Clutching 200 taels of silver, Ye Qiu left the Pear Garden. Though 200 taels might seem a lot, for a family in urgent need of money, it was hardly enough.
Not to ntion buying a house in Yi’an County, even affording a horse-drawn carriage was pushing it. However, considering he would definitely need to travel between Yi’an County and Ye Village frequently, getting a horse-drawn carriage would leave him tight on funds. Instead, he could consider buying a donkey cart.
Ye Qiu first went to the vehicle market to inquire about the price of horse-drawn carriages. Hearing that even a common old horse would cost over a hundred taels, he dismissed the idea as too costly and spent over 60 taels on a donkey cart instead. Yi’an County had regulations forbidding donkey carts, mule carts, and ox carts from entering the square freely, which was one of the reasons why horse-drawn carriages were so expensive. With many more items to buy, he stored the donkey cart at the vehicle market and went alone to the square.
The first item on his list was bedding. Winter was coming soon, and he couldn’t let his three sisters freeze. As he bought a large quantity in one go, the shop owner even agreed to deliver it to his carriage later on.
Next, he looked for clothing and shoes for his three sisters. Daya, Xiuya used to occasionally wear new clothes, but Erya, Xiutong, and Little Ya, Xiuying were not so fortunate; they had to wear their sister’s old clothes, which were not only the roughest burlap but also neither strong nor warm. The shoes were even more rudintary, with soles carved out by themselves and uppers made from the oldest and most unwanted torn clothes, stiff and ill-fitting.
Thinking of his sisters’ previous plight, Ye Qiu felt pangs of pain in his heart. He then bought their clothes and shoes without hesitation. To keep the three girls from feeling alard, he even deliberately bought himself two sets of cotton clothes.
After purchasing clothes and shoes, Ye Qiu was left with over 50 taels of silver. Considering the stockpile of rice, flour, and cooking oil in his space, he simply headed to a jewelry store. Wanting to fully treat his sisters well, he regretted that his funds were insufficient for gold ornants, so he bought a silver hairpin for Daya and Erya each, and a pig pendant engraved with the "blessing" character for Little Ya.
Having loaded all the items into the donkey cart, Ye Qiu drove it on his way back ho. When he reached a deserted spot along the halfway, he took out so of the rice, flour, and other staple foods from his space, along with pork, large bones, spices, and so forth, leaving none behind. To avoid raising his sisters’ suspicions, he packed these items into jars and cloth bags he had previously acquired.
As he neared Ye Village, the sun had completely set. Xiuya, leading her two younger sisters, sat at the courtyard gate, gazing at the distant road. Upon seeing a donkey cart approach, the three sisters remained motionless until they stood up in surprise once they recognized the driver as Ye Qiu.
"Big brother, what is this?" Xiuya took a step forward and looked at the donkey cart, bewildered.
"Bought it," said Ye Qiu as he led the donkey cart to the back courtyard and tied it to the millstone, while Xiutong and Xiuying, hand in hand, curiously eyed the new addition to their ho.
"Bought it? Big brother, where did you get the money?" Xiuya urgently asked, fearful the money might have co from a bad source and could ruin Ye Qiu’s entire life.
Ye Qiu smiled reassuringly at Xiuya, "Didn’t I tell you this morning that I wrote a script? This is all bought with the money from selling the script. Don’t just stand there, give a hand." He lifted the cart curtain, revealing a cartload of good stuff.
"A script is worth this much money?" Xiuya asked as she helped to unload, calm upon seeing the grains and bedding. However, seeing a large bundle of clothes, she couldn’t restrain herself, "Big brother, why did you buy so many clothes? That must have cost a lot of money!"
"It’s not a waste; I earned the money to spend on you all," laughed Ye Qiu, sensing that Xiuya’s expression had turned sowhat severe.
"Still saying it’s not a waste! We’re in our growing years, how can we wear so much? And with this kind of fabric and design, how are we supposed to work in them? Big brother, why did you even buy embroidered shoes? Can we wear them when going up the mountain or working the fields?" As Ye Qiu took out each item, Xiuya had her say, her frown deepening with every piece.
Without a word, Ye Qiu made a ghost face at Xiutong and Xiuying, making the two sisters secretly cover their faces and chuckle.
"With so much money, why didn’t you give it to the school? Big brother, you’re really too foolish." Xiuya looked disheartened, almost on the verge of crying. Clothes and shoes can be bought any ti, but studying is what’s important!
"Alright, alright, little housekeeper," Ye Qiu pushed Xiuya into the room, "Big brother didn’t buy all these things to make you cry. Be happy, okay?"
"I can’t feel happy." Xiuya choked up a little and felt that she had let down Ye Li’s trust, guiltily lowering her head.
Seeing the eldest sister like this, Xiutong and Xiuying beca anxious as they looked at Ye Qiu, losing the joy they had just felt.
Ye Qiu looked at the three sisters, then sighed: "Xiuya, lift your head and look at your big brother."
He squatted down to be at eye level with Daya Xiuya: "If big brother can make money once, he can make it a second ti. I understand the importance of studying and have never thought of giving up. I still intend to provide a better life for you through the imperial examination. Why would I let the small things overshadow the big? Don’t carry this burden in your heart. Your happiness gives big brother more motivation, doesn’t it? Look, seeing you sad has made Xiutong and Xiuying stop smiling too. Co on, stop crying; let’s all be happy today."
"Let’s see if the clothes and shoes big brother bought fit well? It’s just a pity that for these three years, you all can’t wear anything too bright. Once the mourning period is over, I’ll buy you even better ones."
"And spend more money! These are good enough." Xiuya mumbled, but eventually smiled again under Ye Qiu’s gaze.
Ye Qiu had chosen those with a simpler cut, with subtle patterns embroidered at the hem and neckline. Once worn, they looked elegant. At his strong request, all three sisters changed into the new clothes for him to see – indeed, clothes make the man. Except for their frail figures and sallow faces, the three sisters all seed much more lively.
"Not bad, it seems big brother’s asurents were right, they fit just well." Ye Qiu was pleased to say.
"They fit too well; they won’t fit after a slight growth." Xiuya sighed.
"Then we’ll buy new ones," Ye Qiu declared with a slap of his hand.
Since they had put on new clothes and shoes, they also needed new accessories. Previously, the family was poor, and the three sisters all wore braids, never having coiled a proper bun. Little Ya Xiuying was still young, but in the village, girls her age and Xiuya and Xiutong’s began to be conscious of beauty, even if under poor conditions they would at least have a red hair rope – the only thing the sisters lacked.
So, when Ye Qiu took out two hairpins, Xiuya and Xiutong’s eyes lit up.
"Xiuya was born in winter, so big brother chose this plum blossom pin for you. Xiutong was born in spring, this pear blossom is yours." The two of them hadn’t coiled their hair into buns yet, which made Ye Qiu give up the idea of personally putting the pins on for them.
Xiuya and Xiutong exchanged glances, taking it to heart.
"What about mine? What about mine?" Seeing that both her sisters had sothing, little Ya Xiuying grew anxious.
"Yours is right here!" Ye Qiu playfully tapped her nose, seeing her hold it close as if it were a treasure, they all laughed.
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