Chapter 3 — An Luong Doesn't Choose a Female

The water surface has just risen, the river is chaotic, no one wants to take risks. When my father chased me to Dong Kho, I was discussing prices with the boat owners at the fish market.

“For each boat, pay half of the boat fee in advance. Bring the salary to Lam Chau, pay the other half.”

“If the boat is damaged, the honest man will fix it according to the price.”

In the crowd, a tall woman squeezed in. She rowed boats all year round, the backs of her hands were tanned and shiny.

"Second lady, the men have all followed the Tiet family's big ship. If our women leave, will the virtuous path also note it?"

“Thuyen la cua ai?”

“Mine.”

“Who rowed?”

“It's also me.”

“Vay bac se tra cho nguoi.”

Nang nhoen mieng cuoi.

"My name is Chuc Tam Nuong, there are two boats in the house."

“As long as the lady says she can do it, I will call twenty more sisters to help.”

My parents' eyebrows twitched when they heard this.

“Disturb!”

“A woman rowing a small boat, how can she go through the fast water in Lam Chau?”

The smile on Chuc Tam Nuong's face disappeared.

“Lord Qin, in the past when you were in charge of food, our man was crippled in one leg, but you still used his boat.”

"After he died of illness, I rowed this boat for eight years. Which bend in Lam Chau has reefs, which water flow is fastest, I know better than him."

The crew members nearby all burst into laughter. Father was laughed until his face turned blue. Ta lap tuc sai Ton ba viet khe uoc. Phu than giat phat to giay.

“Tien thuyen nay lay tu dau?”

“The command card allows me to command three hundred taels.”

“Rescuing people is doing good deeds, but you use money from morality to buy people's hearts?”

“Porters have to eat, boat owners also have to feed their families.”

“We cannot force people to sell their lives for us to do it for free just to transport food to save lives.”

At this time, the elder sister led someone to chase her. Fifty of her salary carts left the Tay warehouse, following the mandarins. The Tiet family gave her a new salary and also gave her an additional fifty bags. Nghe loi ta, nang khe cau may.

“My sister, with the disaster ahead, everyone should contribute their part.”

“I paid twice the price for the boat, but in the future there will be a flood, won't the boat owner wait to raise the price?”

I hope Tam Nuong doesn't recognize her, just looks from top to bottom.

“This lady, have you contributed yet?”

Truong ty hoi sung so.

“Ta dang dich than dua luong.”

“Luong la cua nguoi?”

“La cua luong dao.”

“Is the car yours?”

“Do Tiet gia tang cho nan dan.”

“So what did you spend?”

She pointed to the white flag behind the elder sister's back.

“What is your name?”

Some people around couldn't help but burst out laughing. The elder sister's face turned pale. Mau than che cho nang, tien len.

“Where does this ignorant woman come from, she dares to talk to Miss Qin like that!”

Chuc Tam Nuong vac mai cheo len vai.

“I speak rudely, madam, you don't need to listen.”

"But we still have two children in our family. If you think you shouldn't take money from your fortune, then tell the eldest lady to row it herself."

The elder sister's eyes turned red.

“I do not force anyone.”

“If the boat owner doesn't want to do good deeds, I'll give up this money myself.”

She took off the jade bracelet on her wrist. Tiet Van Son lap tuc ngan lai.

“You have a kind heart, how can you let someone pawn your jewelry?”

“The boat fee is paid by the Tiet family.”

The two people pushed back and forth, and applause rang out around them. I withdraw the sheet The contract was taken out of his father's hands.

“No need for pictures.”

“I paid for my boat myself.”

The elder sister looked over.

“Why do you need to be so clear, sister?”

“Once the Tiet family's money is in the book, they can later use the book to demand something else.”

"You don't ask the price, but I can't. I have to ask."

Tiet Van Son's face darkened.

“The second lady thinks Tiet Mo's kindness is too dirty.”

“Having been in business for many years, I know that there is no boat in the world that is given away for free.”

I press the card command down. Forty-six boat contracts were sealed one after another. Wishing Tam Nuong led someone to pick up wages. The women tied their skirts to their waists, carried bags, pushed carts, and none of their movements were slower than the men. The elder sister stood on the shore and looked for a long time.

“Sister, you used silver to pave the way like that, even if you win, it's just the way a businessman wins.”

I was comparing salaries with Ton Bo, without looking up.

“Getting your salary to the right place is a good way.”

“The victims are hungry, they will not ask whether the rice will be delivered by weather or by boat fare.”

She was left alone, the hand holding the jade bracelet slowly clenched. At dusk, forty-six small boats left the mouth of the East branch. The elder sister's team of vehicles also departed according to the mandarin's path. She had a fast horse, a big cart, and a driver familiar with the Tiet family's route, leaving two hours earlier than us. Her mother stood at the dock to see her off, and even personally tied her cloak for her. When it was our turn to get on the boat, she only threw back one sentence.

"Don't lose all your salary because of competing with your sister."

I stepped onto the ship's unstable plank.

“If it really sinks, we will go into the water to retrieve it.”

I wish Tam Nuong stood at the head of the boat, laughing until she clapped the oars.

“Sit firmly, lady.”

“People who travel by water, the most fearless thing is water.”

5

At night, heavy rain poured down. The wooden bridge next to the official gate could not hold until morning and was swept away by water. When we passed the ferry station, fifty of the elder sister's salary trucks were all stuck in the mud. The two horses panicked and the wheels sank deeper and deeper. The elder sister was holding an umbrella and standing on a high spot, the hem of her white dress was covered in mud. Seeing me, she immediately sent someone to wave.

“Sister!”

Bless Tam Nuong for the boat to reach shore. The elder sister stepped across the wooden plank onto the boat and said the first sentence:

“My quality has increased.”

“A total of one thousand and fifty bags, they must be delivered before dark.”

The porters behind her all stopped. Forty-six small boats were loaded. If you add more food, if you encounter a strong current, it will definitely capsize. We pointed to a dozen empty fishing boats following behind to receive the goods.

“Can carry five hundred bags. The rest will wait for the next trip.”

“No way.”

"The Queen Mother only gave me three days. If I'm one day late, I'll be considered defeated."

“The boat overturned, even five hundred billion bags couldn't be delivered.”

She bit her lip.

“Did you do it on purpose?”

"The moldy rice in Tay warehouse was caused by me pointing it out in front of everyone. The Tiet family's big ship also left because I offended you. Now even my salary cart is stuck here."

“Sister, you have taken all the opportunities, why are you still not willing to give me a hand?”

It turns out that water that washes down a bridge can also count on our heads. The mother ran from behind and lost a shoe.

“Minh Chau, my sister has never begged me!”

“Divide the boat in half Is there anything wrong with it?”

May Tam Nuong stand next to me with her hands on her hips.

“Madam, how much weight a boat can bear cannot be measured by sisterly love.”

“Arguing a little longer, the water will rise even more.”

I ordered someone to unload my twenty sacks of salary.

“Each boat is loaded with half a bag, first help sister deliver five hundred bags.”

The elder sister's expression relaxed.

“What about the rest?”

"I'll bring someone back to get it."

“Then you must clearly record in the book that my thousand sacks of salary were delivered to you on time.”

I looked at her.

“I can help you with transportation, but I will not deliver salary for you.”

“Sister, there is no such convenience in the world.”

The look of self-pity in her eyes immediately disappeared.

“Tan Minh Chau, do you have to humiliate me in front of these rude people?”

“If you feel that calculating is clearly humiliating, then find your own boat.”

She looked at me for a long time, but in the end she still didn't dare get off the boat.

“Okay.”

“Five hundred bags were transported by my boat. I will figure out the remaining five hundred bags myself."

We carry the rain and collect wages. The elder sister did not move a hand. She stood under the umbrella, reminding the porter not to dirty the white cloth with the four words "Thanh Nguyet saves the people" written on it. Wishing Tam Nuong moved to the tenth bag, winking at me.

“Miss Qin, you are very attentive.”

“If you save your life, you're afraid that people will thank you for the wrong benefactor.”

I carried a bag of rice over the stern of the boat.

“Speak less, save your strength for rowing.”

The waterway is more dangerous than expected. Downstream of Lam Chau, three places were flooded, with many people crowded into the streets and on high mounds. The first place we went to was called Lieu Gia village. The salary distribution tent at the beginning of the village has been set up. But the manager did not let anyone come to receive salary.

“If you don't have a wooden card issued by your clan, you won't be able to receive it.”

A woman hugged her child and knelt in the mud, crying until her voice was hoarse.

“Our family's men were swept away by the water, but the princess said that if the daughter marries out, she has no share. Please give the child a bowl of rice water.”

The manager pushed her away.

"Every family comes to cry, how can the salary be enough to share?"

"You don't have a male guarantee, who knows if someone from outside the village sneaked in?"

The elder sister arrived half an hour later than me. As soon as she got to shore, she helped the other woman up.

“Don't cry.”

“I give you my share of dry food.”

She handed over an exquisite box of food, inside was the white flour cake prepared by the Tiet family. The people around him were praising him. But the woman did not accept, she just held the child and brought it forward.

"Miss, my child has a fever and can't eat breakfast."

“I just want to ask for a handful of rice to boil into porridge.”