew by sticking out your tongue, and touch the flower stamens by tilting your face up. You are surrounded by flowers.
In the sea, you can smell the fragrance of flowers, or you can feel the colorful falling flowers while lying down, and you can immerse yourself in the sea of flowers...
It's just that except for a few small pomegranate trees, there are no trees in their yard. They can't even think of using their lush branches and leaves to block the sun.
In addition, during this period of time, she was busy checking the boxes of ledgers that Zhou Yanqing had brought over, and she was a little dizzy. The weather was hot, so she was too lazy to ask someone to do it.
Sister Xiu, Mr. He, and Mr. Xia all laughed when they heard her emotion while lying on the wicker chairs.
"You girl, you must have grown up in a wealthy family. It's an unexpectedly good life for us to be able to lie leisurely on chairs and watch the moon and stars like this. You can still think of those elegant things. It's still cool.
Here’s the couch. The villagers wish they had more space in the yard so they could grow some vegetables or plant two fruit trees to satisfy their children’s cravings. There’s no such thing as the leisure time of admiring the moon and flowers.”
Xia rested her head on her arms and said with a smile.
Sister Xiu also smiled and nodded: "No. Jin Niang is destined to be rich and noble. In previous years, at this time, Da Lei was still doing odd jobs outside, and I took the child to wash clothes for a day under the moonlight.
, or twist some straw ropes, or do some farm work... After finishing the work, I can fall asleep on the bed, so I am not in the mood to enjoy the cool air outside."
Mr. He also nodded in agreement: "Yes. In the past, I would go to the vegetable field with my mother-in-law, water the vegetable field, catch insects, and then come back and prepare baskets and other things. It would be dark the next day.
I have to get up and go to the vegetable field to pick vegetables and take them to the market to sell. I am half exhausted from working in the field during the day, and I have other work at night, so I am not in the mood to enjoy the coolness at all. That is to say, I have been with you for more than a year now.
In the good days, I have plenty of money, I no longer have to work hard in the fields to dig food, and I am tired of raising my body, so I am in the mood to lie here."
Qiao Mingjin smiled lightly after hearing this.
She was also filled with emotion. At this time a year ago, she was also worrying about her livelihood. Bai Lili went up the mountain to cut firewood, and the next day went to the city to sell firewood under the morning dew, and then came back all the way bumpy, not even thinking of drinking water.
, and kept going into the mountains...I was almost exhausted every day.
Have you ever thought about making a couch to enjoy the coolness?
Xia glanced at Qiao Mingjin and said, "Isn't it easy to set up this couch? Just cut down one or two trees in the forest and it can be erected in a day or two. Let the masters in the workshop help you sharpen it again.
, even if you want to carve some flowers and birds on it, it is very easy."
Sister Xiu nodded after hearing this: "Isn't that right? I will have someone chop down two trees for you tomorrow. You don't even need to hire a master from the workshop, just the few helpers hired by the village can grind them well. Now they are following
Masters, you have learned a lot of skills, and after practicing for a while, you will be able to operate root carvings on your own. My family, Da Lei, turned out to be just a layman. In the past two days, I watched him carve the fish leaping over the dragon gate, and he still used it.
The roots are made into water waves, which makes me very happy just looking at him. A year ago, he was nowhere near this level. He could only do the work of beating tables and chairs. That was only for the future."
Several people looked at her disgusted look and laughed.
He said with a smile: "I also saw Dalei's fish leaping over the dragon gate. My Yunjin also said that although the price of root carvings has come down now, the work has a very good meaning. It can be sold to people who are preparing to take the imperial examination for two hundred
There are definitely two."
"real?"
Sister Xiu straightened up from her wicker chair happily.
Qiao Mingjin laughed and said: "My cousin has developed a good eye over the past year, and he is very good at pricing things. If he says he can, he will definitely be able to sell it at this price. I'm afraid of a big thunder then.
The bonuses will be huge again. Maybe Mr. Liu will be promoted to master master by the end of the year, and the bonuses will be huge again."
Sister Xiu excitedly rushed over and grabbed Qiao Mingjin's hand: "You didn't lie to me? Can you really be promoted to master?"
He and Xia both laughed when they saw her look like this.
The treatment of this master is different from that of ordinary masters.
Not only the monthly payment is very different, but also the bonus is quite different. For every bonus for a work, the master master can get 10% of the profit of the work.
If the final profit from this "Fish Leaping over the Dragon Gate" is one hundred taels, then the master chef will be able to share 10 taels. Even if he only produces two or three works a year, he will be able to live a very comfortable life with bonuses. In addition, the master chef earns 100 taels per year.
The monthly payment of five taels per month is quite a lot over the course of a year.
Compared with Lei Nong of Yueda, who works on the few acres of land at home during his busy days and does odd jobs outside in his spare time, there is a world of difference.
But the master master is not so easy to mention. There are only two master masters in the workshop now, namely Master He and Master Wu Yong.
Everyone else was trying their best to challenge the master.
Because other masters live in the workshop, they also work in the workshop after work, and they also work nearby at night. For master craftsmen, they often get so absorbed in creating works that they really forget to eat and sleep.
situation.
Yue Dalei was just a layman at the beginning. In order not to fall behind others, he humbly asked for advice from the masters and wished he could live in the workshop all the time.
Fortunately, Sister Xiu also supported him and took over all the household chores, leaving him without any worries.
When Yue Dalei went to the workshop to catch up on work at night, Sister Xiu would often bring his children to accompany him. Sometimes when Yue Dalei was busy, Sister Xiu would stay with him in the workshop.
Seeing Sister Xiu's earnest look, Qiao Mingjin said with a smile: "Your man has worked so hard, and he has created a lot of works this year. If it reaches the standard by the end of the year, considering his hard work, Mr. Liu will also
He will be promoted."
Sister Xiu grinned widely, with a look of longing on her face.
Isn't her husband just eyeing the position of master? If his wish is fulfilled, not only Yue Dalei himself, but also their family's living standard will also be raised to a higher level, and then the family will be able to buy a few more acres of good land.
"Jin Niang, I really want to thank you. If it weren't for you, our family would still be in dire straits. Even in Changhe, we can't go to school. Now my family has several acres of more farmland. Da Lei also said that we would wait until we have saved up more money.
If I buy a few more acres, I won't have to work in the fields myself. I'll also hire two helpers, and then I'll just take care of him eating, drinking, and defecating."
After hearing this, Mr. He and Ms. Xia naturally felt the same way, and they couldn't help but reminisce about the pain and sweetness together.
A few people chatted and laughed for a while. Ms. Xia saw that Qiao Mingjin was mostly listening to what they said, while she herself was lying on a chair, smiling and listening attentively, looking quiet and elegant.
Mrs. Xia sighed, turned sideways and said to Qiao Mingjin: "Mother Jin, did Zhong Yao have dinner at your place just now?"
Under normal circumstances, Sister Xiu, Mr. He and others would not mention Yue Zhongyao in front of Qiao Mingjin. They were afraid of making her unhappy.
That is to say, Mrs. Xia, seeing how difficult it is for her to be alone and her parents are not around, she would often care for her for a moment or two as an elder.
Qiao Mingjin didn't speak, just nodded.
Mr. He and Sister Xiu looked at each other, and they couldn't help but sigh in their hearts. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
