Chapter 427: Chapter 416: The Peasant Top Scorer
"Here comes Qiu, Qiu is back." Ye Qiu ran all the way home, where quite a crowd had already gathered in the yard. As he arrived, they parted to let him through.
"Ah, if Li passes away, whatever will become of her children?"
"Exactly, and there are still three girls left."
"Girls are easier to handle; just feed them until they’re of age and marry them off. But what about Qiu? He definitely won’t be able to continue his studies, nor does he know how to farm. How is he ever going to find a wife?"
"Why worry about it? Qiu is so handsome!"
"Can looks be eaten as food? That foolish girl from before insisted on marrying him. When I get back, I need to keep a closer eye on her."
A few village women crowded around the courtyard, chattering away with no genuine concern, yet they seemed to thrive on the excitement.
"Mother." Ye Qiu walked to the bedside. On the bed lay a woman of about thirty to forty years of age—Ye Qiu’s mother, Ye Li, in this lifetime. Her clothes hadn’t been changed; they had two big holes in them, and although the bleeding had stopped, there was a messy lump of greenish herbal medicine applied around the wounds. Still, her face was extremely pale, and she could no longer speak.
Upon seeing Ye Qiu enter, her lifeless eyes moved slightly, and she tried to utter an "ah, ah..." as if excited, but with that emotion stirring, a fresh gush of blood spilled from her mouth.
Ye Li’s hand fell, and Ye Qiu heard the sorrowful crying of young girls by his ear: "Mother!"
Ye Li had died. Upon hearing this news, the chatting village women, for once, ceased their gossip. Those who had once been close to her came in to help wash and clothe Ye Li’s body while Ye Qiu and his three sisters knelt to the side.
Following the customs of Ye Village, the deceased had to be kept at home for three days before a Taoist could perform the rites and the coffin sealed and buried. The funeral was held with the help of fellow clansmen, and during those three days, Ye Qiu had to arrange for the meals of the villagers and the monetary offerings for the Taoist, pulling from the family’s meager savings.
"Brother!" After the funeral, as the villagers left, only Ye Qiu and his three sisters remained at the Ye Family’s gravesite. This year, the eldest, Daya, was only eleven and had cried herself hoarse over the three days, yet she still took care of Little Ya, the youngest, in her sensible arms.
Erya looked timid. At nine years old, she, like her sisters, had a sallow complexion and a frail body, as if a gust of wind could knock her down. Even with her head lowered, Ye Qiu could see the fear and confusion in her eyes.
"Let’s head back." Ye Qiu patted Erya’s head and then picked up five-year-old Little Ya. Little Ya was the most unfortunate among the siblings. At least he, Daya, and Erya had once enjoyed the family’s prosperity, but Little Ya’s dad passed away not long after she was born. Even in her past life, except for the milk she drank, she never had a full meal, which is why she would rashly venture into the mountains for food.
At fourteen, Ye Qiu too was quite frail, but he easily lifted five-year-old Little Ya. This was because Little Ya’s development had been severely delayed due to malnutrition, making her appear not as a five-year-old should but rather like a two or three-year-old.
The Ye Family’s house was still quite big, built during Ye Fu’s time. With a north-south orientation, it was a large, square courtyard surrounded by hedges. The north side had three main rooms, with the central room used as the hall. The comfortable eastern room was designated for Ye Qiu, who needed to study, while the western room was for his parents. Little Ya was still young and had always slept with Ye Li. However, Daya and Erya slept in the western wing room, while the eastern side was built as the kitchen and storeroom.
Behind the central rooms, a pigsty and chicken coop were also constructed. The siblings from the Ye Family were all thinner than each other, yet the two pigs were fattened up healthily, and there were also about a dozen chickens. Ye Li couldn’t bear to eat them; they were kept for selling eggs, and only when Ye Qiu returned would she cook a couple of eggs just for him.
Although times are not too peaceful outside, with occasional mountain bandits causing trouble, the foundation of this dynasty is well-established, and taxes are light, so the living conditions for most households are still acceptable. This has led to the situation where eggs simply don’t fetch much money, but as the saying goes, every little bit adds up; Ye Qiu needs to study, and tuition accounts for ninety percent of the family’s expenses. Where, then, could Ye Li find good sustenance to nourish her three daughters?
"Daya, go and heat up yesterday’s leftover dishes. Let’s eat first," Ye Qiu said as he placed Little Ya on a stool and asked Erya to watch over her while he went to help Daya with the cooking.
Seeing Ye Qiu getting ready to cook, Daya was a bit startled and hurriedly stopped him: "Brother, you don’t know how to do these things. You go and study. Little Ya can play by herself, and Erya can help me with the fire."
As soon as Daya finished speaking, Erya stood up quietly, with her head bowed, ready to head to the kitchen to light the fire.
"I’m the big brother; listen to me." Ye Qiu stopped Erya with a sigh. This was the notion that Ye Li had instilled in them for a long time; no one else thought it inappropriate. After all, nothing was more important than Ye Qiu’s studies.
Erya sat back down, looked up at Ye Qiu, then lowered her head again, always quick to protect Little Ya whenever she became restless.
This is a timid and delicate girl. In the previous life, after Daya sold herself to a wealthy Li Family to be a maid, she couldn’t even safeguard her sister’s selling price, and she herself was coaxed into marriage at the age of twelve. She thought that marrying a man from the Human Clan would provide for Daya and Little Ya, but she never expected that Little Ya would disappear into the mountains over a single meal and never to be seen again. After Little Ya’s disappearance, she never gave up looking for her, becoming more and more silent and suffering mistreatment in her husband’s family.
"Is everything heated up?" Ye Qiu asked as he noticed Daya had only heated a small portion of the dishes and fell silent for a moment.
Daya’s hand holding the bowl hesitated, then she put on a brave smile: "Brother, this is enough. Erya, Little Ya, and I don’t eat much. There are still wild vegetable pancakes!"
Does this mean the heated dishes were only for him alone?
Ye Qiu’s heart ached for Daya’s understanding, and his tone softened: "It’s okay, put everything in. From now on, it’s just the four of us siblings depending on each other. Today, we eat our fill, and tomorrow big brother will go out and earn money for you."
Daya looked at Ye Qiu with disapproval in her eyes, even a hint of anger and anxiety: "Brother, you have to study, how can you go out to earn money? We can just make do with less; we don’t eat much."
"If we can’t even have a full meal, what’s the use of studying?" Ye Qiu smiled resolutely at Daya, "Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. I’ve remembered everything the teacher has taught, and besides, I need to observe mourning for three years, in which I can’t take the exams. I’ll stay home and review for the first two years, and in the last year, right before the exams, I’ll go consult the teacher and my classmates."
"Can that really work?" Daya asked doubtfully.
"Of course, it can. Have you forgotten that your big brother is a genius?"
Ye Qiu’s confident tone influenced Daya; indeed, it was true, her brother was a genius. Otherwise, how could he have become a child student at the age of twelve? That was the village’s first honor!
After reassuring Daya, Ye Qiu breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, the imperial examination was not as easy as he had claimed, but the idea of delaying for two years was not incorrect. First, earn money; when finances were better, then pursue further education. The imperial examination was essential; without some power, how could he ensure the livelihood of his three sisters in the future?