the basket. The Fourth Madame said that we should have a snack first to fill our stomachs. Once things are settled, she'll let us go back and have a drink. Our families even reserved a table of dishes...That day at noon, every household had pork to eat. 。Even if the pork was tough and required extra water to cook it, nobody felt sorry for it. 。Li Lao Er and Li Lao Si brought a wild boar into the city. Although the wild boar wasn't as expensive as domestic pigs, the butcher was still happy to buy it. 。And the two pigs gave eight ounces of silver, which was one more ounce than usual. 。Not for any other reason, because it's rare! This year there was a severe drought, and with no harvest in sight, people were struggling to eat. Who would even have the resources to raise pigs 。In the county town, some butcher shops have already run out of meat. 。Some people wandered around the villages outside the county, buying back piglets that families couldn't afford to raise. A weight of seventy or eighty pounds was considered good. 。Li's family sent these two pigs, both nearly three hundred catties. 。 lard can be simmered out of quite a bit...

Li Lao Er and Li Lao Si were also very satisfied, after leaving the meat shop they wandered around the city.

Once the drought began, they rarely went into town. 。Now, look around, the streets are eerily deserted. 。The grain store was crowded with a long queue of people, each with an anxious face, impatiently waiting and looking inside the store. 。Above the grain shop door, a wooden sign read the price of grain. It had doubled more than once... Another crowded spot was the four deep wells dug during the city's construction. 。There is a well in each direction of the county town, southeast, northwest. Because they are dug deep, even during such a drought, it is still possible to draw water. 。The county magistrate specially sent yamen guards to keep watch, and each household was only allowed to draw half a bucket of water. They had to make do with whatever they got. 。The two brothers missed their elder brother, so they went to the academy especially. 。Jiā Rén quickly ran to the back door and was very happy to see his father and uncle. 。Jiarren seemed a little thinner, and his lips didn't look like they were parched. 。Li Laer relaxed a little, then carefully inquired 。It turns out that when the dean was young and studying abroad, he witnessed the devastation of a severe drought. 。When the academy was built, it cost a hundred ounces of silver, and a deep well was dug, even deeper than the four wells in town. 。These days, the academy's water supply hasn't been affected too much. 。Jiarren also missed home, so he said 。"Father, discuss this with Grandmother." 。Let's move into the city too! We could rent a courtyard around here, and I can bring water home every day. 。It may not be enough, but at least it won't make you too thirsty. 。Li La Er was pleased that his son was filial and understanding. He whispered to him about the water in their well, and Jia Ren's eyes turned red with joy. 。"Fantastic, fantastic! I was so scared in my dreams that there would be no water at home." 。Grandma always said that Funiu is blessed, and our whole family benefits from it. 。Now it seems, Grandma was right. 。Our house is on a higher elevation in the village, but oddly enough, our well has water. 。Lao Si was pleased, for Fu Niu was his daughter. He directly gave Jia Ren two ounces of silver from selling the wild boar. 。At this point, staying for self-defense 。If things get tough at school, just head home right away. 。"Okay, Fourth Uncle" 。Jiaren didn't refuse either. 。After chatting for a while, Li Laoer and Li Laosì left the city and went home. 。Without mentioning the two brothers rushing home, let's just say that in the big雜院 north of the city, Wu Cuiflower was busy cooking glutinous rice porridge over a fire, sweating profusely from the heat. 。The porridge was cooked, and as soon as she turned her head, it was all gone. 。Wu Erdog held a big bowl and slurped noisily. 。On one side stood Liu Laifu and Mrs. Guo, each with a large bowl in hand. As they drank, they complained to each other. 。"I told Cuifang, when you cook porridge, you should add more rice..." 。 。" Guo's mouth was almost reaching the sky, her face full of displeasure. 。Wu Cuifang's anger flared, reaching three feet high. She could no longer bear it and snatched the bowl from Guo Shi's hands. 。“Do you even have any shame in your family! Ever since you moved into this yard, you've been coming over to mooch off me every day. You think I work myself to the bone to make food easy I’m exhausted every day, running around like a dog! You complain that the porridge is too watery, and yet you still eat it! When you sneakily cook porridge, why didn't you give me a bowl!” Guo shi was so angry she stomped her feet, trying to grab back the bowl of porridge, but Wu Cuifang drank it all in one gulp. 。 Mrs. Guo glared at her, clutching her waist and snarling, "You wretch! You dare drink my porridge It's an honor to even give you a bowl! I'm your aunt, and as a junior, it's your duty to show respect to your elders! We came here for refuge, and yet you treat us like this!" 。You didn't even eat our gold and silver mountains, and you're already this petty over a bowl of porridge! Just wait until our family becomes wealthy, you won't even be able to find the door to beg us!

Wu Cuifang wouldn't back down either, and immediately retorted 。

"When our family first came to you, didn't you ignore us Our two families had long been estranged! What aunt, stop pretending to be so righteous! You don't eat your own food, and you come here every day to take advantage! If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have helped you rent a house!"

She regretted it a thousand times, her intestines turning purple with regret.

She had no choice but to wash extra clothes every day, trying to please the old lady of the house. This earned her a bit more favor and she was allowed to send out the washed clothes. 。She was also fortunate to have encountered a wealthy family who had a son. The family distributed rewards and gifts. 。She seized the opportunity to bow and say auspicious words, finally getting a piece of silver from the generous person. She bought some grain, but before she could even have a full meal, the drought began. 。

Since there was a water shortage in the city, the laundry business naturally disappeared.

Although she wasn't doing any work, the old woman of the house also stopped giving her food. 。She had to find a way to survive on her own, taking any job she could get, even helping families by burning incense at night. 。Now that I've barely managed to survive, I still have to worry about my brother occasionally stealing from me. 。Then, the Liu family followed Liu Lai-fu to seek refuge. 。She was dazzled by the Liu family's sweet talk and helped the old lady of the main house say that she had rented two vacant rooms in this courtyard. This troublesome matter had just begun. 。

Before, it was Liu Laifu who came to mooch off her food. Now things are different, the whole family is eyeing her cooking pot.

Whenever she cooks, the whole Liu family rushes to eat. 。It's no use scolding her or arguing with her. If she hadn't hidden it so well, I'm afraid they would have taken away all our grain bags. 。She missed the time in Qing Shui Village immensely. With her family's protection and Li Lao Si, that scoundrel around, even the Liu family wouldn't dare to pass by the front door easily. 。At this point, she was being taken advantage of! Guo shi wiped her mouth, somewhat regretful that she hadn't finished the half bowl of porridge. 。She eats a bite here, and there's one less grain of rice at home. 。She didn't care even if people pointed at her nose. 。> 。If you eat a mouthful of my porridge, you'd be so mean. 。"Humph, you're lucky I'm even giving you this!" She stomped back into the house, not forgetting to throw in one last quip: 。Just be content, those people in the village are probably all dying of thirst. 。It's good that your mother-in-law's family didn't come. 。If you provoke me again, I'll have Su Niang go back and send a message to your son. 。wn Prince rubbed his aching wrists without looking up and asked Eunuch Feng.Lord Feng was leaning against a pillar, dozing off secretly. He suddenly heard someone ask him something and it took him a w...