Fu Xin Ci was focused on something and didn't have time to bicker with Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai: It chirped for nothing.
Finally, the siblings finished pulling out all the weeds in the vegetable patch.
Yu Er, feeling accomplished, chattered to his sister, "Sister, our family's cabbages are better than cousin's."
"Is that so? When did Yu Er see them?"
"This morning."
"This morning?" Fu Xin Ci was a bit puzzled how Yu Er saw them.
"Grandfather and I saw Second Aunt pulling some small cabbages back to cook porridge this morning. Grandfather saw the small cabbages Second Aunt was holding and muttered quietly, saying that Second Aunt's family's small cabbages were growing pale and skinny."
Yu Er, remembering his grandfather's demeanor, imitated his thoughtful pose, with his hands behind his back.
"Pfft." Fu Xin Ci was amused by Yu Er's imitation, and indeed, Yu Er looked quite like his grandfather.
Fu Xin Ci looked up towards the small building, where Grandfather and her nominal father were discussing something with Master Zhang.
From a distance, she couldn't hear what they were saying, but seeing them talking and laughing, she knew it wasn't bad news.
The weather was gradually cooling, and one needed to add an outer layer when going out in the morning and evening.
The colder the weather, the harder life became for everyone.
When Madam Zhou came to cut grass, she saw her second brother's grandson and granddaughter pulling weeds in the field from afar and proactively greeted them.
"Xin Ci and Yu Er, are you working?"
"Thirteenth Great Aunt, you're here to cut grass." Fu Xin Ci always felt it was too cumbersome to call her Thirteenth Uncle's Wife, so she followed the local custom, which was much simpler.
Gradually, the children of the Meng family started to follow her lead.
"Yes." Madam Zhou greatly liked this clever little girl. Her husband had even received a reminder from this little girl, weaving straw mats and blinds, and exchanging them with nearby families and the owner of the general store for daily necessities, which brought some hope to their household.
Especially as the weather grew colder, there were more and more people coming to order straw blinds and mats.
"Thirteenth Great Aunt, the weather is getting cold. Tell Thirteenth Uncle to weave some straw shoes. They'll definitely sell well."
"Straw shoes? Can straw shoes be worn in winter here?"
"Thirteenth Great Aunt, the straw shoes here are different from the straw shoes there. They can keep out the cold, and can tread through snow..."
Fu Xin Ci didn't say it aloud, but this winter, the Meng clan would rely on these straw shoes to go out, or their feet would freeze off.
Hearing Fu Xin Ci's words, Madam Zhou hastily cut a large bundle of grass and ran home.
"Darling." Upon entering the courtyard, Madam Zhou saw Thirteenth Master sitting at the front entrance weaving a straw mat and quickly relayed what Xin Ci had said to Thirteenth Master.
"This child is truly the lucky star for our entire family."
"Yes, your concubine also thinks so." Madam Zhou, in her excitement, reverted to her old ways from the capital.
Thirteenth Master put down his work, stood up, and said to Madam Zhou, "Wife, you go cut more grass, and I'll go borrow a pair of straw shoes from Commander Qi to have a look."
"Alright, I'll go cut grass now."
After the couple finished speaking, they both took action.
Master Meng Wu saw Thirteenth Master hurrying over and stopped him, "Thirteenth, where are you going?" He knew his cousin had been very busy lately.
"Fifth Brother, Xin Ci just told my wife about the straw shoes. I figured with the weather getting colder, straw shoes are important, so I wanted to go borrow a pair from Commander Qi to examine."
Master Meng Wu's mind was also quick. Hearing his thirteenth brother's words and recalling what Xin Ci had said, his expression turned serious.
"Thirteenth, you go back to work first. Fifth Brother will go and borrow the straw shoes from Commander Qi for you."
"Alright, thank you, Fifth Brother. I'll go back to work now."
Meng Shisan didn't stand on ceremony with his Fifth Brother; whatever his Fifth Brother said, he did. He turned and headed back home to work.
Master Meng Wu didn't dare to delay. This time, it was he who hurried to the garrison.
The soldiers in the garrison had just finished training. Qi Yuanshan was about to go to the river to wash off the sweat when he saw the harmless-looking Master Meng Wu approach and bow, "Commander Qi."
"Meng Qingyang? What brings you to the garrison?"
"Commander Qi, this humble one has come to borrow something from you today."
"What do you want to borrow from this official?"
"Commander Qi, this humble one wishes to borrow a pair of straw shoes." To allay Commander Qi's doubts, Master Meng Wu explained that Thirteenth Master could weave things, and also mentioned what Xin Ci had advised Thirteenth Master's wife today.
Hearing Meng Qingyang mention Xin Ci, Qi Yuanshan's expression softened considerably. He turned and said to a soldier behind him, "Go to my room and get me that pair of straw shoes."
"Yes, I'll go immediately."
When the soldier brought over Qi Yuanshan's old, worn-out straw shoes with holes in them, Master Meng Wu accepted them without any sign of disgust.
"This humble one thanks Commander Qi for his help. This humble one will take his leave now." Master Meng Wu bowed and excused himself.
"Go on."
As Master Meng Wu emerged from the garrison, his gaze was fixed on the straw shoes, unable to look away.
This type of straw seemed different from the grass Thirteenth Master used to weave mats. He needed to hurry back and tell Thirteenth Master.
Thirteenth Master Meng had not been idle at home. When Master Meng Wu entered, he saw him finishing the edge of a straw mat in his hand.
"Fifth Brother, you're back so quickly. Please, sit down and rest." Thirteenth Master Meng said, pushing over a straw cushion he had woven, about the size of a person's backside, and a dipper placed beside it.
Having rushed to and fro, Master Meng Wu was indeed thirsty. He took the dipper and drank half a dipper of cool boiled water in a few gulps.
Then, pointing to the straw shoes in Thirteenth Master's hand, he said, "Thirteenth, look, how is it that these seem different from the grass you use to weave mats?"
"They are different." Thirteenth Master Meng thought for a moment, then stood up, about to go out.
"Thirteenth, where are you going?"
"Fifth Brother, I'm going to ask Xin Ci where this grass can be found."
"Mm, I'll go with you." Master Meng Wu also felt that the straw shoes were important. After Thirteenth Master locked the courtyard gate, they walked together towards the small river.
At this time, Fu Xin Ci and Yu Er were again pulling weeds in the radish patch. Seeing the neatly grown radish seedlings, she did not use her supernatural ability.
Because she knew that the size of the radishes did not affect their storage or consumption. However, if the cabbages were not grown solidly, they seemed to be difficult to store.
"Sister, these wild mustard greens and amaranth are very tender. Shall we..."
Yu Er wanted to say they should take them back to feed the chicks, as the chicks liked them.
However, before he could finish, he heard Master Meng Wu say, "Yu Er, don't throw away these amaranth and wild mustard greens. Give some to Fifth Grandpa to take back and make a cold salad for dinner."
Fu Xin Ci knew these two wild vegetables were edible, so she readily agreed on Yu Er's behalf.
Master Meng Wu's eyes fell on the radish patch of his second brother's family, and he almost drooled at the sight of the well-grown radish seedlings.
He muttered continuously, "They are all from the same seeds, so why are the radish seedlings in our field not growing as well as Second Brother's?"