The Analects of Righteous Father's Collapse Chapter 10

Chapter 9: Unquestioning Filial Piety 9

Author: 打字机N号

T /N: This is a MTL work. I tried to edit as best as I could, any mistake plz do put your comment and I will edit it ASAP. This is my first attempt on chinese novel so please cheer me up! I hope you will find this novel as interesting as I do.

Early next morning, many of the old people who could not work on the field as well as some women who quickly finished their daily work, came to Jiang Liu's house with their teenage children. They came to find him to learn the weaving technique. 
　　
Because Jiang Liu's house was too small to squeeze dozens of people, the location for the teaching was set at the communal sunbathing deck. Everyone took their own small bench and held the thatch that was provided free of charge by the team, ready to do the big job. 
　　
Miao Caifeng and Wang Xuemei who were also among crowd had no other choice but to accept the pointing fingers of others. 
　　
Miao Caifeng was still better. She was very calm even while being the centre of discussion. Whoever makes her the mother of Jiang Liu? No matter what she did, in the face of filial piety, others will not say too much.
　　
Compared to Miao Caifeng, Wang Xuemei's attitude was somewhat unyielding. But she can only earned money by doing some manual work therefore she could do nothing but bit her teeth.　

She wanted to make money to buy a more beautiful scarf. During winter, she will appear in front of Xu Xiuxiu with that scarf, day and night, in order to avenge her hatred.　　

“Auntie Wang, why did you bring that small girl? How old is she this year?” 

Jiang Liu who was ready to start the lesson suddenly saw a small girl around three to four years old sitting with her mother. It seemed that the mother brought her over in order to learn the technique together. 
　　
That girl age still too small. Many regarded weaving labour as a light work. In fact, long-term weaving will impose a great burden on the fingers. Jiang Liu's finger already formed a thick layer of calluses even though he had only been weaving for few months.  Children's hands are tender and delicate. If they were to learn this, he afraid that their hand will be bloodied and scarred. 
　　
Jiang Liu can accept the teenage children to learn this craft. In this era, the countrymen only had few ways to earn a living. In the future, parents may feel distressed and feel that their children will suffer learning such skills. However, for the children of this era, if they are able to learn this skills, they will be able to eat and drink in the future.　　

“Even if she do not directly learn it, I still wish for let her to look at it. When she is a few years older, she will be quicker in catching the technique.”
　　
Auntie Wang smiled as she watched the people around her showing their disapproval. She quickly added.

“Furthermore, this child is still small. There is no one to take care of her at home. Just ignore her, I will leave her playing at the side. ” 
　　
After this episode, everything went smoothly. The country folks are more or less know how to weave, especially the womenfolk. The straw shoes and mats at home were mostly made by them.　　

The technique taught by Jiang Liu was an improvement to the basic weaving method. For those who are a little bright, with a little bit of direction, they completely able to master the technique.As for those who are too stupid, how can Jiang Liu lectured them? He could only let them explored the technique and let them pondered about it, rather than urging them to finish it.

　　
On the first day, Jiang Liu only taught some novel methods of weaving. He also taught them how to weave different colours together. He planned to deliver a batch of wedding's goods to the department store. In the next few months, it will be the end of the year. Many couple usually get married at the beginning of the year. Due to the shortage of supplies this year especially at the end of the years, many of the necessary wedding goods will be sold out. By taking this opportunity, it can help them stabilized their sales channel.

Because there were a lot of people coming today, Jiang Liu made a request to Big Guan to let his wife Xu Xiuxiu come back in order to teach the crowd in which Big Guan generously assented.

In this way, Jiang Liu's couple became the only young people who no longer need to work at the field. Even if they did not do those kind of work anymore, their work points still better than others.

It's just that, at this moment everyone was ready to make big money, so they didn't care about it. On the contrary, they feel that Jiang Liu had contributed so much. They even felt that the work points given to Jiang Liu was inadequate to the work that he had done for others. 
　　
In order to avoid the suspicion, most of the young wives and children follow Xu Xiuxiu, while the elderly who are old followed Jiang Liu.　　

Miao Caifeng also had some foundation. She followed her son and able to learn the technique very quickly. Although she felt a bit embarrassed for having to worship her son as a teacher, Miao Caifeng was also a determined old lady. She had always been putting her mind on making money. It didn't take her too long. After half a day, she able to produce a beautiful hemp pattern.　　

However, Wang Xuemei's progress was not as fast as Miao Caifeng.
　　
Wang Xuemei's family condition had been better that others.  Since the deputy director of the commune agency was her uncle, she had never done any dirty work since she was a child. Her father worked as a primary school principal, while her eldest brother has been placed in the mine. She can eat meat every day. Even before marrying, the most tiring job Wang Xuemei ever did was to help her mother cooked the rice. In the country she could also been considered as a pampered young lady.　　

After marrying, there was a pair of oxen big brother and sister-in-law standing in front of her. So Wang Xuemei ended up being lazy and wily. Except for the lack of power on the family table, her days was not much different from before her marriage. 

After the separation, she needed to do more work. However, most of it was still done by her mother-in-law. She only needs to help the pig team to pick some ragweed, cook it as the pig feed and then washed the clothes for the family.That basically her daily responsibilities.

As for thatch weaving, Wang Xuemei has never learned any of it. When others started to pick up the technique, she was still fighting with the most basic knots. But she was also stupid, obviously the other people could move their hand like clouds and water, but she was still so awkward with her hand.  The good thatch directly turned into a mess. Some of the knots also seemed impossible to untangle. 
　　
At the beginning, Wang Xuemei was still patient. But after so long she couldn't stand as the bruise began to appear on her soft palm. Blood started to ooze from the cut on her fingertips as she began to cry.　　

“Jiang Hai's wife, if you can't learn, just stop. Anyway, your husband already making so much money every month. Why do you need to suffer doing this kind of things?” 
　　
The people around Wang Xuemei started to persuade her kindly instead of telling her the truth. This is the first time they see such a stupid woman. They were afraid that even if she study for a long time, the only things that she will get are bloodied hands. If she could not learn, why need to waste time on it? 
　　
However, those thought will surely offend the other party so that woman can only said it to Wang Xuemei indirectly. 
　　
“What do you mean that I could not learn? Isn't this just a piece of grass?”

Wang Xuemei's mouth turned down as she glared at the person who kindly reminded her.

“The only reason I could not learn is because that person do not know how to teach well. She is afraid that if I had learned the craft, I will be even better than her." 
　　
How could she admitted that she was stupid? Wang Xuemei only excuse was that Xu Xiuxiu had been targeting her because she didn't want her to excel in this.　　

When the words came out, all the people around her looked at Wang Xuemei with a gaze as if they were looking at an idiot. Xu Xiuxiu did not teach them one by one, instead, she sat at the middle and let others observed her as she demonstrated the weaving technique.　　

With the same teaching mode, other people who watched her could learn the technique more or less. But this Wang Xuemei could not even learn any, can this still blame the teacher for teaching them badly?　　

They were afraid that there is a pit in her head.

“I will repeat it once more. There might be some details that you have not seen.” 
　　
Xu Xiuxiu did not argue with Wang Xuemei. She just smiled warmly, and then took some thatches. This time she gave a demonstration while explaining it ten times slower than the usual speed.　　

Everyone can't take care of Wang Xuemei's idiocy. They quickly looked at Xu Xiuxiu as they were afraid of missing the details.　　

Even though Wang Xuemei no longer had any patient for it, she still looked at the demonstration without blinking her eyes.　　

But some people really don't have the talent in this kind of delicate work. Even after Xu Xiuxiu repeatedly taught her several times, Wang Xuemei still can't learn it.　　

"It is not like I can't learn. There are just some people being deliberate just because they can't stand me." 
　　
Wang Xuemei's snorted as she threw the material that was ruined by her and walked away without looking back.
　　
In the afternoon, when Miao Caifeng brought over a batch of raw materials, Wang Xuemei did not forget to complain of her grievance. Because of the money, Wang Xuemei could not afford to let go of this opportunity. She wanted to borrow Miao Caifeng power. She wanted Miao Caifeng to use her title as a mother to force the couple to teach her one by one until she learned all the technique. 
　　
“I have already figured out the technique. I will teach you first.”　　

Miao Caifeng heard her daughter-in-law complained that Xu Xiuxiu had been against her. That she was not willing to teach her well. But considering that this little daughter-in-law always liked to sow discord with the predecessor, Miao Caifeng decided to demonstrate it to her few times.
　　
As a result, it was inevitable that all material that Miao Caifeng brought back from the team was ruined by Wang Xuemei. 
　　
You should know that this is not a free teaching material.  Rather, Jiang Liu felt that by cultivating the technique will they be able to master the technique as soon as possible. As for people who already mastered the technique, Jiang Liu already instructed them to prepare the good for sell.

　　
Miao Caifeng had spent several cent to buy this material. Now it was all ruined by her good daughter-in-law. 
　　
“You still could not learn?” 
　　
Miao Caifeng patted her chest in pain. It is no wonder no one willing to teach her, she is really stupid.

*********
　　
The course progressed very smoothly. After a week, Jiang Liu finally rushed out the first batch of goods. He borrowed the oxcart from the team and sent the goods to the department store. After the acceptance, they finally received their first payment. 　　

“Wang Xin jia, two pieces, seven coins.” 

“Miao Zhen jia, one piece,  four coins.” 
… 
　　
According to the price of the goods handed over by the previous group, Jiang Liu first deducted the teaching fees, before distributing the rest to everyone.　　

Those people that day was livelier than those pigs at the pen. It was because everyone realized that the can really make money using this skills. In the future this will bring them endless returns. 
　　
The highest earner among the team member managed to score 18 coins. Of course it was not earn by a person. There were a total of seven people in the family who worked on the handicraft.Few people also managed to make more than one item. In the countryside, there were many people who versatile in terms of their living skills.

The happiest people were those widows on the team. It was very difficult for them to secure their finance especially when they were unable to partake in the labour work. However, due to Jiang Liu's selflessness, these women finally see the hope of in their life. They were also the one who worked the hardest in that team. Especially if there were old people and children at home, they will work on the handicraft whenever they had any spare time. They wanted to earn more money and send their children to school.　　

Of course, the one who earned the most was Jiang Liu. He and his wife, Xu Xiuxiu, were originally a skilled workers. They are the most experienced weaver and even after others made some money, they could still score additional money from the tuition fees.

That evening, the couple sat down as they count the money they have. After their family was separated, they actually managed to save two hundred and seventy yuan.　　

“Let's go to the hospital and return the money we owed.” 　　

Xu Xiuxiu looked at the pile of banknotes in front of her. Her smile reached her eyebrows.　　

“Ok.”

“Let's buy some pork again, and eat well.”

With this much money, Xu Xiuxiu is willing to spend it. Her man had been working hard all this time, and she wants to make up for his body. 
　　
“Yeah.” 

Jiang Liu nodded again. He didn't know if it was because of the dim oil lamp that created this awkward atmosphere. He felt that today's Xiuxiu was especially beautiful.　　

“Women, it's already dark. Let's clean this up, it's time to sleep." 
　　
Jiang Liu was a little bit eager to move. After a few months, he had thoroughly understood his wife. She no longer the stereotype that was locked in the memory of the original. Especially during this time. The change was also obvious in the eyes of Jiang Liu.　　

“Hmm.”　　

Xu Xiuxiu understood the hidden meaning in Jiang Liu's words. Her cheeks were fluttering red, as she put the money into the box and then locked it before she extinguished the oil lamp on the side. 
　　
Everything is a matter of course.　　

The next morning, Jiang Liu yawned as he walked out of the room and stretched his waist lazily, while grinning widely.

How could he feel that it was a waste of money before? It was actually a wonderful things.

He laughed and smiled. But this wonderful thing can only be done with his own wife.

Jiang Liu stretched his bones as he thought of making a hearty breakfast today. His wife is still too thin. If she is a bit chubby, it may feel even better.

Thinking of this, Jiang Liu turned his eyes to the only hen given to them when the family was separated. The hen in the chicken ring seemed to feel the threat incoming and started to scream and ran to hide. As it ran away, an egg fell out of its ass.　　

Forget it, he should keep this hen for the eggs.　　

Besides he remember that old people always said that an egg-laying hen in poisonous. If he wanted to make up Xu Xiuxiu body, it is better to have a cock instead.　　

Jiang Liu licked his mouth as he thought about the delicious taste of the big cock that he had eaten before. Jiang Liu's stomach got even hungrier.

Chapter end