stingy landlady

Chapter 169 Zhao Shi Returns to Her Parents' Home

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zhao Shi and Er Zhu took the children back to her parents' home. This time, Zhao Shi finally gained face at her parents' home. Zhao Shi's mother pulled Zhao Shi aside and whispered something to her.

"Fang! Your family has really made a fortune this year, and things are getting better and better! I see that your whole family has changed into new clothes! The hairpin you're wearing is also very pretty, and wearing this silk dress makes you look different from us farmers!"

"They're obviously rich!"

Zhao took out a string of copper coins from her pocket, about a hundred coins. "Mother! This is a token of my respect for you and Father!"

Zhao's mother was overjoyed!

"Oh my! My Fang'er has really made something of herself! Your grandmother is willing to give her all this money, isn't she? She's even supporting her son's studies, right? I heard he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar? Can you lend him some help?"

"Mother! Fifth brother has passed the imperial examination and will continue his studies! It will cost a lot of money! He's not an official, so what help can we get?"

As Zhao spoke, she told her mother to put the copper coins away properly!

"Mom! Put the money away quickly! Don't let anyone barge in and watch over it! Mom! This is money I earned myself, not given to me by my mother-in-law!"

Zhao's mother asked in surprise:

"Has my son separated from the family? Is he earning and spending his own money?"

Zhao rolled her eyes and said:

“Mother! We didn’t separate the family! We were poor before, and we still had to support the fifth brother’s education! After the eldest brother separated, life got better and better! When I wanted to separate, the old man and the old woman wouldn’t let me! They were counting on Erzhu and Dabao to farm and work!”

The fifth son passed the county-level imperial examination and became a scholar, so the old man wanted to divide the family property. I wasn't having it! Soon, he'll pass the provincial-level examination and become a scholar, then a metropolitan-level one. He'll be an official! I'm not stupid. I'll work hard for a few more years and then I'll be able to get ahead. You think you can just kick us aside? No way!

Zhao's mother chuckled upon hearing this:

"Oh my! My Fang is really amazing! How can you save money when the family hasn't separated? Your old lady is so stingy! She has to hold onto every penny!"

Zhao then said mysteriously:

"Mom! Your daughter is so capable now! Haha! I've completely charmed my sister-in-law! She's making me earn money!"

Zhao's mother asked:

"Keep your sister-in-law happy. She doesn't have a son yet, does she? She'll have to rely on her eldest and second sons to support her in her old age, right? She'll have to curry favor with you and Erzhu!"

“Mother! How could that be! My eldest brother and sister-in-law are very rich now! They built a big house and have servants. They bought a lot of land and opened a shop in town! Now they're going to open a handicraft workshop.”

Mother, my eldest brother is going to die without an heir, so we won't be able to have any offspring! I've long since given up on him! He has servants and maids; he might take a concubine in the future, so what's there to worry about in terms of not being able to have a son?

Now I want to eat something substantial! I coaxed my sister-in-law, telling her to share any money-making opportunities with me. While others eat solid food, I'll just have some thin porridge. I'm content right now!

Look, after the New Year, Taozhi is going to do needlework with Guixiang and the others to earn money! Eight hundred coins a month! Mom! Do we have anyone suitable to go? As long as they know how to do needlework, that's fine, and it would be even better if they know how to embroider!

"Mom! Room and board are included!"

Zhao's mother was somewhat tempted:

"Eight hundred coins is quite a lot for a girl! You can't earn a single coin at home! Food and lodging included! Where are you staying? Not near your home! It's quite far!"

"They said it's from Huanghua Village!"

After considering it, Zhao's mother said:

“Your eldest brother’s daughter, Yun’er, is fifteen and they’re getting ready to arrange a marriage! Let her go and earn some money for her dowry!”

Your second brother's daughter, Cai'er, is fourteen. She doesn't know much about needlework. Can she go? Sigh! Needlework isn't easy to learn! No worries! I'll keep them both in my room these next couple of days to learn!

You need to keep your hands delicate, or they'll snag the fabric!

Zhao said:

"Mom! I'll sign them both up! I heard they're only recruiting thirty people! I know of four already! The whole village's heard about it, so a lot of people want to go!"

"Who wouldn't be eager to take on a lucrative business like this? Would they just sit at home waiting for a windfall? If it weren't for this family dragging you down, I'd be willing to sign your sister-in-law and brother's wife up too!"

"Mom! My sister-in-law has to take care of the kids and do housework! When it gets warmer in the spring, she'll have to plant vegetables and farm! How can she all go out to earn money and neglect her family!"

"That's right! Hey? Fang! You still haven't told us what you and your sister-in-law do to earn money? There are so many mouths to feed in our family, we need money everywhere! Whatever you do, can't we do it?"

After a slight hesitation, Zhao said:

"Mom! We can make money by growing bean sprouts! Our family is capable, but I wouldn't dare say we'd sell them!"

Zhao's mother grabbed Zhao's hand.

"Fang! I can sprout beans too! But I'm not very good at it! I'm afraid of wasting beans! You can teach me how! As for selling them, you can have your brothers go to town and ask door to door, just like when you sold boxed lunches!"

"Can it really make money?"

After thinking for a while, Zhao said:

"Mother! Making money is good! Guizhi hired someone to drive a horse-drawn cart to transport our goods. I heard we're selling them in the county town! I don't know if you'll sell them well in town!"

"Mother! If they don't sell well, please don't come to my in-laws again. What if they ruin our business? Mother! Then your daughter won't have any money to give you!"

Zhao's mother also hesitated:

"Fang! Then sprout fewer bean sprouts! It would be better if you sold them, but if you don't, you can eat them yourself! What else can our family do to make money? Tell me! Your husband's family knows a lot of people, and your older brother is very capable! If our family makes money, you'll be proud, won't you?"

"Mom! Last spring, as soon as the ice thawed, we started planting bok choy with my older brother. They were so expensive back then! This much!"

Zhao gestured with his hand to indicate the two characters.

Zhao's mother guessed:

"Two coins a pound? That's only so they're easy to sell! The ground was just thawed and digging it up is such a chore! If we don't do it right, we'll waste the seeds, and it'll be too cold to harvest!"

Zhao laughed and said:

"Mother! It's twenty coins! That's why it's selling for this price! But Mother, if you plant it, I don't know if you'll be able to get a good price!"

Back then, we only got such a high price because my older brother helped us sell them. When it was my turn to sell, I was only paid five coins a pound! I was so angry!

"Mom! If you've planted them, I'll talk to my sister-in-law and ask them to help sell them! That way we can earn a little more!"

Zhao's mother hesitated.

"Can your sister-in-law handle this? Last time she went to buy a box of dumplings, she had to pay first! Your mother-in-law is so shrewd! What if she doesn't help us sell them? Wouldn't all our efforts have been for nothing?"

After thinking carefully for a while, Zhao made up her mind:

"Mother! You all go ahead and plant! I'm on good terms with my sister-in-law now! She's very easy to talk to! Hmm! Guizhi is young, but my eldest brother values ​​her opinion a lot in all matters, big and small, at home!"

My mother-in-law said she's a lucky charm just a few days ago! My father-in-law also values ​​her! I'll go and coax her a bit! I'll ask her to help sell the goods later!

That way no one will object! Mom! We need to plant some hardy vegetables, not just any random ones! Otherwise, we'll waste seeds!