The twenty-first year of the Kingdom of Jing, Chu Xun was twenty-five years old.
When he went to attend the Village Worthies Banquet held by the County Magistrate, he learned that there had been too much rain over the past two years, and many rivers were already overflowing.
The imperial court allocated funds, and led by the Ministry of Works, many dams were built to prevent floods.
There were no large rivers near Pinecone Village, which was considered quite lucky.
In the sumr of this year, the rainwater had reached an outrageous level.
Finally waiting for the rainy days to pass, the sun rarely ca out to show its face. The villagers hurriedly went to the fields to clear the drainage to avoid waterlogging.
Chu Xun didn't go. Instead, he squatted at the door, looking at the Spirit Pearl Grass by the wall.
A delicate flower bud erged from the center of the twenty leaves.
Pink and tender with a touch of bright red, it looked so fragile.
Dozens of crows squatted on the eaves, looking down curiously.
Chu Xun's hem was tugged. Turning his head to look, he saw a little boy over two years old, with his hair tied in horn-like braids, reaching out to him.
"Uncle Xun, hug!"
Chu Xun smiled and picked him up, and like the older generation, pinched the bridge of the doll-like child's nose.
It was said that pinching it like this for a long ti would make the nose very straight, and the person would look good.
The child giggled and grabbed his hand: "Uncle Xun, I want to eat candy."
Zhang Anxiu ran over and knocked on his forehead neither lightly nor heavily: "Auntie won't let you eat it, so you co looking for your Uncle Xun, right? It's useless, no matter who cos, you're not allowed to eat it!"
The child covered his forehead, pouting aggrievedly, then hugged Chu Xun's neck and whispered, "Auntie is so fierce, Uncle Xun, don't marry her, change to another auntie for , okay?"
Zhang Anxiu was both ashad and annoyed. This damn child, how is he speaking!
Chu Xun didn't mind and smiled: "Auntie is afraid you'll ruin your newly grown teeth, you mustn't talk nonsense."
The child blinked and asked with an innocent face: "Then are you going to marry Auntie?"
This question made Zhang Anxiu's ears burn hot.
Chu Xun also looked at this child, unable to tell for a mont whether it was just the innocent babble of a child or if he had ulterior motives.
Lin Qiaoxi, wearing a married woman's hair bun and an ordinary linen dress, walked over and said, "Huan'er, don't be rude to Uncle Xun, co to Mother."
The child, however, hugged Chu Xun's neck even tighter and refused, saying, "I still want to listen to Uncle Xun tell stories."
At this ti, several half-grown children stood on their tiptoes outside the courtyard and shouted: "Big Head, co out and play!"
The child of Zhang Sanchun and Lin Qiaoxi was born with a head larger than ordinary people.
In the words of fortune-tellers, this was called having a full forehead, and in the future, he would definitely be an extrely intelligent person.
But in the mouths of the village children, it was "Big Head, Big Head, doesn't worry when it rains."
Zhang Anxiu stood with her hands on her hips and scolded: "You're not allowed to call him Big Head anymore, do you hear !"
The children weren't afraid of her at all. Qi Ermao, who was already eight and a half years old, even grinned at Zhang Anxiu: "Aunt Anxiu, when are you going to give birth to a big fat boy for Uncle Xun? When the ti cos, we'll take him to rob bird nests!"
Beside him, the nine-year-old Shitou, who was even sturdier than him, reached out and gave him a slap.
"What nonsense are you talking about? If Aunt Anxiu is going to give birth, she'll give birth to at least three! How is one enough?"
Zhang Anxiu was both ashad and angry. She picked up a broom and ran out, chasing the group of children who ran around screaming wildly.
The child with the milk na Huan'er only then slipped down from Chu Xun and ran out after them: "Auntie, Auntie, don't hit them, let do it!"
Lin Qiaoxi couldn't help but laugh watching this. This child was completely different from his dad, Zhang Sanchun.
The dad was as wooden as a stone, but the son was incredibly lively.
With Zhang Anxiu watching outside, there was no fear of anything happening.
Lin Qiaoxi looked at Chu Xun and said, "I was just about to ask for your advice, Brother-in-law. The hand cream you ntioned last ti has been made, but for so reason, it always has a strange sll and not much fragrance."
Zhang Sanchun wouldn't let her go down to the fields, so she did so housework at ho.
However, with her delicate skin and tender flesh, it didn't take long for calluses to grow.
Chu Xun then taught her to use lard or beeswax as a base, heat and lt it, and then add mashed osmanthus, jasmine petals, and a small amount of honey to make hand cream.
In the past, Lin Qiaoxi had also used similar hand dicines, but they were very troubleso.
Not only were there many ingredients, but they could only be applied as a poultice, and the price was expensive.
The hand cream Chu Xun tinkered with was much more convenient.
The materials were easy to find, and the cost was low.
If it could be made, not only could it be used for oneself, but it could also be taken out to sell.
Saying this, Lin Qiaoxi handed over a lumpy object wrapped in a cloth towel.
Chu Xun took it and opened it, and sure enough, a pungent sll hit his face.
After digging out a small piece with his fingernail and examining it carefully, Chu Xun said, "Either the lard got so moisture, or the petals weren't completely dried in the sun, and they deteriorated upon encountering water, which produced the strange sll."
Lin Qiaoxi let out an "Ah" and revealed a look of sudden realization: "Perhaps it's because the basin was placed in the corner of the room, which is too damp. Didn't you say, Brother-in-law, that invisible water vapor will rise with the temperature?"
According to the imperial court's laws, private teaching among the common people was not allowed casually.
But science was not within this scope.
So Chu Xun would occasionally spread so basic knowledge in the form of scientific explanations.
"If it's placed on a shelf outside the house, would it be better?" Lin Qiaoxi asked.
"As long as it's not stolen by people or eaten by mice, it will naturally be better," Chu Xun said.
Lin Qiaoxi nodded and said, "I heard before that truly great wealthy families use a dou of white bean crumbs every day, adding bran incense, green wood incense, spikenard incense, white sandalwood incense, musk, and clove incense. Dozens of kinds are pounded and sifted, mixed together to wash the hands and face. It's called bath beans, which can make the skin white, clean, and lustrous."
"It's awfully troubleso. Although this hand cream cannot compare to such preciousness, it is more suitable for common people. If it can really be sold everywhere, it will definitely be prosperous."
Chu Xun smiled and said, "Wait until next year, our two families can open a shop together, make so roasted seeds and nuts, cotton candy, and such. Paired with this hand cream, we should be able to earn so silver."
Hearing this, Lin Qiaoxi slightly lowered her head. She was naturally tempted.
It was just that a certain Lin in Pingshui Town wouldn't allow her to go.
Moreover, shops were so expensive, how could they afford to buy one.
Having severed kinship for several years, Lin Qiaoxi had not regretted it.
Zhang Sanchun treated her very well, so well that other won in the village often used him for comparison, scolding their own n until they were drenched in dog's blood.
"Look at Sanchun, he doesn't let his wife do anything. But look at you! I serve you tea and water, wash clothes and cook, go down to the fields to work and nurse the children, and you still complain that my waist is thick!"
Lin Qiaoxi heard from others that her mother missed her too much and often washed her face with tears, which made her feel sowhat unbearable in her heart.
As the saying goes, among a hundred virtues, filial piety cos first, yet she was unable to serve her parents.
Whenever she thought of this, she truly felt sowhat sad in her heart.
She didn't understand. The family was already living very well, why did her father have to obsess over more.
Even to the point of being willing to let her marry a real fool for the sake of fa and fortune.
Everyone said Zhang Sanchun was a fool, but those who knew him well understood in their hearts that he was just too honest.
Chu Xun saw that she was feeling down and comforted her: "Don't be anxious, Sister-in-law. In a few years, when Uncle thinks it through, perhaps it will be fine."
Lin Qiaoxi smiled bitterly. Elders loved face; even if he thought it through, he might not necessarily open his mouth.
"Let's not talk about this." Lin Qiaoxi shook her head and asked, "The villagers have all gone to the fields to drain the water, don't you need to go, Brother-in-law?"
Chu Xun smiled: "No need."
Lin Qiaoxi was sowhat puzzled, but after getting along for these few years, she knew that Chu Xun was very smart and not an ordinary person.
Since he said there was no need, there should be no need.
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In the Capital City, thousands of miles away.
Over a dozen fast horses alternately charged into the city.
The shouts of the riders rose and fell in succession: "Make way! Most urgent military intelligence, make way!"
Even if they knocked over stalls and startled nobles, the sound of hooves never slowed down.
Half a shichen later, the urgent report was delivered into the imperial palace.
After another half an incense stick of ti, a majestic and angry scolding ca from the imperial study.
"Overnight, thirteen river dams burst! Has all of Our silver been thrown into the water
(End of Chapter)
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