Chapter 4: The Fortuitous Encounter with an Egg

Then there is only one household, the family of the team leader with the surname Liu living on the riverbank wasteland

Liu Ruyan turned to leave, but it seemed that her foot was indeed injured, and she nearly fell while walking

At that moment, the man suddenly saw a young woman struggling to climb a tree by the edge of a grove

As noon approached, a gaunt man rode a chestnut horse, galloping wildly. After the horse had run for about 3 miles, the man pulled on the reins, allowing the horse to walk slowly for over 1 mile before urging it to gallop again

This number left the five sisters in a state of confusion; what is a million

The youngest of the five daughters, Liu Ruyun, nodded vigorously; at only nine years old, she was already capable of performing many agricultural tasks

Having completed all of this, Liu Mu continued to carve his woodworking projects

Upon thinking of this, the man turned around, took down his bow, strung it, and shot an arrow that struck down the bird's nest from the tree, then effortlessly reached out to catch it.

Liu Mu also took some of the wood ash from the yellow sandalwood and soaked it in a small ceramic jar

Liu Mu extended both hands forward and, in accordance with Han etiquette, bowed deeply to the gentleman: "Thank you, my lord, for wishing well for my sister. Please accept this humble bow."

But after the young lady pressed and kneaded a few times on her legs and the picture book, she prepared to climb the tree again

In the evening, Liu Mu carefully extracted the ash left from the grass leaves and branches that had been burned for oil, then picked out the unburned remnants, leaving only the pure ash. Next, he placed this ash into a ceramic jar and soaked it with clean water

Although his home is not here, he is extremely familiar with this area, which is almost entirely composed of the estates of nobility. With the autumn harvest approaching, the estate workers and tenants are unlikely to have the time to wander around aimlessly.

I will go to collect bird nests, while Erniang, Sanniang, Siniang, and Wuniang will go to gather flowers, and we will return at noon" instructed Eldest Sister Liu Ruyan

The sun has risen once again, and a new day has arrived

At this time, it was still the era of martial virtue, not yet the great prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. During the flourishing period of the Tang Dynasty, a dou of millet cost only seven or eight wen.

The man fumbled around in his bosom, finding some gold leaves. However, upon reflection, he recalled having heard in the army that Liu Huohuo was a man of strong character, who had never owed anyone even a fraction of a penny in his lifetime

"Dalang, do not throw away the rest; they are still edible." Sister Liu Ruyan felt quite distressed about those parts of the willow wood that were discarded, which contained impurities but still had a bit of oil.

The man could no longer bear it and pulled the horse to the tree, saying: "This young lady, there is something you need up in the tree."

The only thing one can do is to silently acquiesce, and then wait until one has truly succeeded, exchanging it for money, grain, silk, and satin. Only then can one tell the elder sister that those inferior oils are not fit for human consumption

The man escorted Liu Ru Yan back home, and upon arriving at the dilapidated house, he saw a man and four women busily engaged in various tasks, while a delightful aroma wafted from the front of the house. The fragrance emanated from tiles being roasted over a gentle fire, some of which had flower petals.

Five sisters of various ages ran out, and Liu Mu began to carefully take clean water from the pot of plant ash with a small bowl, then poured it into a very clean ceramic basin.

I need an egg, any kind of egg will do. Liu Mu furrowed her brow slightly

"Second sister, bring me an egg!" Liu Mu looked at the plant ash water that had settled overnight; the upper layer was relatively clean, and only then did he speak to his second sister.

I will escort you back. That man is a warm-hearted person; with just a gentle lift, he placed Liu Ru Yan on the horse's back, while he himself walked alongside the horse.

"Wuniang, from now on, you will stir it occasionally until you go to bed."

"Wait a moment," Liu Mu called out to Si Niang and Wu Niang. He turned to Da Jie and said: "Elder sister, I see some flowers on the plain, and I need some very fragrant flowers. However, the different types of flowers must be separated."

The man was deep in thought when he suddenly saw a young woman in the woods lose her footing and fall from the tree. When she stood up again, it seemed that she had injured her foot, and her walking posture appeared somewhat altered

Repeatedly boiling, leaving only the clearest and purest part

In addition, Liu Mu also noticed the timber that had been burned by fire at that time

As a result, the second sister stood there in a daze, not moving.

Ah! With a sharp scream from Erniang, even the swallows on the eaves were frightened away. Yet, Erniang asked again, "How much is one thousand guan?"

Yes

In the afternoon, Liu Mu began to render oil with her two older sisters and three younger sisters

Liu Ruyan dismounted and, with just a few words, clarified what had just transpired

Liu Ruyan was stunned and instinctively replied:

There are indeed many, many. Sister, let us begin; I will go and do some work. Liu Mu did not provide further explanation, but got up to find his tools. The carpentry skills he retained in his memory, though not exceptional, were certainly sufficient for carrying out some simple tasks

In front of the dilapidated little house of the Liu family, the man was actually preparing to scold this young lady's brother a few times.

How could such a high-end item as eggs possibly be found in this household

The man held the horse's head, glancing sideways into the distance

Before me stood a figure: wearing a hero's hat, dressed in the attire of the Five Tigers, riding in trousers that allowed for ease of movement, with battle boots on both feet, a silk belt tied around the waist, neither too tight nor too loose. He stood at a height of 2 meters, with shoulders broad enough to span a bow. His face shone like an ancient moon, his complexion resembling a light gold plating. His eyebrows were like sharp swords, extending into his temples, and his eyes sparkled like bright pearls and shining stars. His nose was straight, and his mouth was square with distinct angles, while three strands of beard flowed down to his chest.

one million

Liu Mu pressed one hand against his forehead; he wanted to laugh but could not. He could clearly explain how much one thousand guan was, but his sisters... they were truly too pitiful

One piece is made of rosewood, and another piece is half-burnt cypress wood

Certainly, many impoverished individuals subsist on this

Alright, one thousand guan

Elder sister Liu Ruyan is not the type of person who enjoys complaining: "Fourth sister, Fifth sister, go and fetch the bird's nest."

Since Liu Mu is to manage this household and is the only male in the family, Aunt Liu Ruyan did not say anything further. The oil that was bought can also be stored, as it will always be needed in winter

One part is the mold, and the other part is the box

The one climbing the tree is Liu Ru Yan. Turning to look at the speaker, she was taken aback by what she saw.

Liu Mu did not respond; he did not know what he should say or how to point it out

This gentleman, my younger brother wishes for an egg. However, there is no money in our household to purchase one, so...

"Thank you, thank you, my lord." Looking at this heroic figure, Liu Ruyan at this moment already had a blush on her face, yet she did not dare to look directly at the man before her

In a household of poverty, yet one still desires to eat eggs, what should be done if her sister were to fall from a height

It turns out that this two-year-old horse is in training

Liu Mufei is not indifferent; he simply did not consider these details at this moment

There are no eggs at home, and all the money in the house was gone yesterday, so we cannot buy any eggs." The elder sister, Liu Ru Yan, replied on behalf of the family

A person of great eloquence

That Liu Huozhang is a man of great courage and strength; he died in battle at Luoyang during the fight for Luoyang