Chapter 14: Eating Meat Today

“Dad, what do you mean fifty taels? Our family has fifty taels?” Yan Yu’s ears were sharp!

“Well, I wanted to report it to you all this evening, didn't I?” Yan Er-er looked around like a thief and whispered, “When I went to town today, the people from the gambling house stopped me. They insisted on money, so Old Yan pawned all ten acres of our family land—no, wait, I didn't see a pawn ticket, so he must have sold it. It was seventy taels in total; after paying off the twenty we owed, fifty taels were left.”

“Dad!” Yan Yu pouted in dissatisfaction. “Why didn't you say anything when you got back? This is such a big deal!”

“I didn't have time, did I? Your eldest uncle also asked me to go to town again to cash these vouchers. It was only during the midday break; I had to cover the cost first. Dabao, look at you, you're even reluctant to go. How about you come to town with me this afternoon? I must say, that simple map you drew is actually quite useful. Thank goodness for it, otherwise, I would have been completely lost,” Yan Er-er said with relief.

“To town?” Yan Yu’s eyes lit up, sparkling like little stars. “Okay, okay!”

Listening to the father and daughter discussing the sights of the town with such enthusiasm, Li Xuemei smiled helplessly; it was just a small town with hardly more than a few streets.

After the family of three had finished their thin rice porridge, Yan Er-er took his wife toward Physician Cui’s house, stopping to return the ox cart on the way.

He suddenly realized why Old Yan had asked him to make an extra trip. The large amount of goods might be one reason, but walking there would allow him to drive the ox cart back on the return journey.

Upon arriving at Physician Cui’s, they first offered a round of thanks. They spent a long time trying to give away the straw prepared for the donkey, but in the end, Madam Cui took charge and accepted it.

Physician Cui felt Li Xuemei’s pulse and, as expected, confirmed it was a pregnancy pulse.

Amidst Madam Cui’s continuous congratulations, she returned home in a daze.

Although their daughter had said so long ago, having it officially confirmed by a doctor felt different.

“I really am pregnant. About two months along,” Li Xuemei told Yan Yu.

Yan Yu grinned from ear to ear, laughing, “In a few months, our family will have a Second Baby!”

“That’s right, Second Baby is coming! We have to start preparing in advance,” Yan Er-er said, feeling invigorated.

At first, they were naturally happy, but the joy didn't last long before worry set in.

What kind of harsh and difficult conditions were they living in? How were they going to raise a child!

“Second Uncle, Dad is calling you over,” his eldest nephew came over to call him.

He gave an affirmative response and hurried over.

Entering the room, he asked abruptly, “Big Brother, do you want to...”

“Shut up!” Yan Huaiven couldn't help but bark at him. The boy was truly lacking in tact; he was already able to work in the fields himself, yet he kept asking and asking.

He breathed heavily in anger. “Did you return the cart? And did you thank them properly?”

“I returned it. I also brought a bag of straw as a gift,” Yan Er-er answered honestly.

“Why did you take your wife along? Did she feel unwell?” Yan Huaiven vaguely remembered that his sister-in-law had suffered a serious illness around this time, but he didn't know the specific reason.

“My wife is pregnant!” Yan Er-er, still riding the high of his happiness, couldn't wait to share the news as soon as someone asked. “Physician Cui checked her pulse and said she’s two months along, hehe!”

Yan Huaiven was shaken to his core!

A two-month pregnancy... a serious illness...

That child... that child must not have been saved.

And it happened during this exact period.

He warned himself once again: he must never split the family.

Look at his second brother—what would he become without him? He couldn't even protect his own child.

Thinking about the new addition to the family, Yan Huaiven couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. He pointed to the gift sent by the Dean and said

“Our family lineage is thin, so adding a new member is a major event. Previously, I was inconsiderate and only bought coarse rice, which is fine for us to eat, but your sister-in-law’s body is precious. Go to the grain shop and buy some fine rice and flour.”

He thought for a moment and added, “Even though the harvest hasn't been good, do not be too frugal. Er-ya is still small; I see that child has become quite thin. Buy some meat as well to nourish the children.”

Yan Er-er’s heart warmed. Old Yan was truly a good man; even while being sickly, he was still worrying about this and that.

“Big Brother, your health is also lacking. Relying on medicine alone isn't enough; you must eat well to recover,” Yan Er-er decided to buy more. Not only did the pregnant woman and the children need to eat, but Old Yan needed nourishment too; medicine alone wouldn't suffice.

“I am fine,” Yan Huaiven waved him off. In his previous life, he had gone to the prefectural city to seek refuge, and even that journey had been difficult. This time, he planned to move the entire family to the north, a much longer journey that would be even more arduous.

To travel well while being poor, no matter how much one prepared, it never felt like enough.

Ultimately, money was tight; he didn't know if they could hold out until Guanzhou.

“Go quickly. The sooner you go, the sooner you return.”

“Alright!”

...

In the end, Yan Er-er did not take his daughter to town.

It was just past noon, and the sun was intense. Since they had to walk, he felt bad for the child and promised to take her next time there was an opportunity.

Walking briskly, Yan Er-er first went to pick up the ox cart in town.

The twenty-eight-tael ox cart was indeed extraordinary, looking much more grand than the nearby mule and donkey carts.

Driving the ox cart, he picked up the goods along the way. It wasn't until he reached the grain shop that he realized the scale of Old Yan’s grand gesture.

He bought four whole bags of coarse rice. The shop assistant helped load them onto the cart; when Yan Er-er tried to lift one, he found it incredibly heavy.

He also bought some white rice and fine flour, and seeing some millet, he bought a little of that as well.

He bought a piece of meat with a good balance of fat and lean, picked out some clean large bones, and finally haggled with the meat stall owner for a while to get half a pig's liver at a discount.

He had some money left, though he didn't know exactly how much.

He only knew there were two pieces of broken silver and a string of copper coins with more than ten extra pieces.

Illiteracy wasn't scary; what was scary was being unable to count...

When he returned home, his eldest brother had actually gone out with his eldest nephew.

“They said they were going to see how much wheat is left to be harvested.” Li Xuemei helped organize the smaller items before taking the meat, large bones, and pig liver to the kitchen.

It was a rare treat to eat meat, so it had to be prepared properly. She didn't know exactly how good Da-ya's cooking skills were, as she hadn't had the chance to let the child demonstrate them lately, but she was certain of her husband's culinary abilities.

Today, she would definitely make Yan Er-er cook personally.

A small basin of water—don't be too picky; it was all from the pig, so no one should complain—she used it to wash everything.

Yan Er-er finally managed to unload the four bags of coarse rice. Now that he was using his strength, he felt the weight; each bag was about a hundred pounds.

After taking off the cart frame and tying up the ox, his daughter volunteered to take over the task of feeding the ox, so he dashed straight to the kitchen.

“I'll do it.”

Being a married couple, they were thinking exactly the same thing.

Li Xuemei made room, crouching down to inspect the stove.

Yan Er-er weighed the kitchen knife in his hand, found a large, thick porcelain bowl, and began to sharpen the blade with a *shuck-shuck-shuck* sound.

Hearing the noise, Yan Yu came running over.

Clinging to the doorframe, she stared at her father without blinking.

The knife rose and fell, separating fat from lean, followed by skinning.

The large bones were chopped with a *thud-thud-thud*.

He began to light the fire and heat the stove.

Hearing the commotion, Da-ya also rushed over.

She saw her second uncle cutting the fat into pieces and tossing them directly into the pot. As the meat grew smaller, the lard increased, and an irresistible, aggressive aroma surged out.

*It wasn't easy; the author finally arranged for them to eat meat. Yum! o(*￣︶￣*)o*

(End of Chapter)