Chapter 10

Second, Aunt didn’t decide on the spot, but she began preparing the very next day the jagged potatoes needed to be cut first. Since there was no jagged knife, she had to use a kitchen knife, which made the work slower. Preparing them in advance would save effort later, just in case they sold well. If business was booming, being too slow would mean they couldn’t keep up.

She called Gu Xinxin over to help, also to keep her away from Gu Chenshi’s nitpicking at home.

“There’s a market tomorrow in Little Song Village,” Second Aunt said as she placed the cut potatoes into a bucket of water, discussing with Gu Xinxin. “Your Eldest Cousin’s Wife and I plan to give it a try and hope we can sell them.”

If they couldn’t sell them… Second Aunt paused before continuing, “We’ll keep them for our own family to eat or use them to make potato noodles.”

With so many potatoes, they could also extract starch to make potato starch noodles later.

Gu Xinxin smiled cheerfully. “I’m sure they’ll sell. Who goes to the market without a few coins to spare? Besides, Little Song Village isn’t exactly poor.”

Little Song Village was almost the size of a small town. It used to be called Little Song Village, but later it was renamed Little Song Village.

The two chatted as they worked. Eldest Cousin’s Wife was a woman of few words, keeping her head down and rarely joining the conversation.

Early the next morning, before Gu Xinxin had even gotten out of bed, Second Aunt and her daughter-in-law were already pushing a small cart toward Little Song Village. Going early meant they could secure a good spot and attract more customers.

By the time Gu Xinxin woke up, the sky was just beginning to lighten, showing how early the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had set out.

She held a bowl and squatted by the kitchen door, brushing her teeth with a willow twig she had slowly chewed into strands. It wasn’t as good as a toothbrush, but it was better than nothing. Otherwise, she always felt her mouth smelled foul something a food enthusiast couldn’t stand, as the stench might overpower the taste of food.

Gu Daniu didn’t go up the mountain today, so Gu Chenshi didn’t dare cause any trouble.

Gu Daniu was in the yard repairing his bow and arrows. After finishing, he called Gu Xinxin over. “Do you think those potatoes your Second Aunt is preparing will make money?”

Gu Xinxin nodded. “Definitely.”

This wasn’t a year of famine. Based on the original host’s memories, the living standards in the area were similar. Second, Aunt’s family could save up two taels of silver in half a year, which meant ordinary families could probably afford to spend a dozen or so copper coins on a serving of potatoes occasionally.

One tael of silver could be exchanged for about a thousand copper coins the exact rate varied depending on the silver’s purity.

“Earlier, I said I’d teach you how to squat in a horse stance. Come and give it a try.” A moment later, Gu Daniu didn’t continue the previous topic but called Gu Xiangrong over instead. “Demonstrate for your elder sister. Push your hips back, exert force through your legs, keep your heels firmly planted, and extend your hands forward for balance.”

Once Gu Xinxin assumed the stance, he added, “Hold it for fifteen minutes first.”

Then he went back to repair his bow and arrows. Not only did the bow need proper maintenance, but the arrows also required attention. The arrowheads were made of iron, which was hard to come by, so they often had to be retrieved and reused. They would find wood to make new arrows and rebind them.

Gu Xiangrong also squatted in a horse stance beside her.

Gu Chenshi probably couldn’t stand seeing the siblings idle. She went in and out of the house several times, carrying out a large pile of clothes and bed sheets. “Xin Xin, go wash these later while the weather is good these days. After washing, we should start preparing the quilts for autumn and winter.”

Gu Xinxin pretended not to hear.

Gu Wenshu happened to pass by and was about to do something mischievously throwing stones at Gu Xiangrong when Gu Daniu grabbed him. “You come practice horse stance too.”

Gu Wenshu froze for a moment, then immediately cried out for his mother. “I don’t want to practice horse stance! I don’t want to practice horse stance!”

Gu Chenshi hurried over to pull him away. “Brother Da Niu, the child is still young. Didn’t you say that practicing too early could harm his bones? Besides, our Wenshu is going to study in the future. If he’s going to study, wouldn’t practicing this just waste his time?”

Gu Daniu frowned. Gu Xinxin immediately spoke up, “Gu Wenshu is going to study? Then Xiangrong should go too.”

Gu Chenshi exploded at this. “Go where? Does our family have the money for him to go? Besides, he looks like a dull melon, as stupid as a pig. Sending him to study would just be a waste of money!”

Gu Xinxin sneered, “If Xiangrong is stupid, then your son is worse than a pig or a dog. Besides, if the family has no money, what right does your son have to study? Xiangrong is also Father’s son. Father should treat them equally. What’s more, Xiangrong is the eldest son! According to wealthy families, he’s the legitimate eldest son! He should inherit the family estate. With him here, what does your precious son even count for? It’s already generous enough that he’s not lacking food or drink in this family. As a second son, does he think he can drive the eldest son out of the house?”

Gu Chenshi was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. “What legitimate eldest son? Our family doesn’t follow such rules! In our family, it’s about who is smarter and more capable. Whoever is capable gets to study.”

“Fine then. Come here, Gu Wenshu, let me ask you: what’s ninety-nine plus ninety-eight?” Gu Xinxin looked at Gu Wenshu, who was sweating profusely. What was this all about? How many were ninety-nine? How many were ninety-eight?

Gu Xinxin glanced at Gu Xiangrong, who immediately answered, “One hundred ninety-seven.”

A couple of days ago, he had followed Gu Xinxin to the county town to buy things and calculate prices. After doing it repeatedly and with a few tricks Gu Xinxin had casually mentioned, like rounding numbers, even if he wasn’t skilled at it yet, he was far better than Gu Wenshu, who was completely illiterate.

Gu Chenshi’s face flushed red. “The imperial exams don’t test this.”

“Gu Wenshu’s stupidity must be inherited from you,” Gu Xinxin sneered. “Mathematics is a required subject in the exams. If you don’t understand it, don’t speak, or else everyone will know how foolish you are.”

Gu Chenshi reached out to hit Gu Xinxin, but Gu Xinxin nimbly dodged behind Gu Daniu.

Gu Daniu stopped Gu Chenshi. “Enough, didn’t I tell you? Xin Xin is at this age now. Don’t always resort to hitting or scolding her. What if it ruins her reputation?”

He then turned to Gu Xinxin. “Your stepmother is, after all, an elder. Being sharp-tongued isn’t a good reputation, and on top of that, defying your elders I wonder how many paths to survival you think you have.”

He paused for a moment before saying, “Let’s put the matter of studying aside for now. The family doesn’t have that much money.”

Though he said to put it aside for now, Gu Wenshu was only nine years old, while Gu Xiangrong was already twelve. Starting education at nine was late but not too late. If Xiangrong were delayed for another two years, he would be at the age for marriage. Who would still send someone of marriageable age to start their education?

Once you marry a wife and bring her home, you’ll immediately be considered a grown man, responsible for providing for the entire family’s food and livelihood. Just surviving each day will bring endless hardships and suffering where would you find the time or energy to study? And where would the money for education come from?

This may sound fair on the surface, but the choice has already been made. Truly, as the saying goes, “With a stepmother comes a stepfather” it couldn’t be more accurate.

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