When he went out for the first time after traveling to the Ming Dynasty, Sun Yuan still had an inexplicable excitement in his heart, although the county seat was only more than thirty miles away from the village where he lived.

In the early morning of the second day, before dawn, Sun Yuan picked up twenty straw mats with a flat pole, drank brown rice porridge, and strode out.

The first time he walked in the countryside of the Ming Dynasty, Sun Yuan found that this trip was worthwhile. But I saw that the roadside was full of lakes and water networks. It is the end of summer, the warbler is long, and the beautiful scenery of the water town in the south of the Yangtze River is really dizzying.

In the roadside river, small boats shuttle by, small bridges, flowing water, people's houses, reed flowers, blue waves, mulberry gardens. On the way, we have to pass through many small villages, which is the real ancient town, but it is not comparable to the so-called antique buildings of later generations.

The twenty mats on the shoulders didn't look heavy, but after walking more than thirty miles, the shoulders still hurt for a while.

Fortunately, although this body was a little weak, it was as strong as all the ancients, and it did not feel tired.

It's just that the sweat keeps flowing, and after a while, the clothes are soaked through, and it is very uncomfortable to stick to the body.

After a morning's journey, I saw a high ground in front of me, with a black wall on top of it, and a white tower standing at the water's edge. Sun Yuan learned from the memory in his body that he had arrived in Rugao, and his spirit was unconsciously lifted.

The so-called gao is the highland at the water's edge, such as, the direction of flow.

As one of the central cities of the Yangtze River Delta in later generations, although Rugao in the Ming Dynasty was only a county seat, the population did not reach an astonishing million as in later generations. But the market is quite prosperous, but it is also one of the important commercial cities north of the Yangtze River.

Being able to live in this place, Sun Yuan was also very happy in his heart. Moreover, as far as he knew, Rugao was not a strategic location and had not been greatly damaged. Even when the Southern Ming and Qing armies moved south, Dolgon only sent a small force to attack here, and the main target was Yangzhou, an important town located at the southernmost end of the Grand Canal.

If things can't go as expected, if you're lucky, maybe you can live in the troubled times?

In Sun Yuan's opinion, his mother's craftsmanship in weaving mats is very good. The woven straw mats are not only smooth and dense, but also have dyed mat grass woven with simple patterns on them, which should sell very well.

But when he arrived at the market, Sun Yuan secretly screamed: This competition is too fierce, right?

I saw that in an alley about 100 meters long, there were about 100 vendors buying mats, and the street was crowded. There are also a variety of mats on the market, including reed mats, straw mats, and mats made of bamboo, with widths ranging from one to two meters.

In contrast, the straw mat woven by the mother does not have any core competitiveness at all.

Moreover, at the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was the Xiaoice River period, which was very cold in winter, but very cool in summer, and the mats were a little unsellable.

In Sun Yuan's opinion, there are more people who sell mats than come to buy mats.

I found a conspicuous place to put the mat in a conspicuous place, and after a long time, when the sun was already in the middle of the sky, not a single mat was sold. Seeing that it has arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon Beijing time in the future, there is still such a long way to go back. If you delay any longer, I'm afraid you won't be able to go home.

Sun Yuan's heart suddenly became impatient, so he rolled up the mat, carried it on his shoulder, looked for directions, and walked towards his sister's house.

According to the memory in my head, my sister's house is not far ahead, and according to the words of later generations, it is only two bus stops away.

It's only a 10-minute walk. However, it seems that after my sister got married, my mother and myself were reluctant to go even if they went to the city, and I don't know why. Moreover, when it comes to my sister and brother-in-law's family, I am also very resistant psychologically.

The economic conditions of my brother-in-law's family are actually okay, and there is a grocery store at home, relying on the shop, and over the course of a year, there are more than ten taels of silver, which is less than the top and more than the bottom.

Because it was a small business, my brother-in-law's family didn't invite a man, and after crossing the two bridges, I saw my sister sitting in the shop, facing the sun and selecting the insects in the soybeans.

The brother-in-law stood in front of the counter and beat the abacus beads loudly.

Sun Yuan's sister's maiden name in this life, Sun Xiaohua, married her brother-in-law five years ago, probably no children, and cowardly, she was very angry in her in-law's family.

As soon as I walked over, my sister saw Sun Yuan, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes: "Brother is you, I haven't seen you for several years, why do you want to come over today?" ”

Sun Yuan looked at her curiously, the woman in front of him was about her early twenties and looked very thin. His skin was dark and dull, and his hair was as yellow as a handful of withered grass, and his face was full of pain.

However, her facial features are quite upright, and she can vaguely see a little shadow of herself from her face. They were all born to a mother, Sun Yuan is quite passable, and his sister is naturally not too ugly.

Seeing his younger brother, the happiness in his sister's eyes was sincere, which made Sun Yuan feel warm. In his previous life, he was just an orphan, but now he suddenly has a mother and a sister, and his heart is naturally very happy.

Sun Yuan smiled slightly, and said very casually: "Mother asked me to come into the city to sell mats and asked me to buy something for you." However, this mat was not sold, so naturally there was no preparation for what was given to you. ”

Sun Xiaohua: "Come on, come on, it's all a family, say something or something." My sister is happy that you can come. Come in, come in. ”

She put down the beans in her hand and touched Sun Yuan's forehead lovingly: "Look at you, it's all hot like this." Sit down. ”

As he spoke, he was about to pull Sun Yuan to sit down.

At this time, the brother-in-law who was planning to make a plate at the counter suddenly flicked the abacus beads vigorously and snorted coldly: "Sun Yuan, look at your sweaty and wet like that, if you sit on a dirty chair, how about waiting for the guests to come over?" Let's stand! ”

The voice seemed very unkind.

Hearing this cold snort, Sun Xiaohua's body trembled, obviously her husband was afraid to the bone and was about to speak.

Sun Yuan was also a good person in later generations, how did he not know that his brother-in-law had achievements in his sister's mother's family, so he put the mat against the wall and said: "The weather is so hot, my sister will give the bowl well water to drink." ”

Sun Xiaohua: "Okay, brother, wait a minute, my sister will boil it for you, you will have a stomachache if you drink raw water." By the way, have you ever had lunch? ”

It's okay that she didn't ask, but when she asked, Sun Yuan made a grunt in her stomach.

The brother-in-law slapped the abacus on the counter dissatisfied, walked over, and sat on the chair next to Sun Yuan casually: "Brother finally entered the city once, so naturally he wants to eat the food in the city." How can our family's coarse tea and light rice compare to the restaurant outside. What are you rubbing, you have to go to boil water as soon as possible. ”

When Sun Xiaohua heard her husband so ruthless, her expression changed, and her eyes turned red.

Sun Yuan hurriedly said: "After eating, I have eaten, and I brought dry food here." My sister doesn't have to boil water, it's too troublesome. On a hot day, drinking boiled water is not refreshing, or well water is good. ”

When his sister retreated, Sun Yuan stood there and looked at his brother-in-law. To tell the truth, my brother-in-law is white and fat, and he is a little rich. It's just that this person looks very obscene, but like a philistine.

The brother-in-law's surname is Gao, and when he saw Sun Yuan standing beside him, he couldn't help but look down, with a hint of a smile on his face, and he seemed to be very curious.

It felt very bad to be looked down on, and after only a moment, Gao Quan was a little unhappy, and his face was calm: "Brother, sit down." ”

"No, I'm covered in sweat, and I've carefully soiled your chair." Sun Yuan couldn't help but sarcastically said to him: "I'm still standing." ”

Gao Quan was sarcastically ridiculed by Sun Yuan, with a hint of anger between his eyebrows, and was about to have a seizure, when Sun Yuan's sister came over with a bowl of water, which made the two not so embarrassed.

While Sun Yuan was drinking water, Gao Quan asked: "Brother, I haven't been here for so many years, and I suddenly came here today, is there something wrong, is your mother okay?" ”

Hearing her husband ask about her mother, Sun Xiaohua showed a look of concern.

"Mother is fine." Sun Yuan replied: "I really want to ask my brother-in-law for a little favor when I came here today. ”

Gao Quan suddenly became vigilant, and his voice became high-pitched: "What are you helping, you also saw my business here just now, I can't see a single ghost in broad daylight, I have been losing money recently, and I can't open the pot when I see it." Brother, to put it mildly, I want your sister to go to her mother's house to borrow some rice, so that you can get through this green and yellow day. ”

Sun Yuan was dumbfounded, he didn't expect that he hadn't opened his mouth to borrow money, his brother-in-law first called out to be poor, and he also came to preemptively ask himself to borrow rice, this person is really a good person!

Sun Xiaohua said in a low voice: "Brother, have you been having a hard time at home recently, and my mother asked you to come to me, but is there something?" ”

Sun Yuan nodded: "Isn't it necessary to pay taxes recently, the business of straw mats is not good, the government is urgent, and it is estimated that the day after tomorrow will come to the door to ask for it......"

Before he finished speaking, Gao Quan shouted and stood up: "How is it, how is it, let me say that I guessed correctly, and I really came to ask for money!" It's not that money can't be borrowed, but it all depends on the ability to repay. Your Sun family can get a few dollars all year round, lend it to you, and pay it back. Why don't you ask me directly, I'm more angry in my heart? I'm also unlucky, Sun Yuan, back then, the matchmaker praised your sister like a flower, and said that your family has a few acres of paddy fields, and life is quite good. In the end, my life is embarrassing, but you haven't helped me even a meter or two. Not only that, but every year I have to help you a lot. Could it be that I owe you something in my previous life? ”

Sun Yuan didn't expect such a close relative to say such ugly words, which was beyond his imagination.

In his previous life, he was a small boss anyway, and his face sank now. didn't get angry with his brother-in-law, and only said lightly: "Brother-in-law, if our Sun family doesn't encounter a hurdle that we can't get over this time, Sun Yuan won't come back to you." Actually, it's not much, but it's just a tael of silver. If my brother-in-law still thinks of our relatives, please do me a favor. After waiting for a while, I will pay you back a hundredfold and a thousand. ”

Sun Yuan looked calm, but Gao Quan was even more annoyed, and sneered: "A hundred times a thousand times, joke, you are just a child who can't carry your shoulders and can't carry your back, why do you say such big things in front of me." Do you rely on weaving mats, me! ”

As he spoke, he spat heavily on a mouthful of green spit on the ground.

At this time, Sun Yuan was completely angered, his teeth creaked, and he unconsciously clenched his fists: "Gao Quan, I respect you as a brother, so I called you brother-in-law, you really treat me as a poor relative who came to beg for words." If you don't want to borrow it, just say it, I'll think of something else. ”