Chapter 142

Early the next morning, Mu Bai and Liu Chengye had breakfast and then returned to town.

Now that Mu Bai is pregnant with Liu's grandson, it's already a miracle that Manager Liu and his wife would let him out for even a day.

Mu Jin didn't stay long either, as the Liu family had servants and maids who took better care of her than he did here.

Just as Mu Jin was about to return to her room after seeing Mu Bai and Liu Chengye off, she saw Liu Genfa walking over.

"Uncle, please come in."

As Mu Jin spoke, she prepared to brew him some tea.

Mu Genfa waved his hand and said, "Jin-ge, don't bother. I have to go to town later. Let's keep it short."

Upon hearing this, Mu Jin saw that Liu Genfa was really in a hurry to go to town, so she brought him a bowl of warm water and added a spoonful of white sugar.

"Uncle, please speak."

“A few days ago, your husband came to see me and said that if there were any suitable fertile fields in the village, I should let him know. Now, Old Liu’s family in the village wants to sell their land, so I came to tell you first.”

No matter what, Mu Jin is still a member of the Mu family, so Mu Genfa naturally prioritizes them.

Mu Jin's eyes lit up. "I wonder how many acres of land Grandpa Liu wants to sell?"

“Five mu of dry land and three mu of paddy fields, totaling seventy-three taels of silver. If you buy them all, I will talk to you and Old Man Liu. He needs the silver urgently, and perhaps we can buy them for seventy taels of silver.”

"Thank you, Uncle. I'll take them all."

Mu Genfa nodded, finished the water in the bowl, and tasted a slight sweetness.

"Then it's settled. I'll bring your husband over when I return from town this afternoon. Remember to have him wait for me at home."

As he spoke, he got up and hurriedly walked towards the courtyard gate.

Mu Jin quickly stood up and said gently, "Uncle, please take care."

A new broom sweeps clean, and the village chief of Mujia Village is no exception. In the past two or three years, Mu Genfa has been the busiest person in Mujia Village.

Zhou Lin only went to the pepper garden for a quick look and returned shortly afterward.

When Mu Jin told him about it, Zhou Lin said, "That's great! All the rice in our house is bought from the rice shop in town. Now that we have a paddy field, we can keep it for our own consumption and don't need to buy it from outside anymore."

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Seventy taels of silver isn't too expensive. This noon, when your uncle arrives, take the silver and head to town to get the land deed done."

Zhou Lin nodded and went back to the back room to make furniture.

Nowadays, the family has long-term workers, including Yu and Lin Huzi, and eight short-term workers, including Zhou Lin. With Lin Huzi looking after the pepper garden, we can rest assured.

Lin Youyu, along with three day laborers, busied himself with the family's vegetable garden, livestock, poultry, and three acres of farmland.

The family still has one sow who gave birth to twelve piglets in the summer. The chickens and ducks are all free-range in the pepper garden, totaling about 160 or 170.

Compared to five years ago, it's neither more nor less; I'm just managing to keep up.

The family's dye shop is now being run by servants that Mu Zhaoye bought from town. These three fifteen- or sixteen-year-old men are much stronger than Mu Jin and her brothers.

Bai Qiqiu's pepper garden was also very busy, so Mu Zhaoye simply bought six servants from town—four men and two boys—to take care of the household affairs.

Therefore, although both families had a lot of work, Mu Jin and Bai Qiqiu were not that busy. They only needed to keep an eye on the day laborers or servants.

At noon, Mu Genfa arrived as promised. After Mu Jin had lunch, she gave Zhou Lin some silver.

He then drove the oxcart and went with Mu Genfa to Old Man Liu's house.

As Mu Jin eagerly awaited his return, Zhou Lin drove his oxcart home from town, carrying the brand-new land deeds, as the sun set.

After admiring it for a while, Mu Jin carefully put the land deed back into the hidden compartment.

Did Grandpa Liu explain why he sold the land?

"I overheard my uncle saying that Grandpa Liu's eldest grandson got addicted to gambling after being led astray by some scoundrels in town. By the time his family found out, he already owed the gambling den more than a hundred taels of silver. Uncle Liu was so angry that he locked him up at home and I heard he beat him badly."

"No wonder, I thought that in this peaceful and prosperous age, few farmers would be willing to sell their fertile land."

Zhou Linxin was filled with apprehension. "I remember Erming being tricked into gambling by the people in town before, and I broke out in a cold sweat. Luckily, that guy was smart enough to see through the trap early on."

Mu Jin sighed softly, "There are all sorts of people in this town, and if you're not careful, you can easily get scammed."

Zhou Lin looked around the room. "Where are the peaches and papayas?"

"Qi Qiu took them out to play. Are there still crops in these few acres of fields?"

“The dry land has all been harvested, and we’ll plant wheat in it. As for the three acres of barren land at home, we’ll plant cotton in them next year after the harvest. The rice in the paddy fields is still there. They originally said the land would be given to us, but the rice in it would still belong to the Liu family. So I gave them an extra three taels of silver to buy it all together.”

"Three taels of silver and three mu of rice, all things considered, we still made a profit."

Zhou Lin nodded, sat inside to rest for a while, and then went downstairs to get busy.

Mu Jin didn't go downstairs. Instead, she took out the clothes that Xiao Taozi had damaged and sewed up the tears.

The green leaves in the mountains are gradually turning yellow, autumn is deepening, and fallen leaves cover the ground.

A horse-drawn carriage sped along the village road.

"Big brother, I'm back!"

Hearing the sound, Mu Jin quickly got up, scattering sunflower seed shells all over the ground.

He rushed to the door, his eyes beaming with undisguised joy. "Zhaoran, you're back! Come in quickly, let your older brother take a good look at you."

Wen Zhaoran was dressed in a red silk robe and adorned with gold and jade hairpins, making her dazzling.

His eyes were full of joy, and his radiant face made the rather grand house behind him pale in comparison.

Such a young man should live in a house paved with gold and jade.

Upon seeing Mu Jin, Wen Zhaoran rushed over, exclaiming, "Big brother, I've missed you so much!"

Mu Jin hugged him and laughed, "You've gotten a bit heavy."

The old woman and young man who followed behind unloaded the congratulatory gifts and Wen Zhaoran's luggage from the carriage.

"Where is Zhou'er?"

Wen Zhaoran led Mu Jin home and said, "He didn't come back this time. He said that His Majesty might hold a special imperial examination next year, and the teachers at the academy are all preparing. If Mu Zhou can pass the examination this time, he can participate in the metropolitan examination next year and get a minor official position."

Mu Jin nodded, "Passing the imperial examination is a big deal, but your father and stepfather didn't come back with you?"

Wen Zhaoran smiled and said, "My father just gave birth to another little brother for us. He's only six months old now. He's very fond of him and was afraid that the journey would be too tiring, so he didn't come back."

Having a child late in life, one naturally cherishes the child as the apple of their eye.

How long do you plan to stay home?

"We won't go back before the New Year. After Mu Zhou finishes the exam, if he passes, we'll go directly to the capital with him. At that time, Father and Uncle will probably come back to the village to host a banquet for the villagers. Whether they will come to the capital with us or not, we don't know."

Mu Jin's face was full of joy. "Okay, okay, I'll stay with you for a few more days, Big Brother."

The old woman and the young man carried all the things down and asked, "My lord, where should we put these things?"

"I'll put my luggage in the room upstairs by the mountain, and the gifts in the main room first."

The two nodded and got to work.

"Big brother, where are Peach and Papaya? When I went to the prefectural city, Papaya was still young, I'm afraid she wouldn't even recognize me."

"They went out to play with your brother-in-law. I'll call them back later."

Wen Zhaoran waved his hand, "Big brother, no rush, let's talk for a while first."

Mu Jin smiled and nodded, then pulled Wen Zhaoran upstairs. In the hall upstairs, looking at the distant mountain scenery, the two boys, who hadn't seen each other for a long time, kept talking.

After the old woman and the young man finished getting ready, Wen Zhaoran looked up and asked, "Are you two going back to the prefectural city after lunch or right now? Will you eat on the way?"

The old woman and the young man exchanged a glance and said, "My lord, we'll head back now while it's still early. Please take good care of yourself here."

Wen Zhaoran nodded, and after the two went downstairs, Mu Jin smiled and said, "You're becoming more and more like the head of the household."

Watching the two drive away in their carriage, Mu Jin asked, "Aren't you afraid they'll steal the horse and run away?"

Wen Zhaoran shook his head. "Not to mention that their indentures are still with me. I've treated them well. Only a fool would run away."

As they talked, Zhou Lin carried the little papaya and led the little peach home.

Wen Zhaoran peeked out from the second floor, "Peach, Papaya, Uncle Zhaoran is back!"

Zhou Yaoyao still remembered this handsome uncle. Hearing the voice, she looked up and called out in a clear voice to the upstairs, "Uncle! Peach misses you so much!"

With that, she let go of Zhou Lin's large hand and jogged upstairs.

Little Papaya looked completely bewildered; it was clear she didn't recognize Wen Zhaoran.

Zhou Lin carried him upstairs.

Wen Zhaoran held Zhou Yaoyao in one arm and gently pinched the little papaya's tender little face with the other.

"You heartless little brat, I even changed your stinky diaper for you."

For the first time ever, Little Papaya didn't call out to anyone; blushing, she hid in Zhou Lin's arms.

Mu Jin chuckled: "You're even shy now."

Zhou Lin smiled and asked, "When did you get back?"

"Brother-in-law, I just arrived too."

Zhou Lin shoved the little papaya into Mu Jin's arms and, without lingering, hurried downstairs to get busy.

Little Papaya nestled in Hibiscus's arms, glancing up every now and then before retreating back into her father's embrace.

He looked like he wanted to look but didn't dare to.

Mulan laughed heartily. "I've never seen him like this before. Mugua, is this your Uncle Zhaoran? Call him Uncle."

Little Papaya raised her head again and obediently called out in her sweet, childish voice, "Uncle~"

She turned her head and buried herself in the hibiscus again.

Zhou Yaoyao said disdainfully, "My little brother is so useless."

Mu Jin chuckled and said, "When you were little, you weren't much better than your younger brother."

Zhou Yaoyao snorted. He didn't believe it. How could he be as shameful as his younger brother?

Mu Jin smiled and said, "You're finally back. Tomorrow, please invite Qi Qiu, Si'er, Nianjun, and Mian'er to our house. They all miss you. Let's have a good get-together."

Wen Zhaoran held Zhou Yaoyao's soft little body in her arms, "How is everyone?"

“It’s great. Besides his two sons, Xiao Weiwei and Xiao Liuhuo, Brother Nianjun finally had a baby boy this year. He’s only two months old. He and Brother Sheng are so happy about it. Mian’er also just had a son. She just finished her postpartum period not long ago.”

Wen Zhaoran listened carefully; after being away from home for over a year, he truly missed home.