Public Sentiment
Some parents go as far as dressing their boys in skirts and getting their ears pierced when they are young, raising them like girls. This is because some people believe that girls are easier to raise than boys.
Therefore, naming the girls and dressing them in girls' clothes is guiding their destiny towards being a girl, which makes it easier for the child to survive.
The current Emperor also has a well-known nickname, "Cat Slave."
In short, regardless of how derogatory the nickname may be, it can still be chosen.
Zhou Xi said, "No, my younger sister's nickname is Manbao; my family doesn't like derogatory names."
Pausing for a moment, Zhou Xi added, "None of my children have died; they have all survived."
As a result, the village of Qili no longer prefers to give their children derogatory names. They prefer to follow the example of the Zhou family and name their children according to their birth order, hoping that this kind of ranking might bring to them. ###
The village chief and the elders in the village all believe that the greatest achievement of Old Zhou and the Qian family is not that they planted the land well or built a big house with blue bricks and tiles, but that they raised eight children. Well, actually nine if we count Zhou Yin.
Nine children, none of whom died, a remarkable occurrence even in large cities with ample medical resources.
Of course, from a superstitious perspective, the villagers all believe that it is because their children have good nicknames. Just take a look at this long list, ranging from second to sixth. It is estimated that not even the heavens would be willing to take someone away.
Wei Zhi lost two children, a son and a daughter, neither of whom lived past the age of five. He was very curious about how the Zhou family raised their children.
So, he squatted on the edge of the field and chatted with them.
Zhou Xi asked He Shi to go home first without avoiding the subject. She talked about how her mother took care of them when they were young. Of course, she didn't have much say in raising children, but Feng Shi, who had already given birth to three and raised them all, had a lot of experience.
Upon hearing them, Wei Zhi rolled up his sleeves and headed to the field. He picked up the hoe that He Shi had left behind to assist them with their work.
Guard:...
He has never farmed before!
Since birth, his father has been a count. Even before he came of age, he was enlisted in the Forbidden Army to serve as a guard. He's held knives, swords, and bows, but never a hoe!
But his immediate concern is farming. What should he do?
Just stand on the edge of the field and watch?
He is feeling very anxious. What should he do?
Zhou Xi noticed that Wei Zhi's movements were quite skilled, so she didn't stop him. She even wanted to give him her straw hat, but Wei Zhi refused.
He asked, "How many children do you have in your family?"
Zhou Xi smiled and said, "Not many, ten."
Location: Is that not enough?
Zhou Xi smiled and said, "My fifth and sixth siblings haven't married yet, so they also count as children."
Wei Zhi nodded and asked, "How old are they?" Have they made marriage plans?
"The fifth and sixth siblings are in their fifties and sixties." They were supposed to make marriage plans this year, but they were disrupted by a flood. Now we don't know what the autumn will be like, so we're not making plans for now. We'll wait until next year.
Wei Zhi.
In the country, there is a specific tax for older unmarried individuals. If you reach a certain age without getting married, both the woman and the man have to pay the tax.
After dating for two years, if they still haven't gotten married, they will be forced to marry. Ahem, this is what the official term refers to as "providing a wife" and "providing a husband."
He is only sixteen, so he still has six years to pay the tax. In the folk tradition, some people marry early, while others marry late.
For example, in this class, there are individuals who got married at fifteen or sixteen, as well as many in their twenties and thirties who are still single.
Those who have achieved something, including the Emperor, cannot be prevented from getting married even by their own families. Naturally, they can go wherever they want.
Wei Zhi was very curious about the typical betrothal gifts and dowries in this region, pondering the customary gifts exchanged and the traditions surrounding the bride's welcome.
Since he had the time and the opportunity, he decided to ask.
The topics discussed among the group ranged from child-rearing and marriage to old-age care, and finally to the children's education.
Wei Zhi casually asked how many children they had, only to find out that they only had one.
Even Wei Zhi, who was diligently weeding near the vegetable garden, was surprised.
He had never heard of a family that allowed their daughters to study but not their sons.
When Zhou Xi saw them, she quickly said, "Actually, my younger sister is very smart." Mr. Zhuang, a teacher at the school, is very fond of her, so he accepted her as his disciple. "Otherwise, with our family's financial situation, how could we afford to send our children to school?"
Feng Shi said, "My younger daughter teaches the children at home after she finishes her studies." Not to mention anything else, my second and third sons have learned quite a few words. The third son has already memorized all the words in the "Thousand Character Classic." The younger daughter said that once she is fully committed, she can study independently.
Wei Zhi nodded, "I see."
But he couldn't help but wonder, just how smart is this child?
"Hey, young man, why did you pull out my seedlings?"
The guard stiffly looked at the "weeds" in his hands and asked, "These, aren't they weeds?"
Zhou Xi looked at the vegetable seedlings he had pulled out and the weeds that remained. Sympathetically, she looked at him, pondering how unaware he must be to not distinguish between vegetable seedlings and weeds.
Wei Zhi coughed lightly and said, "Go help with watering the plants."
The guard felt as if he had been granted amnesty. He got up, took two buckets, and left.
Zhou Xi didn't stop him in time, and Wei Zhi smiled, "Let him go." Young people have strength; watering is more suitable for them.
Zhou Xi: Actually, what she wanted to say was that he could use a cart; it would be easier.
But the guard had already picked up the buckets and walked over from the river bank.
After helping out, Wei Zhi and the three women of the Zhou family formed a deep bond. Zhou Xi, Feng Shi, and Fang Shi warmly invited them to visit their home.
Wei Zhi politely declined the invitation but decided to walk back with them, crossing the bridge together, as he intended to pay a visit to Mr. Zhuang.
This was a serious matter, and Zhou Xi and the others could not detain them any longer. They could only see them off at the entrance of the school.
Man Bao and Bai Shanbao had already prepared dinner and went to the small courtyard to eat with their mentor, enjoying a meal together.
Mr. Zhuang's small courtyard always had its doors open throughout the year, welcoming people to come and go freely. When Wei Zhi knocked on the door and received no response, he stepped in.
After walking through the courtyard for a while, he heard voices coming from a room.
Mr. Zhuang also heard the sound of the door, but he thought it was his students playing and bumping into something. Everyone knew that no one would stop them from entering his small courtyard, so if someone wanted to find him, they could simply come in.
So, he continued scolding the two children who were bowing their heads.
Today, he was teaching a new lesson and called up two children to answer questions. However, neither Man Bao nor Bai Shanbao answered him. It was evident that the two children had been neglecting their studies recently.