Chapter 177: Chapter 176: Full Moon Banquet

Besides, the cost of schooling is so high, it’s not easy for her to bear the burden for both in the household.

She knows very well how much Silver Coin He and Liu Bai have in hand, being the one who pays them their wages, and it’s far from enough to send Jinbao to school.

The group stopped discussing the Ding Family School; Old Liu, however, had a different opinion on Qin Yao’s plan to buy a horse.

Qin Yao was happy to listen to the elder’s opinion and urged Old Liu to speak his mind, listening attentively.

Old Liu said, “I’ve done some rough calculations, and buying this horse really isn’t cost-effective.”

“Firstly, Da Lang is only just ten years old this year, and Second Lang is eight, they’re still young children. If they ride a horse to school by themselves and someone with ill intentions targets them, what if the horse gets stolen?”

“That’s the better scenario, but what if they get hurt?”

Qin Yao frowned and said, “The bandits have been eradicated, and I know people in both Lower River Village and Jinshi Town, so it should be fine, right?”

She said that, but she did feel a slight unease in her heart.

The children playing in the carriage overheard the adults’ conversation outside and halted their antics to quietly listen.

Old Liu sighed, “Secondly, a short horse costs around twenty taels, this money could buy a top-quality ox, with four or five taels left over.”

“Would it not be better for you to escort them to Lower River Village yourself and hire a coachman to take them to town? The coachman runs daily anyway; paying him a couple hundred cents monthly is surely safer and more economical than letting them ride a horse on their own?”

“It would be more appropriate to buy a horse for them when they’re a bit older.”

Old Liu was still worried about Qin Yao’s plan to buy land, genuinely concerned she might spend all her money now and have none left for buying land.

The folks at the old house could do some small calculations, but when dealing with larger sums, like the revenue from Qin Yao’s water mill last year, they couldn’t figure it out, only guessing it might be about sixty or eighty taels, or something like that.

If one has an industry, this amount would be enough for most of one’s lifetime.

But she happened to have no industry at all, no land whatsoever, which worried Old Liu.

“Land is crucial!” Old Liu reminded again.

Qin Yao nodded; she thought Old Liu made a lot of sense.

Transporting them to Lower River Village herself, and then having Da Lang and Second Lang taken to the clan school in Jinshi Town by a coachman, greatly ensured the safety of the two children and saved a substantial amount of money.

Spending two maces monthly, one tael of silver could last five months; if you convert the money for buying a horse into fare for the coach, you could ride until the coachman went bankrupt!

Moreover, it might not even cost two maces; the monthly fee would certainly differ from the yearly one, and she could negotiate the price down.

Although the back-and-forth running was a hassle, the silver saved was tangible.

Most importantly, there would be no safety concerns; rain or shine, there would be no fear on a cart.

However, no matter the calculations, living directly in the town would be more economical.

Qin Yao muttered, “Why not buy land in town?”

Liu Ji heard this and was startled, hurriedly whispering to dissuade,

“If we move to town, having no one to rely on, and I’m not usually home, wouldn’t you and the kids be bullied to death? No, don’t go; isn’t the village nice enough? Everyone here is familiar, and we all treat each other politely.”

Qin Yao scoffed, “Me, bullied to death?”

“Oh, this… that was a slip of the tongue, my lady, how could anyone bully you? I’m just worried you’d consider moving to town; it’s a great idea, but let’s not consider it next time, okay?” Liu Ji coaxed cheekily.

Of course, Qin Yao knew moving was not easy, but seeing Liu Ji’s fearful and guilty manner, she couldn’t resist teasing him further, deliberately asking:

“Since the idea is good, why not consider it next time?”

Liu Ji held his forehead, “It’s really not suitable for us to go; truly not. If you insist on moving, let’s wait until I’ve made a name for myself first.”

Otherwise, life won’t be pleasant if they move there.

People with the same ancestors and clan wouldn’t have any reason to let an outsider come and snatch their land.

Seeing Qin Yao’s eager demeanor, Liu Ji decided not to stop her and thought to himself, “Go try buying land yourself then, and you’ll find out.”

It was already difficult enough to buy in Liu Family Village, how much harder would it be in Jinshi Town!

After all, even someone like him who dabbles in selling land is a rare find in the town!

Qin Yao cast him a sideways glance, “Aren’t you a bit conceited?”

Liu Ji sensed danger and quickly sped up to walk with Liu Zhong, asking him how he planned the full moon banquet, wondering whether he’d make it in time to attend.

The academy’s term starts after the fifteenth, and the first test is in February—such tight timing, just thinking about it is thrilling.

Luckily, Liu Zhong said it’s on the twelfth, so he could still attend this full moon feast.

A feast! Liu Ji couldn’t help swallowing; he couldn’t remember the last time he attended a proper one.

The housewarming doesn’t count; it was just a few simple tables.”

A real feast lasts for two days—

On the first day, start with dinner for those who helped set up in the afternoon.

The second day is the main feast, eaten from morning until night.

Breakfast is celebratory porridge, made with fried rice simmered and filled with various ingredients, like soybeans, vegetables, minced meat—all mixed together, emanating a fragrant aroma.

The midday meal is the main feast. With ordinary conditions, there are eight dishes; better-off families serve twelve to sixteen, with both vegetarian and meat options along with alcohol, cakes, and candies, letting you eat to your heart’s content.

Later, in the evening, a final meal, similar to the main feast but with a few fewer dishes, primarily to finish off all the remaining food.

Usually, nothing’s left, for the villagers’ appetite is very strong. They’d even clean the bottom of the bowl spotless.

He asked Qin Yao to help out at that time; of course, not with cooking or big tasks, as they didn’t really expect her to truly wield a big pan in the kitchen.

The help would include washing dishes, wiping tables, and serving food.

“By the way, bring over your tables, chairs, benches, and bowls from home; we’ll clean them up and return them to you afterwards,” He assured with a smile.

“Don’t worry; we won’t damage or lose your stuff.”

Qin Yao, having never participated in anyone else’s feast, was quite interested and agreed.

As everyone walked and chatted, time passed unknowingly.

Looking up, they saw the county’s city gate ahead, prompting everyone to quicken their pace.

Old Liu and He didn’t often visit the county town; the last time was six or seven years ago.

Following Qin Yao’s orders, Liu Ji guided the family ahead, passing the inspection of the officials, paying the entrance and parking fees, and leading them into the city smoothly.

Liu Zhong, in awe of this “elder third brother” he had never seen like this before, watched his calm interactions with the Lord and exchanges with familiar acquaintances, his mouth agape in surprise.

Once inside, even the talkative He quieted down, appearing a bit uneasy and awkward.

Qin Yao pulled her along, explaining where each place was, which stores sold what, where to buy cattle and horses, and where to get vegetables and meat.

As she grew accustomed to her surroundings, He gradually relaxed, getting captivated by the bustling streets of the city.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep