Chapter 71: Scattering offerings for ancestors

  "Dad," Liu Yitiao said with a smile, "I just asked Yuan Fang to make twenty plows for me, what scheme could I have? You're being too suspicious."

  "Twenty? What are you doing with so many plows? We only have eleven cows at home, can we use that many? And isn't there still an old plow at home?" Lao Liu was a bit annoyed. He had always disliked the word "waste". Although the Liu family now had some spare money, they couldn't be so extravagant. Old Liu opened his mouth to advise Liu Yitiao: "Yitiao, although you made some silver recently, but you can't..."

  "Dad," Liu Yitiao interrupted Old Liu's words, saying: "The plow head I want to make is different from the old one at home. Using it for farming will be much faster than all the other plows we use now. The land that used to take you a whole day to finish, with the new plow head can be finished in just two hours. Wait until I bring back the plow head after these two days and you'll see."

  "As for why I want to raise twenty oxen, Father, do you think thirty hectares of land, plus your one hundred and twenty mu, with only eleven oxen, is enough? So I was thinking of going to buy a few more in the next few days. It would be best if we could make it up to twenty heads, so that farming won't delay the timing."

  "Uh," Old Liu was left speechless by Liu Yitiao's words, and nodded repeatedly, saying: "You also make sense, Guai Die didn't think it through."

  No wonder, Lao Liu has been busy in that 120 mu of land all his life. In the past, farming was always done after others had finished using other people's draft cattle, or he would simply go down to the fields himself and pull a plow. At that time, having his own draft cattle was already his biggest dream. Now they suddenly have eleven draft cattle at home, and he is so happy it's as if he has fallen into heaven - how could he dare think of more?

  "But can the plow you mentioned be that useful? Can a day's work be finished in just two hours? Is there really such a good plow?" Old Liu was skeptical, just like people used to be when they first heard about threshing machines when they were used to using stone rollers to thresh wheat, he doubted it seriously.

  Liu Yitiao shrugged his shoulders, this kind of thing can be said a hundred times with the mouth, but it's not as good as letting him take a look. So he didn't bother to persuade Old Liu either, and instead said to Old Liu: "Dad, whether it's useful or not isn't up to me to decide, anyway, Yuan Fang has already made seven or eight plows, I'll bring them back another day and you can try them out yourself."

  "Hmm, that's a good idea." Old Liu nodded and said. If there really was such a plow, then in the future farming would be much faster.

  At this time, Liu He's wife came out of the inner room with little Liu Xiang, and seeing Liu Laoshi, she anxiously asked: "Old man, is the marriage really settled? Did the Zhang family agree?"

  "Of course!" As soon as he mentioned this matter, Old Liu became excited again and said: "The date has already been set, April 15th, a lucky day for weddings. On that day, we will have a daughter-in-law! Haha..."

  "Alright, alright, it's settled then." Mrs. Liu also burst out laughing, after all those years of waiting, it had finally arrived. She looked at Liu Yi, nodding her head repeatedly and said: "Yes, my son is finally going to start a family, he's become an adult. I must go prepare properly, make two sets of decent clothes, hats, and boots for the young master. The groom can't look too shabby. And also, I need to prepare some things for Chuchu, and for future children."

  As soon as she sat down, Mrs. Liu told Old Liu: "Old man, tomorrow you go to the county to buy a few pieces of good-looking flower cloth back, and I'll start preparing tomorrow. Three months, yes, it's enough for me to make several sets. It won't delay their worshiping heaven and earth. Also, quilts, furniture, all need to be replaced with brand new ones. Auspicious and beneficial, a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons."

  "Yes, yes, makes sense, I'll go and arrange it tomorrow!" Old Liu nodded continuously.

  "Also!" Liu family's second brother also stood up and said: "There is also the problem of housing, if big brother marries sister-in-law and brings her back, where will I live? Can't still sleep with big brother together?"

  "You little scoundrel!" Old Liu slapped a palm on Liu Er's head, scolding: "Don't spout nonsense! When the time comes, you'll naturally sleep in the study. That room has always been idle anyway, let your mother tidy it up for you, it's just right for use."

  Liu Er Tiao covered his head, pouted, and was obviously very dissatisfied with Old Liu's arrangement. However, he didn't dare to express his opinion. After all, Old Liu's palm wasn't one to be trifled with.

  The wedding is still several months away, why are they in such a hurry now?

  Liu Yitiao sat there, watching the two elders of the Liu family discuss and deliberate on everything, including who to invite to the wedding, how to write the invitation cards, and even what dishes to serve at the banquet, with every dish carefully planned out. Their dedication and sense of responsibility as parents is truly admirable.

  Finally, as the sky was getting darker, Old Liu and his wife still showed no signs of stopping, so Liu Yitiao couldn't help but remind them: "Dad, Mom, it's almost time for the ancestral worship, why don't we prepare the offerings first, and then talk about this marriage?"

  It wasn't until then that Liu Lao Shi and Liu He Shi realized it was already very late.

  Knowing that tonight was the last night of this year's ancestor worship, Liu He brought Liu Xiaohui into the kitchen to prepare offerings and dinner. Old Liu also stood up, respectfully adding a stick of incense in front of the ancestral tablet, and then said to Liu Yitiao: "Today, I can successfully settle this marriage for you, thanks to the blessing of our ancestors. Tonight, when worshiping our ancestors, you must kowtow twice more to show your respect."

  "Got it, Dad." Although he sneered at Old Liu's words, on the surface, Liu Yi still responded. After all, they were in ancient times now, and people attached great importance to the teachings of etiquette. If one didn't respect their ancestors or understand filial piety, Old Liu wouldn't break his legs for nothing.

  "Uh-huh," Old Liu nodded and said, "You're not saying you want to buy a few more oxen? Tomorrow, go with me to the county town. It won't be long before spring plowing starts, and there will be more people selling cattle in the next few days. Also, let's take the opportunity to visit your Uncle Yang again. He has always taken good care of you, and for such a big wedding, we should inform him as courtesy."

  "Father's words are extremely right, tomorrow I will go with Father." Liu Yitiao softly agreed.

  In less than two moments, Mrs. Liu had everything ready. The wine, meat, fish and grains for the sacrifice were all arranged on the altar. Led by Old Man Liu, each person first offered a stick of incense to their ancestors. Then the whole family knelt down below the altar, kowtowing to their ancestors, praying for blessings and expressing gratitude.

  This time, Liu Yitiao actually heard clearly what Liu Laoshi said when he was offering sacrifices to his ancestors.

  "Your unworthy descendant Liu Fengkai, with my family, respectfully pays homage to our ancestors. I wish for the protection of our ancestors, so that the five members of the Liu family can be safe and happy in the new year, free from illness and disaster... My eldest son Liu Yitiao, today, thanks to the blessing of our ancestors, has established a marital relationship with the Zhang family, and I hope that our ancestors will bless him, so that he can have children soon and continue the Liu family's legacy... Your unworthy descendant Liu Fengkai pays respects!"

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