Struggle in Ancient Times

“It’s only three taels.” Liao Tingyu took out a few small round silver ingots from his pocket. This was the money he got from writing the books in the past few months, not he could buy things for his family.

“It’s money!” mother Deng took the ingots in surprise, looked at them again and again, then put them in her mouth to bite.

“What are doing? There will be scars on the money, how unclean!” Liao Ming again said, “It’s not like you never see one tael, hurry up and put it down.”

Mother Deng reluctantly put the money back and muttered, “This is the money earned by my son, so what if I bite them? Don’t you see my son didn’t say anything, why are you yapping?”

“Then why don’t ask er-ye? Do you think he likes you doing this?” Liao Ming took the money that mother Deng put down, counted it and put them on his side, “A total of eight taels.”

Liao Tingyu nodded, although he earned some money from writing, but he was unwilling to treat himself bad. His food consumption was no cheap, the exam was approaching; he also needed to buy papers, pen and ink. These were an expensive expanse.

There was also filial gift he got to show to his teacher, after all the teaching he received; he needed to at least comfort his teacher’s heart that he respected them. Well, his family didn’t need to know this kind of thing. Mother Deng would chew her tongue and scolded him.

“The money should be enough. Let’s buy a mill, we’re not so busy. The farm works almost done, we can rest for a while and start a new business.” Liao Tingyu said.

“What kind of business are we doing?” Liao Ming still felt that there was no need to spend so much money for a mill, “How long this business can last? If it’s only for short period, it’s not necessary to buy one. Let’s just borrow your third uncle, they only used it at night.”

“It’s not for short, it isn’t good to borrow third uncle this way. If our family own a mill, we don’t need to queue to ground our things. It’s convenient, anyway I have the money.” Liao Tingyu tried to persuade his dad.

Mother Deng took the money from Liao Ming’s side and brought to her. She looked at her son and thought about it. What her son said also good, although it was cheap to borrow but other people’s things were never as good as yours.

“Okay, let’s go buy one. My son has earned so much money, he can spend it. tomorrow, mother will buy you a big pig’s trotter.” Liao Ming glared at his wife who approved the idea. Not to be outdone, mother Deng also stared back full of threats.

.

At night, behind the closed door, mother Deng was still admiring the money; she planned to keep them well and used the old ones first.

“What are you thinking? Why did you agree to him? That thing is useless to us.” Liao Ming looked angrily at mother Deng who was sorting money.

“I know it, but my son wants to buy it.” mother Deng didn’t care about Liao Ming’s temper, “Now you feel anxious about this small money, don’t forget, how did er-ye started his studying?” mother Deng stared into his eyes and continued, “My son was starving for three days, he was only six years old.”

Liao Ming was stunned when he heard this. He sat quietly on the bed; how could he forget those things? At the beginning, er-ye pestered him to study in the town but he planned to buy some lands and there was no extra money to send er-ye to school.

He actually knew how to read and write, so he thought er-ye some words and the boy learned really fast until he had nothing to teach. So, er-ye went to the village chief’s house and study with Chang Jing. He always stuffed er-ye with something for the village chief as a gift, but the family was poor, what he brought was limited. Unexpectedly, er-ye ran away. The thought of losing his son was driving him crazy, he didn’t know how er-ye spent those three days.

Liao Ming sighed, “It’s up to you.” After speaking, he took off his outer clothes and lie down on the bed, but his eyes were watery.

Mother Deng looked at his back, she knew he was a little sad. She felt the same, whenever she thought of those three days, she was scared of losing her son. As long as he was alive and kicking, everything would be fine.

In the past, those people always joked about his son’s study, they all thought he wouldn’t be successful. But now, who doesn’t envy them? His son passed the children level exam, soon he could reach the scholar fame. This was her son.