The skilled widow is busy farming

Chapter 104

"Have you been in trouble too?"

The mother-in-law looked at Mrs. Zhang curiously.

"We are from a peasant family, the same as your family. It's just that the men in the family first entered the capital and became officials. This is the accumulation of several generations before we are what we are today. When my mother was young, my father was an official in the capital. It was very difficult to make a charcoal fire in the winter, so my brother and I used kerosene to study. I couldn't bear to burn charcoal, and charcoal was expensive, so I sold embroidery as a subsidy. There were many families of officials in the capital who used embroidery to subsidize their families. We are all renting houses, so how can we afford to buy a house?”

Mrs. Zhang told the truth.

This also brought her mother-in-law closer to her.

"Ouch! My brother Heng said the same thing as you. I still don't believe it, Xiu'er. Brother Heng's farmyard has taken advantage of you and the clan."

"It's inconvenient not to have a house. It will be more cost-effective to consider buying a house in the future."

Xiu Niang also smiled and said goodbye to everyone. She carried her school bag and went to the ethnic school.

"I'll also go to the clan school and give a few lessons to the children. It's not in vain."

Master Zhang also followed. He was very curious about the Li family. At Xiuniang's invitation, he gave a few lessons to the Li family to encourage the children.

"Come on, sister-in-law, I'll go to the weaving workshop with you for a while."

"Okay, let's go. It's time to settle the bill for us today. I can get eight taels of silver this month."

As the mother-in-law walked, she shook her head happily and showed off to Mrs. Zhang and her daughter-in-law.

"Mother, are you tired from doing this?"

Zhang Lian admired this rural mother-in-law from the bottom of her heart. She was tenacious, hard-working, capable, down-to-earth and simple.

"You're not tired. I want to save some money for my grandchildren. I have several grandchildren, but Brother Jing is getting married, and none of the others below are getting married. I want to contribute to them."

"Sister-in-law, you are so amazing. I finally know why your children are so outstanding."

Mrs. Zhang admired her more and more.

"As long as you don't laugh at me, I started brocade weaving. Xiu'er taught me. This is more profitable than palace flowers. I want to marry my grandson, study and buy a house. I can't let my grandson suffer so much."

My mother-in-law also has her own dreams, which are simple and pragmatic.

Mrs. Zhang and her daughter looked at each other and smiled. They were a match.

Going to the weaving workshop, Zhang Lian'er saw that everyone was working hard, and Grandma Ma was giving guidance. It was all the aunts and men who were working, and the children came after school.

Brocade is also made by men, and they do it quite well. The inherited craft is not exclusive to women.

"My God, this big brother's knitting is so beautiful. It makes me look so thick."

Zhang Lian'er looked around and sighed to herself. This is real craftsmanship, not fake. The knitting is particularly beautiful and the colors are beautiful. She really doesn't know how to do it.

After walking around for a while, Mrs. Zhang and her daughter left without disturbing anyone.

"Lian'er, live a good life with Brother Heng. Your mother-in-law is a kind person. You are lucky."

"Mom, I remember, I will be filial to my mother-in-law. When we are settled in the future, I can take my parents-in-law to live there for a few years. I'm afraid my parents-in-law won't be able to stay here. Lijia Village is really nice, and there are not many in the capital. It’s comfortable here.”

Mrs. Zhang thought for a while and nodded with a smile, "Don't tell me, I have lived very comfortably these past few days, and the food is satisfactory. Everything is fresh. I told your father yesterday that I will go back to my hometown when I grow old. Going to retire.”

Many retired officials return to their hometowns to teach and educate people when they grow old, and will not stay in the capital.

"My father also agreed, and he also liked the flowers raised by my second sister-in-law. He got an orchid, and my sister-in-law moved the pot for him."

"Hahahaha! He came here because of his shamelessness. Your second sister-in-law is so thin-skinned, how can you compare with your father? It's really..." Mrs. Zhang couldn't stop laughing.

Xiu Niang went to the market and the mountains when she had nothing to do. The villagers knew that she liked flowers, herbs and other things, so they brought them back to her when they saw good ones. They didn't want her money, just to express their gratitude.

She raised several rare flowers and plants in the yard. They were all wild varieties from the mountains. The villagers brought them to her from the mountains and threw them to her to play with.

She has never sold anything like this before. Xiu Niang plans to take the pot back to the capital to decorate the yard and give her brother a pot. It is pleasing to the eye.

Mr. Zhang was learning to grow vegetables in the yard. When he saw it, he liked it and praised it repeatedly. Xiu Niang generously came out to move the pots and took them away for him, which made Mr. Zhang feel embarrassed.

"No wonder my father went to study in the clan early. It turns out he owed a favor."

Zhang Lian'er laughed at her father.

Mrs. Zhang also covered her mouth and laughed.

The mother and daughter helped dry herbs in the yard and chatted with the old lady.

In the afternoon, Mrs. Zhang went to the clan school to teach everyone. She mainly talked to the girls about interpersonal relationships, strange things that happened during banquets, how to use etiquette, strange stories, which girls fell into trouble and lost their reputations, and how miserable it would be in the aftermath. Talk about it.

We had a great time getting along with the Li family. Mrs. Zhang picked up real people’s stories and told them without names, which gave the girls a lot of experience. It turns out that it’s not easy to be an official’s wife.

After staying for a few days, Mr. Zhang's holiday was coming soon and they were leaving.

The Li family also packed their things and took a boat to the capital to get engaged to Li Rui and Wang Yulan.

This time, grandpa, second uncle, Li Mao and his wife are going, mother-in-law is going, father-in-law is not going, they have to look after the wine shop, and Li Jing and Sun Ya are going to buy a house for their brother.

Xiuniang also wants to go with her. She wants to buy some property. This time her second uncle and her grandfather Yingzi are going with them to buy some property for the clan for future development.

The winery has made money this year. It is twice as much as last year. It is indeed a lot. Orders have also increased. The wine grains alone are sold for a lot of money.

Li Yan took over Xiu Niang's grocery store and gave Xiu Niang [-]% of the profits. He was responsible for running the business in the store. In fact, he was taking care of Xiu Niang and using her shop for business. This was how he legitimately shared her money.

Li Yan and Li Qing's children are both studying in the family school. Xiu Niang is very strict and teaches her in a decent way. Their two wives have a good relationship with Xiu Niang. Their families are rich and they don't care about this at all. They are just grateful. Xiu Niang teaches her children so well.

The grocery store sells all kinds of groceries and food, as well as wine and distiller's grains. The sales are so good that the clan's single-door wine shop also sells wine.

A new wine was released last year, and it’s not really a new wine. It’s been researched for several years, but the ingredients required are a bit expensive, so we haven’t been able to produce too much. With the winery, my grandfather and father-in-law flexed their muscles to develop new wines. As soon as the wine was released, it became popular. It is very well received, and now many big restaurants order wine from Li's family, with a constant supply.

In a few years, the clan has become rich, and they plan to go to the capital to broaden their horizons. After being inspired by Xiu Niang, going to the capital to buy property for the clan is also a way of making money to prepare for the success of their children and grandchildren in the future.

When they arrived in the capital, Xiu Niang and everyone went to live at Li Rui's place. The yard was tidied up and made very presentable. Li Qing spent money to do it. After finishing it, he told Xiu Niang that he didn't need any money.

"Uncle Clan, I've been waiting for you for several days."

Li Qing supported the two old men, the grandfather, and put them on the carriage back home.

"Are you still safe in the capital?"

"It's stable. I bought some property and three three-in-one courtyards. Brother Rui and Zhou Yun found them for me, as well as a farm and a shop. If you can't find a suitable one, I'll give it to the clan. That’s it.”

"Brother Erqing, if you don't want to listen to Brother Rui, I'll sell you to the ditch."

Xiu Niang knows Li Rui's brains, and most people are no match for him. If he sells her out, she still has to help him count the money and set up a memorial tablet for immortality, and praise his benefactor with three incense sticks morning and night.

"Second aunt, where can I find it?"

Li Rui opened the car curtain with an aggrieved flat mouth.

(End of this chapter)