country small landowner

When the Qi family was busy preparing for the wedding, the Xu family was quiet, and there was no trace of excitement about the upcoming wedding.

Xu Miao's face turned pale. He knew his reputation, so his family answered all the requests made by his brother before he came in.Fortunately, Zhou Tao is a good person, and Zhou's family members are also kind-hearted, they don't care about these things, and promised to welcome him as soon as possible.

The Zhou family gave a lot of betrothal gifts, and he knew Zhou Tao's feelings for him. Even if he married in a hurry, he would never be missing anything, and he would never be wronged.But now, he is a brother who goes out, and even the wedding clothes are given by Zhou Tao's family. Is it wrong to ask for more dowry?

Xu Miao felt that after all these years, she had paid so much for this family, so she couldn't just go out with two or three pennies of money. Zhou Tao at least gave their family a hundred pennies as a gift, not counting cloth, rice, white flour and tea. These precious things.

Thinking of what her brother said, Xu Miao felt angry in her heart. What is meant by marrying is a slave, and the dowry will belong to the master's family, so there is no use.What else? Their Xu family lost their old man after marrying him. They all said that their Xu family sold their brother to the Qi family as a slave.

Since you think so, don’t ask for a bride price if you are capable. Why don’t you ask for less when you want it? You nod and bow to the Zhou family. I’m afraid they won’t know that you’re selling your brother.

Xu Miao couldn't bear the way her brother looked like. He was a king at home, but he looked like a shrew outside. She really didn't know how she was able to look up to him in the first place, and was able to control his father.Now his father is being restrained, and his elder brother is also looking like a wimp.

His elder brother won't say he can't talk, and he really loves him. He didn't want him to marry into Zhou's family at first, but he couldn't help him. I can't stand this, so I can only hide and let it go, trying to meditate.

"Let me tell you, my Miao brother has to bring twenty cents when he goes out. Among other things, the little master of the Qi family has always been the most benevolent, and the money Miao brought is naturally his. It’s good to keep it close to you. I also heard Zhou Tao said before that the deed of sale of their family is all on their own body, and they are not considered as domestic slaves. Our brother Miao was naturally a commoner when he married.”

Guan Yue rolled her eyes, showing disdain.

Father Zhou knocked on his cigarette bag, and said in a muffled voice, "I'll see, that Zhou Tao is a capable man. If he was a slave, how could he come up with so many colorful gifts?"

What Father Zhou said was pleasant to hear, and Xu Miao nodded in agreement.

"Since he's so rich, I'm thinking, I'm afraid he doesn't care about being so consistent."

Guan Yue hurriedly took over the words, "That's right, I also think that's the case. Think about it, Zhou Tao didn't take it seriously if he got a hundred or so sticks, but if he got ten or twenty sticks, I'm afraid I don’t even care about it, so why don’t we just give it away. I see, people don’t care if it’s just three pennies, it’s the same whether you take it or not.”

"Then how can it be the same? The dowry is decent for a brother. Although we are from the countryside, we can't compare the dowry of the city people with a few boxes and cabinets that can be placed for several streets. Why can't I let my brother just like this?" Go out!" Xu Shui was a little anxious.

"What's wrong," Guan Yue raised her eyebrows, "I don't think my family has any dowry, what's the matter, if I get it, it will be a broken shoe? Let me tell you Xu Shui, my family married me to your family, just because I married you." You are capable and honest, what's the matter, I'm not old yet, so you think it's okay?"

Xu Shui was so blocked that he couldn't say a word, he opened his mouth, squatted on the ground and sighed.

Xu Miao frowned, "Brother, let's talk about it at home, don't yell, don't you think our family has less things to do?"

"What's the matter, from the old to the young in your Xu family, there is no one who doesn't let people look at the jokes, and now you're blaming me. Tell yourself, I heard about it before I entered your house. , the old ones in the Xu family like to gamble and drink, and the young ones can control their father and elder brother, your family's name, or is it that I made a bad name before I entered the house?"

"Okay, okay, don't put it here to be an eyesore, I've been out for two days, you can do me a favor, let me stop, I don't want anything, can't I?"

Guan Yue snorted, twisted her body and walked away. Father Xu looked at his son who was sitting on the kang, obviously unwilling to talk to his son, puffed on his pipe, and staggered away as well.

Seeing that both of them had left, Xu Shui went to Xu Miao's side, and took a long time out of his bosom before he found a piece of broken silver the size of a thumbnail.

"Brother..." Xu Miao was startled while pinching the money, "You... Where did you come from?"

"Shh, keep your voice down, don't tell your brother and dad to overhear." Xu Shui smiled foolishly, "This is what my elder brother has saved up in the past few years, and I just went to the county to exchange it for silver, I'm afraid You can’t hide a lot of copper coins.”

"Brother, how did you save so much money? Why don't I know?" Xu Miao asked with her eyes wide open, lowering her voice.

"I told you, don't be angry."

"What's wrong, don't hide it from me." Xu Miao had already thought about it, her elder brother is quite an honest person, why did he go to the county to work a few times, and he even learned how to steal.

"Isn't this the past few years when our family put all our money in your place? My father sometimes used to steal it from you. Let me think about it. I have never had any money here, and my father never came to me to steal money. So I secretly hid some of it, lest daddy steal all your money, and we brothers will starve to death."

"Brother..." A few words brought all the bitterness of the past few years away, Xu Miao knew that it was not him who had the hardest time in their family, but his silly brother.After all, he is an older brother, and although he also goes to work in the fields, he is not as good as his elder brother.In addition to doing the work at home, his eldest brother also has to go out to work to earn money from time to time. Otherwise, the situation of his family would really starve to death.

"Don't cry, don't cry, our family is getting better and better now. Our Miao'er is going to go out, and we should go to be the master of a man who can make money, so we can't suffer in the future, in my heart, I'm happy too." From now on, the relationship between the two brothers is good, and Xu Shui has worked so hard these years, probably because he doesn't want his brother to suffer.Now that Xu Miao is getting married, he is also reluctant to part with it.But with such a lord at home, if Xu Miao continues to be at home, I am afraid that life will not be easy, so it is better to go out early, so that everyone can rest easy.

The two brothers cried for a while, but Xu Miao didn't shirk, took the money and hid it carefully.His elder brother can't keep money in his hands, and one day he will be scammed by his elder brother, so why not put it here, so that his elder brother will be able to help if he has any difficulties in the future.Although he is married to Zhou Tao, it's not easy to use his husband's money to do things in his own family.If you have money in your hand, you always have confidence in your heart.

On the second day, Zhou's family sent wedding clothes. On the third day, Xu Miao sat in a sedan chair rented from the county, accompanied by the sound of horns and suonas, walked around the village, and then was carried up the mountain. , and carried it into the small courtyard next to Qi's house.

Xu Miao staggered all the way to Qi's house in a sedan chair.According to the local custom, the groom has to carry the new officials on his back over the brazier and smash the tiles, which means starting a new life, and the couple will live happily ever after.Fire is easy to burn clothes, especially the complicated gowns like Xifu, so most people have changed them into charcoal basins, with a little small flame. When the time comes, as long as the bridegroom raises his feet a little, he can step over the brazier without burning. clothes.

"One bow to heaven and earth..." Zhou Tao held Xu Miao's hand, knelt on the ground, and bowed three times to the blue sky.Looking at each other and smiling, Zhou Tao got up and helped Xu Miao.

As a new official, Xu Miao wore the expensive headdress that Xu Jibai sent home, which was so heavy that his neck felt a little sore.However, he was very happy in his heart. This was the importance that the Zhou family attached to him, and he knew it all.

"Second obeisance to the high hall..." The two knelt down in the direction of Aunt Zhou and Aunt Zhou, and sincerely thanked the two elders.Grandma Zhou laughed from ear to ear. When Qi Bao went to Beijing, Xu Miao stayed at Qi's house for a few days. He was capable and sharp, and Grandma Zhou liked him very much.

"Husband and wife greet each other..." Qi Bao winked at the two people beside him. After all, it was his first time attending a wedding in this era, so Qi Bao was still very curious.Especially when two men came to worship, Qi Bao always felt a little bit of disobedience. Before he kicked the sedan chair door, he was more shy than a newly married official.

Xu Jibai squeezed his hand behind him, leaned on his ear and said, "Why don't you be shy, just wait and see, when we get married, we will have experience."

Qi Bao leaned against Xu Jibai with his elbow to prevent him from approaching him, "I don't want this kind of experience!"

After the couple paid their respects, there was no such thing as sending them to the bridal chamber, but the new official would go back to the bridal chamber first to change the headgear. After all, that thing is really heavy, and no one can keep walking back and forth with it.

After changing the headgear, the new official will still be dressed in red, and will toast the guests next to the groom.They are all living in the same village, up and down the mountain, so it doesn't matter which side the guests are, they all sit together.

Tables and chairs are all rented for money, and no one has so many borrowers for tables and stools. Qi's family has a lot of rooms, and it can be placed indoors, but it takes a while.Zhou Tao has been traveling all over the world in the past few years. He has visited many places and made many friends.So there are also some from other places, and some who only brought gifts.

Zhou Tao was not able to accompany him in person because he was from out of town, so he invited Li Zheng and Xu Jibai to accompany him.Those who couldn't come, also asked someone to bring wedding cakes and wine back home, which was considered full of etiquette.

Zhou Tao was very excited today, and the people at the table toasted the people who came to congratulate him. On such a happy day, everyone was not stingy with those auspicious words, such as "a happy marriage", "a hundred years of marriage", "an early birth to a precious son", "a white head "To grow old" and "to be united forever", all the auspicious words that the villagers can think of are all poured out to Zhou Tao.Zhou Tao only had to thank and toast, and Xu Miao, who was always eloquent, blushed in embarrassment.

Qi Bao and Aunt Zhou sat at the Xu family's table with Zhou's father. For things like getting married, the guest (qie) on my brother's side is always the most important, so naturally the host who married my brother will send a very important one. Always want someone to sit with you.

There are only a few people in the Xu family. The only outside relatives are Father Xu. There are a few distant relatives here, all from other villages, and they have little contact with his family, so they didn't invite them.It can be said that at Qi Bao's table, there are really very few people.