Dressed as a widow, raising cubs, farming and building infrastructure in Ming Dynasty

Chapter 11 Buying Land
Aunt Ma was an open-minded mother. She asked kindly: "Boss, if you have any ideas, please tell me."

Ma Ang whispered: "Mom, please let me think about it."

Aunt Ma didn't say any more and changed the topic: "This old man Li is lucky to have such a good daughter-in-law."

Sister Ma Feng agreed: "That's right. If I were a man, I would have gone to her house to propose marriage!"

Ma Ang sneered and said, "Do you think everyone is as straight-laced as you? Those who are strict with others must observe filial piety for three years before remarrying!"

Aunt Ma and Sister Ma Feng's eyes lit up.

They had long seen that Sister-in-law Li was smart and capable, she was also kind-hearted, and she still had capital.Although one-for-three is a bit more stressful, the Ma family happens to have no shortage of manpower.At present, the relationship between the two cooperative stores is somewhat loose. If they can be tied together through marriage, it will only be beneficial but not harmful to the Ma family.

Aunt Ma quietly changed the topic again: "It's time to harvest the wheat in the few acres of land in Lijia Mountain. Boss, please take the time to go and take a look. Let's find a few farmers who are idle and help them harvest the grain!"

Ma Ang nodded: "The temperature in the mountains is low, and it will take a few days for the wheat to be fully ripe. I have told Dazhuang and Erzhu. I will help them recover it in a few days."

……

Qin Liu rested at home for several days.Erlang's hard sucking and his constant rubbing prevented the small lump on his chest from turning into a big disaster.

She also began to reflect on the problems with the current situation.

Although the booming business of the dumpling shop has solved the Ma family's dilemma and his own poverty, the price has also been huge - all the labor force has been involved, and even the disabled old man Li has taken on the heavy responsibility of taking care of his two children.

Now it is the most difficult time for Erlang to learn to walk. She cannot tire herself, Old Man Li, or the child.

She took stock of the money in her hand and came up with a bold idea.

On this day, Ma Ang and several men drove an ox cart to transport the wheat and wheat straw packed in sacks to the Li family's yard. Old man Li, Da Lang, and Qin Liu, who was holding Erlang, all came to the yard.

Seeing dozens of sacks being transported into his east room and stacked neatly, and wheat straw being piled into tall piles in the backyard, Old Man Li was so excited that tears filled his eyes.With these wheat and wheat straws, even if Qin Liu's mother and son leave, he and Dalang will not die of hunger or cold this winter.

While everyone was busy, Qin Liu hurriedly went to the town to buy a big watermelon and brought it back to quench the thirst of the people who were working.

She was going to make lunch for everyone, but Ma Ang called her out: "Stop working, they can go to the shop to eat later."

Qin Liu wiped his hands on his apron and agreed, just making some mung bean porridge.

Old Man Li reminded her just yesterday that it was time to harvest the wheat in the fields.She was still thinking about where to find help, but today the wheat and wheat straw were transported home.

It is impossible to say that she is not grateful to Ma Ang.

After the helpers cleaned up the yard, they drove away with the bullock cart, but Ma Ang stayed behind.Qin Liu brought Ma Ang a bowl of mung bean porridge warmed by well water and chopsticks, and took two chairs. They both sat on the corridor of the house, planning to discuss something.

Ma Ang lowered his head to drink the porridge and was just thinking about how to speak, but Qin Liu said: "Brother Ma, I see that no one has touched the land in front of the dumpling shop, and no one has taken care of the burned house. Can you help me find out? , buy that piece of land?”

Qin Liu is a widow, young and handsome. It is easy for others to block or take advantage of her when she does anything. It is perfect to find Ma Ang, who is wearing a military uniform and has a good character to help.

Ma Ang raised his head and looked at Qin Liu meaningfully, and said with bright eyes: "You and I want to go together. I asked about the land, and if Mr. Zheng comes forward, I can get it for five taels of silver. It just needs to be built." For a house, it takes a lot of money to buy wood and tiles.”

Qin Liu opened his eyes wide and asked, "How much silver do you need?"

Ma Ang said logically: "Your family will probably need to build three houses and a kitchen. Counting the wood and tiles, it will cost eight taels of silver. Our house also has three houses and a kitchen, which will also cost eight taels of silver." The house is built near the shop, so the children can be taken care of, and my mother and the others don’t have to run around on the road, which saves a lot of trouble."

Qin Liu pondered and nodded: "That's the truth." She turned around and looked at the cracked adobe wall behind her, and continued: "These adobe walls cannot withstand heavy rain, and the house will have to be built sooner or later. But, I think, more importantly Let’s build another dumpling shop.”

Ma Ang raised his eyebrows and said, "You mean to open another dumpling shop next door?"

This idea sounds a bit bizarre.Two shops that are very close to each other belong to the same company, so it doesn't seem necessary.

Qin Liu confidently said, "Yes. I also discovered recently that the porridge and steamed buns sold well in our shop are all poor people who come to buy them. Only some people of some status passed by our dumpling shop, looked at it, frowned and left. . I’m afraid that our store is too small and overcrowded. In the past few months, the dumpling business has not been very profitable. I’m thinking that if I open a new dumpling shop and decorate it better, I might be able to make extra money.”

Ma Ang thought for a moment and then nodded: "It's up to you."

Ma Ang didn't have the confidence to comment.The Ma family has saved some money in the past few months, which is probably enough for them to build a house, and there is no spare money to participate in building a new dumpling shop.

Seeing this, Qin Liu went into the house and took out ten taels of silver and gave it to Ma Ang: "Brother Ma, I have to ask you to take care of this matter. I am a woman, so it is very inconvenient for me to go out to do things."

Ma Ang was not polite: "Okay! I'll leave first."

Qin Liu rested for two more days before going to the shop.She was pleasantly surprised to find that the work in the shop was much easier and cleaner.

Aunt Ma said to her with some anxiety: "There are two honest children who always come to buy porridge from us. I told them to help us work and take care of three full meals a day. The two children said that we would give them two more bowls every day. Porridge, six steamed buns, I agree. Do you think this can be done?"

To put it bluntly, this shop was purchased with Qin Liu's capital. She was the boss no matter what, and she hired people without her knowing. Aunt Ma felt a little uneasy.

Qin Liu happily said to Aunt Ma: "Auntie, you are really Zhuge Liang! This business is a very good deal!"

At least the shop was running well while she was away and was actually cleaner than before.Their dumpling shop is a small business and they can't afford to spend a lot of money to hire people as waiters.The current arrangement is already excellent.

The two and a half-year-old children were both twelve or thirteen years old. One was named Xiaosan and the other was named Xiaosi. They had dark skin and disheveled hair. The clothes on their bodies had not been washed for an unknown period of time, and their original color could not be seen.It's just that his four eyes are all dark and shiny, and he looks like a smart kid at first glance.

(End of this chapter)